Livelihood Transitions as Responses to Social-Ecological Stressors: Insights From the Central Coast of Viet Nam

Abstract

This study examines how coastal households in Viet Nam’s Central Coast adjust their livelihoods in response to multiple social–ecological stressors. Drawing on surveys of 540 households and 63 semi-structured interviews with local officials and households, the analysis highlights clear differences in livelihood transitions across household groups. Wage labor and service-oriented households demonstrate greater flexibility in reconfiguring income sources, whereas fishers, aquaculturists, and farmers remain more constrained, often persisting with vulnerable practices. Livelihood transitions are found to strengthen household economic resilience more effectively than ecological resilience, revealing an imbalance between short-term income security and long-term ecological sustainability. The findings underscore the need for policies that broaden access to alternatives beyond resource dependence while embedding ecological safeguards, ensuring that livelihood resilience and ecosystem stewardship progress in tandem.