Impact of Arecanut Plantation on Farming System and Livelihood: A Case Study of Chhuzanggang Gewog, Sarpang
Ugyen Gyeltshen and Tenzin Wangchuk
https://doi.org/10.55925/btagr.26.9104
ABSTRACT
Farming systems are dynamic and context-specific, shaped by interactions between crops, livestock, labour and natural resources. In Bhutan, a growing shift from subsistence mixed farming to market-oriented cash crop cultivation has become prominent in the subtropical regions. This study assessed the impact of increasing arecanut plantations on the performance of the farming system and the livelihoods of the farmers of Chhuzanggang Gewog, Sarpang Dzongkhag. A cross-sectional multi-stage sampling method was employed, combining a household survey (n = 117) with field observations and secondary data. Farms were categorized into three groups based on arecanut land coverage: Low Arecanut Coverage (LAC) (<25%), Medium Arecanut Coverage (LAC) (25-75%), and High Arecanut Coverage (LAC) (>75%). Four farm indicators, i.e., area allocation for crop cultivation, food self-sufficiency, income per capita, and crop diversity, were compared among three farm categories. The results showed higher farms under MAC (n=62, 53%), followed by LAC ( n=44, 38%), and HAC (n=11, 9%). The HAC farms showed the lowest percent household calorific fulfilment of 0.00% compared to MAC (14.7%) and LAC (92.20%). However, HC farms were found to have the highest per capita income of 5.52$PPP per day per person. Crop diversity was also observed to decrease with increasing arecanut plantations; an SDI score of 0.16 was recorded in HAC, indicating low diversity. These findings highlight a trade-off between household food self-sufficiency and income generation, suggesting that rapid arecanut expansion may undermine the rich agro-biodiversity and household food self-sufficiency in the long term. Therefore, there is a need for balanced land use polices promoting sustainable arecanut production integrated with food crops to enhance the livelihood of farming communities.
Keywords: Arecanut; farming system; impact; livelihood