The impacts of farmers' livelihood capitals on planting decisions: A case study of Zhagana Agriculture-Forestry-Animal Husbandry Composite System

Starting from livelihood capitals of households and regarding planting structures and wills of households as the core, this paper explores elements and mechanisms influencing households' planting decisions in Zhagana Agriculture-Forestry-Animal Husbandry Composite System, the first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems site in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. (1) Based on DFID's Sustainable Livelihoods Approach, this paper highlights the influences of traditional cultures and information technology on livelihood activities and formulates a livelihood capital accounting framework for agricultural heritage systems. According to accounting results, the average value of livelihood capitals of households is 2.617. (2) This paper divides planting decisions of households into planting structures demonstrated in the current phase and planting willingness demonstrated in anticipated phase. As to planting structures, oilseeds, highland barley and potatoes rank the top 3 among the 66.601 ha of cultivated lands involved. As to planting willingness, households show a relatively stronger planting will of oilseeds and a relatively weaker planting will of barley. (3) This paper selects the SUR model and the Probit model to screen livelihood capital indicators obviously relevant to planting decisions. Based on a statistical analysis, this paper makes element analyses of livelihood capital indicators with an obvious relevance one by one and finally screens incentive, restrictive and regulatory livelihood capital indicators influencing planting decisions of households. In addition, the "incentive livelihood capital indicators" influencing households' highland barley-planting decisions refer to households' cultivated area and productivity of farming activities.