Identification and spatial pattern of multidimensional poverty measurement in karst rocky desertification regions

Abstract: Karst rocky desertification regions have become one of the most complex areas with fragile ecological environments and multidimensional poverty. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, an area rich in karst landforms, is border areas inhabited by ethnic minorities, indicating an important constituent area of karst rocky desertification contiguous destitute areas in southwest China. In 2012, Guangxi had more than 5 million poor rural people and 18% of poverty rate. Taking Guangxi as a case study, the identification to explore rural multidimensional poverty process and spatial pattern were contribute to understanding the causes of poverty in specific areas, providing a theoretical basis for anti-poverty and rural development in this karst region. Therefore, this study aims to construct a four-dimensional framework for the geospatial pattern of multidimensional poverty and its index system at county scale under the specific conditions of Guangxi, China. A typical evaluation model of multidimensional poverty consisted of 4 evaluation levels and 22 specific indicators, where five levels of spatial poverty degree were classified: Low, slight, medium, high, and severe. The spatial autocorrelation and hot-spot analysis were used to analyze the multidimensional poverty degree and spatial differentiation pattern of each county, particularly on the type division of rural poverty and strategies of poverty reduction. The results showed that: There was a high level in the multidimensional poverty, involving natural, population, economic and social geographic respects in Guangxi, particularly above the medium level with the percentages of 62.76%, 57.45%, 62.77%, and 60.64%, respectively. In space, there was obviously regional distribution pattern of multidimensional poverty and the relatively large difference of each county. The high and severe level multidimensional poverty in countries were mainly located in the karst areas of western and northern Guangxi, while, the low and slight level in the metropolitan area and southeastern Guangxi. Besides, there was a significant spatial gathering effect in the spatial pattern of multidimensional poverty, where 3 high and 2 low value agglomeration areas, particularly with a significant positive correlation. The high value center areas (H-H-type areas) of agglomeration were mainly distributed in the karst rocky desertification area, Jingxi county in the karst hills of southwest Guangxi, and Rongshui county in the karst peak-cluster depression of northern Guangxi, whereas, the low value center areas (L-L-type areas) were mainly concentrated on the metropolitan areas, such as Nanning city. Moreover, 94 counties in Guangxi can be classified into four major types and 14 sub-categories, according to the different types of poverty, including the single-factor dominant type, double-factors driving type, multi-factors comprehensive type, non-dominant type. 70.4% of poverty- stricken counties were in the multi-factor comprehensive type. This finding can provide potential strategies and suggestions in the different poverty-stricken counties for the poverty reduction and sustainable rural development.