Socio-Economic Assessment for Proposing Alternative Livelihood Strategy of Minority Villagers, Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces

Abstract

Ratanakiri and Stung treng provinces are located in north-east of Cambodia. There are riches of natural landscape which is abundant with many rice fields, lakes, waterfalls, rivers as well as vast areas of forest. This re-search was focused on relative importance of activities related to farming and nat-ural resources collection in terms of revenue and occupation at the household level and the way people benefit from communities and natural resource. 120 samples were selected for household survey. Stratified random sampling was used to interview rich, medium and poor households. Other primary data collec-tion methods including questionnaire survey, observation; key informant inter-views were also implemented. This study showed that rice farming and shifting farm (Chamkar) are the main sources of food consumption and supplementary income for their living in the four villages. But non-timber forest product (NTFPs) collection and wildlife poaching are the main sources of income for the rural live-lihoods in remote village in the forest. Local communities in the village studied preferred to poach the wildlife by dog hunting and crossbow and collecting malva nut tree by cutting down in average 10 malva nut tree per household in year round. However, livestock production was the other livelihood activities because local communities can raise chicken, duck, pig, cow and buffalo for selling, household consumption, agricultural activities and spirit Areak (Kavet people). The income that came from natural resource was high but this trend was not sustainable for the future. The natural resource is decreased day by day due to the illegal activi-ties, the local communities do not know how to harvest or collect in the sustaina-ble way. By the way, improvement of agriculture sector in the targeted area is the good way to improve their livelihood and avoid the negative affected to the natu-ral resources.