Pone Salimath

Land use and forest cover change present significant challenges in the northern upland regions of Lao PDR, particularly in efforts to reduce deforestation and unsustainable land use. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic factors influencing land use and forest cover changes in Phongsaly Province. The study was conducted across five districts, covering 14 villages. A total of 501 participants were selected through systematic random sampling to take part in questionnaire-based interviews. Binomial logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the socioeconomic factors that influence changes in land use and forest cover. The results revealed that satisfaction levels, expectations, perceptions of law enforcement, and participation in forest management were significantly associated with socioeconomic factors. Key factors influencing land use and forest cover change included ethnicity, educational attainment, household size, distance to forest areas, and engagement in forest management practices. In particular, ethnicity has exerted a significantly positive influence on land use and forest cover changes. Higher levels of educational attainment are essential for improving the quality of life among ethnic groups, expanding their occupational opportunities, and reducing the negative impacts on land use and forest cover change. Changes in land use and forest cover have had a significant impact on carbon storage and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The primary driver of GHG emissions is the conversion of forested areas into agricultural land, particularly for the cultivation of upland crops. Factors influencing these changes should be effectively disseminated and addressed through targeted interventions. Efforts should be prioritized and strengthened within local communities, especially in areas experiencing high rates of deforestation and forest degradation.

The government of Laos has made significant efforts to halt deforestation and promote forest conservation in the Northern Uplands of Laos. However, there is no comprehensive assessment of the initiatives and factors that influence youth involvement in forest resource conservation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify sustainable forest management practices and factors affecting youth behaviors related to forest conservation. Methodologically, our study was conducted in three districts, covering 15 villages, with 330 youths who were selected by systematic sampling to participate in structured interviews, statistically using multiple regressions to identify factors influencing sustainable forest management behaviors. The results indicated that conservation knowledge and recognition are associated with demographic and socioeconomic factors, especially education. Factors related to forest conservation recognition included the amount of information available, gender, monthly income, land ownership, and distance from the forest to home. Most households rely on forest products for their livelihoods. It is concluded that higher levels of education provide people with more job opportunities, which improves their job status and quality of life. Community members who received relevant information were more forward-thinking in their forest management behaviors and willing to contribute to related activities. The empirical evidence indicated that providing essential information to young people can help improve sustainable forest management behaviors.

The government of Laos has made significant efforts to halt deforestation and promote forest conservation in the Northern Uplands of Laos. However, there is no comprehensive assessment of the initiatives and factors that influence youth involvement in forest resource conservation. Our goal was to find sustainable forest management practices and understand the factors affecting young people's behaviors related to forest conservation. We conducted our study in 3 districts, covering 15 villages. We used multiple regressions to identify the factors influencing sustainable forest management behaviors, involving 330 youths who were systematically and randomly selected to participate in structured interviews. Our results showed that conservation knowledge and recognition are associated with demographic and socioeconomic factors, especially education. Factors related to forest conservation recognition included the amount of information available, gender, monthly income, land ownership, and distance from the forest to home. Most households rely on forest products for their livelihoods. We found that higher levels of education provide people with more job opportunities, which improves their job status and quality of life. Community members who received relevant information were more forward-thinking in their forest management behaviors and willing to contribute to related activities. Providing essential information to young people can help improve sustainable forest management behaviors.

Background and objective: This study investigates the contribution of social capital on the poverty alleviation of rangeland agropastoral communities who are based on agriculture and the rearing of livestock in the Bamyan province of Afghanistan.Methods: Data was collected through a field survey from the randomly selected 186 households in three rangeland villages in the Bamyan Province, Afghanistan. The relationship between social capital and household poverty was analyzed using a binary logistic regression and correlation analysis.Results: Poor households (.728) were found to have lower social capital than non-poor households (.782). People who live in the Shah Foladi protected area (.687) have lower social capital than those of the Band-E-Amir national park area (0.800). Respondents with a government tenure (.801) were more likely to have higher social capital than those with a public tenure (.608).Conclusion: In this study, social capital has a significant impact on alleviating the poverty of rangeland households in Afghanistan. To address the poverty issue of forest dependents, the local level strategy of community development programs should target rangeland communities to build up their social capital for supporting forest tenures and benefit sharing among marginalized people.

In this study, we primarily assess the relationship between social safeguards and the living standards of local communities in different ecological zones of Ghana, relying on data from the seventh round of the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS 7) and publicly available policy documents from the Ghana Statistical Service and the Forestry Commission of Ghana, respectively. This research aims to assist policymakers and stakeholders to make informed and appropriate decisions when developing social safeguards for emission reduction projects. The GLSS 7 covers 14,009 households, comprising 59,864 individuals in 892 enumeration areas or communities across the 10 regions of Ghana, now divided into 16. The data were collected using a stratified random sampling technique. Principal component analysis was employed to develop a living condition index, after which we generated a second construct based on the number of factors affecting living conditions. The results showed that access to sharecropping, literacy, extension services, financial institutions, a mobile phone network, and markets have significant positive relationships with the living conditions of local communities in Ghana. In addition, 78% of the social safeguards described in Ghana’s REDD+ strategy, Forest and Wildlife Policy, Benefits Sharing Mechanism, and Forest Plantation Development Strategy are aligned with the determinants of local communities’ living conditions. The findings suggest a need to enforce the Benefit Sharing Mechanism, better forest governance, and tenancy reforms in order to prevent the overexploitation of landowners and avoid elite capture. Furthermore, farmers must be linked to financial institutions in order to obtain credits. Additionally, we must seek to provide local communities with better access to markets and mobile phone networks in a way that allows them to carry out their livelihood activities effectively and efficiently. These measures help to reduce the risk of REDD+ actions and ensure sustainability.