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Linking ecosystem services with the constituents of human well-being for poverty alleviation in eastern Himalayas

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  • Sandhu, Harpinder
  • Sandhu, Sukhbir

Abstract

Dependence of rural poor on local ecosystems for livelihood has potential to accelerate loss of ecosystem services. In this study, we use ecosystem services concept to investigate poverty and ecosystem interactions in the Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India which is a part of the eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. First, we assessed multidimensional poverty in six villages (57 households) in the region using household surveys. Chronic poverty existed in all the six villages in the study area and the cash income per capita per day was US$ 0.16–0.34 which is far below the international standards of defining poverty on income basis. Second, we identified five direct and three indirect drivers of ecosystem change through semi-structured interviews with the head of the households. Then we identified linkages between ecosystem services and basic human needs. These linkages were used to identify measures to improve livelihood of rural poor. The major outcome of this study is in highlighting the ecosystem-based approach to improve livelihood of rural poor.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandhu, Harpinder & Sandhu, Sukhbir, 2014. "Linking ecosystem services with the constituents of human well-being for poverty alleviation in eastern Himalayas," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 65-75.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:107:y:2014:i:c:p:65-75
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.08.005
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    2. Partho Protim Mondal & Yili Zhang, 2018. "Research Progress on Changes in Land Use and Land Cover in the Western Himalayas (India) and Effects on Ecosystem Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Wang, Bojie & Tang, Haiping & Xu, Ying, 2017. "Integrating ecosystem services and human well-being into management practices: Insights from a mountain-basin area, China," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 27(PA), pages 58-69.
    4. Shan, Haiyan & Yang, Junliang, 2019. "Sustainability of photovoltaic poverty alleviation in China: An evolutionary game between stakeholders," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 264-280.
    5. Yuchen Zhou & Qingxu Huang & Chunyang He & Peiyuan Chen & Dan Yin & Yihan Zhou & Yansong Bai, 2025. "A bibliographic review of the relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(11), pages 25965-25992, November.
    6. Hirons, M. & Robinson, E. & McDermott, C. & Morel, A. & Asare, R. & Boyd, E. & Gonfa, T. & Gole, T.W. & Malhi, Y. & Mason, J. & Norris, K., 2018. "Understanding Poverty in Cash-crop Agro-forestry Systems: Evidence from Ghana and Ethiopia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 31-41.
    7. Ashis Mandal & Arijit Das & Manob Das & Paulo Pereira, 2025. "Assessing ecosystem health of a mountainous city at the neighbourhood level: A case from eastern Himalayan region (India)," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 15489-15509, July.
    8. Cruz-Garcia, Gisella S. & Sachet, Erwan & Blundo-Canto, Genowefa & Vanegas, Martha & Quintero, Marcela, 2017. "To what extent have the links between ecosystem services and human well-being been researched in Africa, Asia, and Latin America?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 201-212.
    9. Anthony Kadoma & Mia Perry & Fabrice G. Renaud, 2025. "Stakeholders’ perceptions of wetland conservation and restoration in Wakiso District, Uganda," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 3177-3200, February.
    10. Yu Wei & Siyuan He & Gang Li & Xutu Chen & Linlu Shi & Guangchun Lei & Yang Su, 2019. "Identifying Nature–Community Nexuses for Sustainably Managing Social and Ecological Systems: A Case Study of the Qianjiangyuan National Park Pilot Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-19, November.
    11. Zhang, Huiming & Xu, Zhidong & Sun, Chuanwang & Elahi, Ehsan, 2018. "Targeted poverty alleviation using photovoltaic power: Review of Chinese policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 550-558.
    12. Shoyama, Kikuko & Kamiyama, Chiho & Morimoto, Junko & Ooba, Makoto & Okuro, Toshiya, 2017. "A review of modeling approaches for ecosystem services assessment in the Asian region," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 26(PB), pages 316-328.
    13. Ando Fahda Aulia & Harpinder Sandhu & Andrew C. Millington, 2020. "Quantifying the Economic Value of Ecosystem Services in Oil Palm Dominated Landscapes in Riau Province in Sumatra, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Delgado, Luisa E. & Marín, Víctor H., 2016. "Well-being and the use of ecosystem services by rural households of the Río Cruces watershed, southern Chile," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(PA), pages 81-91.
    15. Eric Yaw Naminse & Jincai Zhuang, 2018. "Does farmer entrepreneurship alleviate rural poverty in China? Evidence from Guangxi Province," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.

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