Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation
On the Tibetan Plateau, livestock husbandry that has been restricted by grassland degradation and human activities is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Due to the unique conditions on the Tibetan Plateau, many adaptation strategies that have worked elsewhere are unsuitable here. Diversificatio...
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Sustainable Futures |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500680X |
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| author | Yan Yu Jianzhong Yan Su-Mia Akin Huihui Liu Pim Martens |
| author_facet | Yan Yu Jianzhong Yan Su-Mia Akin Huihui Liu Pim Martens |
| author_sort | Yan Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On the Tibetan Plateau, livestock husbandry that has been restricted by grassland degradation and human activities is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Due to the unique conditions on the Tibetan Plateau, many adaptation strategies that have worked elsewhere are unsuitable here. Diversification, as a key livelihood strategy based on resilience theory, has been extensively studied in crop research. However, the application and livelihood effects of diversification within livestock husbandry especially in alpine pastoral systems remain underexplored. Using household level data from 682 herders in the Pumqu River Basin (PRB) of the Tibetan Plateau, this paper analyzes the drivers of herders’ livestock diversification strategy through the lens of a pull-push theory. Moreover, the effects of such diversification strategy on herders’ livelihoods are explored. It is found that livestock diversification, including both large animals and small ruminants, has been widely adopted by local herders. Household assets such as the availability of labor, warm sheds, livestock barns and agricultural equipment, as well as the support from government programs are shown to be strong pull factors for herders to diversify their livestock. While natural environmental factors, and specifically climatic factors, act as potential push factors. Our study shows that livestock diversification in the PRB can be characterized as an opportunity-led livelihood strategy, where pull factors typically outweigh push factors as underlying drivers of this strategy. Furthermore, this opportunity-led livestock diversification is found to enhance livestock numbers herded. As a result, livestock diversification can lead to livelihood improvements for local herders under climate change which is likely to form a virtuous cycle. Our study shows how asset-based support and an enabling institutional environment facilitate livestock diversification as well as its positive livelihood outcomes. These findings offer actionable insights for climate change adaptation and rural development in pastoral regions globally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58ce267fd47843efb1b28192ab517c13 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-1888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainable Futures |
| spelling | doaj-art-58ce267fd47843efb1b28192ab517c132025-08-20T03:59:37ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-011010111610.1016/j.sftr.2025.101116Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptationYan Yu0Jianzhong Yan1Su-Mia Akin2Huihui Liu3Pim Martens4University College Venlo/System Earth Science, Maastricht University, Nassaustraat 36, 5911 BV Venlo, the Netherlands; Correspondence author at. University College Venlo, Nassaustraat 36, 5911 BV Venlo, P.O. Box 8, 5900 AA Venlo, the Netherlands.State Cultivation Base of Eco-agriculture for Southwest Mountainous Land, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaUniversity College Venlo/System Earth Science, Maastricht University, Nassaustraat 36, 5911 BV Venlo, the NetherlandsUniversity College Venlo/System Earth Science, Maastricht University, Nassaustraat 36, 5911 BV Venlo, the NetherlandsUniversity College Venlo/System Earth Science, Maastricht University, Nassaustraat 36, 5911 BV Venlo, the NetherlandsOn the Tibetan Plateau, livestock husbandry that has been restricted by grassland degradation and human activities is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Due to the unique conditions on the Tibetan Plateau, many adaptation strategies that have worked elsewhere are unsuitable here. Diversification, as a key livelihood strategy based on resilience theory, has been extensively studied in crop research. However, the application and livelihood effects of diversification within livestock husbandry especially in alpine pastoral systems remain underexplored. Using household level data from 682 herders in the Pumqu River Basin (PRB) of the Tibetan Plateau, this paper analyzes the drivers of herders’ livestock diversification strategy through the lens of a pull-push theory. Moreover, the effects of such diversification strategy on herders’ livelihoods are explored. It is found that livestock diversification, including both large animals and small ruminants, has been widely adopted by local herders. Household assets such as the availability of labor, warm sheds, livestock barns and agricultural equipment, as well as the support from government programs are shown to be strong pull factors for herders to diversify their livestock. While natural environmental factors, and specifically climatic factors, act as potential push factors. Our study shows that livestock diversification in the PRB can be characterized as an opportunity-led livelihood strategy, where pull factors typically outweigh push factors as underlying drivers of this strategy. Furthermore, this opportunity-led livestock diversification is found to enhance livestock numbers herded. As a result, livestock diversification can lead to livelihood improvements for local herders under climate change which is likely to form a virtuous cycle. Our study shows how asset-based support and an enabling institutional environment facilitate livestock diversification as well as its positive livelihood outcomes. These findings offer actionable insights for climate change adaptation and rural development in pastoral regions globally.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500680XLivestock diversificationClimate changeLivelihoodHerdersTibetan plateau |
| spellingShingle | Yan Yu Jianzhong Yan Su-Mia Akin Huihui Liu Pim Martens Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation Sustainable Futures Livestock diversification Climate change Livelihood Herders Tibetan plateau |
| title | Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation |
| title_full | Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation |
| title_fullStr | Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation |
| title_short | Livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for climate change adaptation |
| title_sort | livestock diversification works as a helpful livelihood strategy for herders on the tibetan plateau implications for climate change adaptation |
| topic | Livestock diversification Climate change Livelihood Herders Tibetan plateau |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500680X |
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