A Case Study on Changing Livelihood Strategies of the Community of Ban Non Sao-e Village, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

In an attempt to better understand household response to natural and socio-economical conditions in a rural community, this paper examines the livelihood strategies developed by members of the village of Ban Non Sao-e. Using data compiled from 44 household surveys, I investigate how the village community adapted to these new livelihood strategies, in which landownership and farming become gradually less important. I examine the income-generating capacity of each occupation, as well as the average income of households. Results indicate that those who own land have a higher average income than those who do not. The respondents stressed that agricultural production was not a viable income-generating strategy for most households in the study area. Landownership, access to water resources and institutional financial sources all have a significant effect on average income. The case study suggests that a purely economic or natural approach is not sufficient to explain livelihood strategy changes, especially in rural communities.