Intervention-enabled reconciliation of livelihood sustainability and forest conservation in biosphere landscapes

Livelihood diversification is increasingly promoted as a pathway to reconcile biodiversity conservation with poverty reduction, yet empirical evidence of its welfare effects in forest-dependent contexts remains limited. This study examines how participation in alternative livelihood initiatives influences household income in the Omo Biosphere Reserve, Nigeria, where conservation efforts interact with intense livelihood pressures and accelerating forest loss. Using cross-sectional data from 426 households, the research applies propensity score matching (PSM) to address selection bias and generate credible causal estimates of the economic impacts of interventions such as fish farming, grasscutter rearing, mushroom cultivation, and snail farming. The results show that engagement in these initiatives significantly enhances household income while reducing dependence on forest extraction, thereby contributing to improved economic resilience amid environmental and livelihood shocks. Participation is shaped by household size, educational attainment, and frequency of contact with extension services, underscoring the importance of human capital and institutional support in driving livelihood transitions. However, persistent structural barriers, including limited access to credit and entrenched socio-cultural norms, continue to constrain broader uptake, particularly among the most vulnerable households. These findings underscore the need to reconfigure current support mechanisms by expanding access to inclusive financial services and tailoring extension delivery systems to local socio-cultural contexts. The study concludes by advocating for a strategic recalibration of livelihood diversification policies within conservation landscapes. Such recalibration is vital not only to safeguard threatened forest ecosystems but also to promote equitable, long-term livelihood opportunities for communities whose well-being remains intricately linked to forest resources.