Sustainable livelihood security in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone: Identifying spatial-temporal pattern and constraints

We address rural sustainable livelihood security (SLS) in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone. This is a barely-examined yet important issue under the background of Rural Revitalization Strategy and Fishing Ban Project of China. This study aims to explore the evolution process of rural SLS from 2010 to 2018 through multiple econometrical and geographical methods, and identify its spatial-temporal pattern and constraints. The results show that: since 2009, rural livelihood security has been on a continuous decline, due to multiple socio-ecological reasons. The hot spots of SLS concentrated in Nanchang and Jingdezhen have evolved into two polar cores, waning and waxing with time. Dominating factors, including proportion of fish farming area, rural per capita electricity consumption, urbanization rate, and farmers' per capita disposable income, possess the highest power determinant value in shaping the spatial pattern of rural SLS. The constraints limiting rural SLS have transformed from backward economic efficiency to social inequality and ecological pressure. Therefore, future policy should emphasize on ecological protection and social construction, especially the organic fertilizer popularization and fisherman's livelihoods transition. Meanwhile, there is still a need to reinforce rural power infrastructure and improve social services for agricultural mechanization. •Rural livelihood evolution in a great lake area is analyzed from geographical perspective.•Rural livelihood security is declining due to multiple socio-ecological factors.•Livelihood constraints have transformed from backward economy to social inequality and ecological pressure.•Coordinating mechanism of economic, ecological and social development is proposed.