A Sustainable Livelihood Approach: Understanding Determinants of Crop Preferences among Rural Farmers in Nanga Entabai, Sarawak

The Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) provides a framework for understanding people’s capacities and assets in sustaining their livelihoods, especially in the face of risks and vulnerabilities. In the context of Sarawak, this study applies the SLA to explore how rural communities maintain their livelihoods amid rapid changes in land use patterns – primarily driven by development policies. These changes have led to adverse outcomes, including inconsistent cash income due to market fluctuations. Through the lens of SLA, this research examines how rural farmers make decisions regarding crop choices in response to a range of characteristics such as money return, input cost and weather conditions. The data was gathered during a focus group discussion that was guided by a matrix ranking activity. Findings reveal a significant shift in crop preference among Iban farmers from diversified farming systems to a strong reliance on a single crop – pepper. Pepper is now the dominant livelihood activity due to its relatively high market value, shorter yield cycle and lower sensitivity to weather conditions. This study is crucial in examining local strategies and values in shaping sustainable agricultural practices and inform future policy considerations on rural development and land governance in Sarawak.