Abstract
Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the determinants of livelihood strategy choices, encompassing on-farm, off-farm, non-farm, and combined strategies among 576 households in Central Vietnam. Using a multinomial logit model, the research analyses how demographic, socioeconomic, and spatial variables influenced household livelihood selection decision-making during COVID-19. The household head’s age, gender, education, household size, savings, memberships, COVID-19 support, health condition, access to credit, distance to the market, landholding, lockdown, urban, and regional areas were found to be the significant determinants of selecting livelihood strategies. Education and savings emerged as robust predictors for diversifying into the non-farm strategy. Female-headed households showed a higher propensity for the diversification strategy, reflecting a resilient gender-agility response to the pandemic. Access to credit fostered on-farm specialisation rather than diversification, suggesting that existing credit services may tether households to agricultural production. The household’s location features underscore that proximity to markets and urban centres significantly enhanced non-farm transitions, while households in lockdown areas proactively adopted non-farm activities. Designing and implementing policy interventions for households should prioritise trainings, flexible credit access for non-farm households, and rural-urban connectivity to strengthen social safety systems and promote the sustainable livelihood of populations against future shocks like the pandemic.