Effects of Altitude on Socio-economic Conditions and Environmental Sustainability of Farm Households in North Pakistan (A Case Study of Namli Maira, Hazara Division)

Abstract

This research study was based on the effect of altitude on farmers’ socio-economic conditions in northern Pakistan. Based on the high altitude, the air is thinner and has less ability to retain heat, which makes these mountainous areas more vulnerable to environmental sustainability and climate change as a result of increased natural hazards in the region. Thus, by employing a multinomial regression model, we analyzed the data by taking categorical observations for transect1, transect2 and transect3. The findings of the study show that for both commercial and subsistence purposes, agriculture was the most prominent source of income in all transects, particularly in transect1. It also contributed the largest level of income in transect1; however, in the other two transects, private employment was reported to contribute the largest levels of income, respectively. Furthermore, transect1, based on the education of the households, has a significant and negative effect. Income from off-farm and income from agricultural practices also have significant effects. Moreover, transect2 and transect3 have significant effects on land cultivated and income from agricultural practices. This study recommends that the government should subsidize the agricultural inputs for those remote households that have been engaged in agricultural productivity since the beginning of the country’s existence. It will make those households much more food secure and provide sufficient earnings from these farms.