The Impact Of Environmental Change On The Livelihoods Of Rural Households In The Minqin Oasis Fringe Area

In this study, the environmental changes impact factor investigated for the livelihoods of rural households in the marginal zone of the Minqin oasis, environmental change and not just statistics on the natural scientific and subjective recognition of the local people for local ecological environmentnotice. Sustainable livelihoods of the most important characteristics, DFID sustainable livelihoods framework is widely used, it has four main parts:the vulnerability context; livelihood assets; livelihood strategy; policies, systems and procedures. The study based on the above theoretical framework to analyze the situation of Minqin oasis fringe area in the livelihoods of rural households, livelihood strategies, social attitudes of the local farmers as well as the situation of the environmental changes.In this study, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the First the defined sampling Overall Minqin County, nine families of the total population of the villages and towns along the edge of the sand, and the use of PPS sampling method to extract eight villages in each sample village, according to the systematic samplingthe method selected40households take the last birthday method to determine the final survey, in addition to the grass-roots leadership of semi-structured interviews, in order to fully understand the overall situation of the village system.The conclusions are as follows:First, the study found that the Minqin oasis fringe area’s most important natural capital is the land resources and water resources, physical capital, local agricultural production, a higher degree of mechanization, the farmers production equipment ownership rate is at a relatively high level. In terms of human capital, the level of education of the local farmers concentrated in the junior high school education, in2010, the the sample farmers average household population of2.4local farmers also attaches great importance to education issues. In terms of financial capital, the local farmers for inputs largest proportion of fertilizer, electricity and water, the type of loans of up to a small short-term loans, farmers believe that more than half of the loans more difficult. Water Users Association in terms of social capital, as a kind of local grassroots farmer water autonomous organization, but does not have a valid role to play. Livelihood strategies, the most important source of income for local peasant family farm income, other source of income for the small proportion of single livelihoods ways. Environmental change, the local farmers of the Minqin oasis fringe area is considered the most important environmental issues are "water shortage","Sandstorm" and "groundwater quality mineralization. Finally, local farmers believe that the root causes of environmental problems is that the government is advocating economic growth, ecological problems as more optimistic, but for the local environment expected.Secondly, the study found that the local farmers’awareness of environmental issues in many ways significantly affect the livelihood assets of rural households, where water shortages highest impact factor in environmental issues, water problems for Minqin oasis fringe areais the key to all the problems.Finally, based on the discussion, on the basis of changes in the reference environment for the sustainable livelihoods of rural households in the marginal zone of the Minqin oasis a number of recommendations, which the Government to take the absolute dominance, government in policy formulation and implementation in accordance with the actual situation around to local conditions, and give full play to the role of better policy guidance and guidance, government managers is also a key ring, they are policies direct execution for Minqin oasis fringe area farmers, but also need to expand the family’s livelihood strategies, and enhance the ability to resist livelihood risks, and the family’s livelihood can be continue.