Investigating The Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Nomad Households’ Livelihood in Fars Province Using Fuzzy Logic

In recent years, nomad livelihoods have faced external disruptions e.g., drought, climate change, and rangeland degradation. Efficient tools are needed to help the tribes maintain livelihoods as climate change puts pressure on the ecosystem services that they depend upon. In this regard, the sustainable livelihood framework can help to investigate livelihood profile, strategies, and outcomes. The objective of this study is to determine economic and environmental outcomes due livelihood strategies in nomadic communities of Fars province using fuzzy inference system (FIS). Based on a survey of 393 households Qashqai nomads, who were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling, traditional ranching is the basic livelihood style for nomads and has maintained its economic and cultural ties with nomads. The findings of the current study showed that livelihood stretegy based on traditional ranching lead to poor economic status for households and unsustainable environmental conditions for natural rangelands. While reducing the share of livestock income and increasing the consumption of fodder per capita, decrease poverty and improve the pastures quality. The results of the designed fuzzy model indicate that achieving economic and environmental sustainability is conditional on the proper combination of livelihood assets.