Farmers’ Sustainable Livelihoods in China’s Major Grain-Producing Areas: Evidence from the Jianghan Plain

Abstract

Sustainable livelihoods for farmers are crucial to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the sustainability of farmers’ livelihoods in plain agricultural areas is strategically important for poverty alleviation, food security, and the reduction in urban–rural disparities. Drawing on data from a sample survey of farmers and field interviews conducted in the Jianghan Plain, this study evaluates farmers’ sustainable livelihoods in plain agricultural areas. The results indicate the following: (1) In 2022, the sustainable livelihood level of farmers in the Jianghan Plain was relatively low; the average Sustainable Livelihood Index (SLI) of the sampled farmers was 0.3462, with livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes accounting for 50.58% and 49.42% of the SLI, respectively. (2) A significant bidirectional positive interaction existed between farmers’ livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes. Specifically, the coefficient of the promotion effect of livelihood capital on livelihood outcomes was 0.1312, whereas that of the feedback effect of livelihood outcomes on livelihood capital was 1.0128. (3) The coupling coordination degree between farmers’ livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes was moderately unbalanced, with livelihood capital identified as the primary obstacle to farmers’ sustainable livelihood development. The average obstacle degree of livelihood capital was 0.7305, indicating a high degree of constraint. The cumulative obstacle degree of social capital (0.2707), human capital (0.1876), and natural capital (0.1460) reached 60.43%, indicating that these three factors collectively constituted the key obstacles. These findings provide valuable insights into promoting farmers’ livelihood sustainability and rural revitalization in plain agricultural areas.