Looking Through the Bamboo Curtain: An Analysis of the Changing Role of Forest and Farm Income in Rural Livelihoods in China

Forestry and poverty analyses in China show an ambiguous relationship. While the co-occurrence of forest rich areas and counties has been noted by some authors, others have stressed the role played by forestry in these areas where it is one of the few options available. Our study indicates that the expansion of off-farm income is the fundamental process taking place in many areas of rural China. Forestry can offer good income generating options to farmers, as the local economy develops forestry tends to be displaced by more attractive alternatives. There are niche specialisation even for rich farmers, normally linked to a certain degree of vertical integration, enhanced by features of some forestry uses like bamboo.