Study on the Livelihood Vulnerability of the Poor Relocated Households in Karst Area: A Case Study of Liupanshui Area

Abstract

Relocation for poverty alleviation has become a vital means for the elimination of rural poverty in China. Research on livelihood vulnerability and its influencing factors of relocated farm households before and after poverty alleviation in Karst areas would contribute to the sustainable development of rural households in mountainous areas, which remains unclear. In this paper, the livelihood vulnerability evaluation index system and evaluation model in Karst areas were constructed based on questionnaire data of relocated households in Liupanshui collected in 2020. Then, the degree of livelihood vulnerability of households before and after relocation was measured, and the analysis of the difference between livelihood vulnerability index and dimension of households with different resettlement methods, relocation time, and livelihood diversification index was carried out in detail. Afterward, stepwise linear regression analysis was chosen to screen the main factors affecting the livelihood vulnerability of rural households subject to different resettlement methods and different relocation time. Results show that the livelihood vulnerability of rural households decreased significantly after relocation, and the risk of rural households returning to poverty was reduced. At the same time, it reveals that the family income level and livelihood diversification index have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index of rural households before and after relocation. In addition, among the three village resettlement methods, urban resettlement is the most effective way to alleviate the livelihood vulnerability of rural households. With increasing time since relocation, the adaptability of rural households to the new environment is enhanced, and their ability to withstand the impact of risks is also significantly improved.