Smallholder farmers’ livelihood vulnerability to climate change-induced hazards: agroecology-based comparative analysis in Northcentral Ethiopia (Woleka Sub-basin)

Vulnerability assessment varies widely across households, countries, and regions. Though many previous studies assessed vulnerability to climate change, their unit of analysis was aggregate. Therefore, the objective of this study was to measure the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change at the household level and identify its determinant factors in east Hararghe zone. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select districts, kebeles, and sample respondents. Vulnerability as expected poverty approach was used to measure household-level vulnerability. Logit model was also used to assess factors contributing to households’ vulnerability. The study revealed that 73% of households were vulnerable to climate-induced shocks. Households with better farm experience, land size, livestock ownership, access to credit, access to extension service, social capital, access to climate information, non-farm income, and headed by a male were not vulnerable to climate change; whereas households who were living in low and midland agro-ecologies, far from the market, and participating in productive safety-net programs were vulnerable to climate change. The study indicated that the vulnerability of smallholder farmers was sensitive to the minimum income required to maintain daily life. Income-generating activities that supplement farm income should be well designed in policy to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers.

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Comparative Analysis of Flood Vulnerability Indicators by Aggregation Frameworks for the IPCC’s Assessment Components to Climate Change

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app9112321 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 2321 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jong Seok Lee ◽

Hyun Il Choi

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Composite Indicator ◽

Composite Indicators ◽

Causality Analysis ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Flood Vulnerability ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

Vulnerability Indicators

As severe flood damages have been increasing due to climate change, the flood vulnerability assessment is needed in the flood mitigation plans to cope with climate-related flood disasters. Since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Assessment Report (IPCC TAR) presented the three assessment components, such as exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability for the vulnerability to climate change, several aggregation frameworks have been used to compile individual components into the composite indicators to measure the flood vulnerability. It is therefore necessary to select an appropriate aggregation framework for the flood vulnerability assessments because the aggregation frameworks can have a large influence on the composite indicator outcomes. For a comparative analysis of flood vulnerability indicators across different aggregation frameworks for the IPCC’s assessment components, the composite indicators are derived by four representative types of aggregation frameworks with all the same proxy variable set in the Republic of Korea. It is found in the study site that there is a key driver component of the composite indicator outcomes and the flood vulnerability outcomes largely depend on whether the key component is treated independently or dependently in each aggregation framework. It is concluded that the selection of an aggregation framework can be based on the correlation and causality analysis to determine the relative contribution of the assessment components to the overall performance of the composite indicators across different aggregation frameworks.

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Using Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Seasonal Prediction and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts in Bikita District in Zimbabwe

The Oriental Anthropologist: A Bi-annual International Journal of the Science of Man ◽

10.1177/0972558x21997662 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0972558X2199766

Author(s):

Owen Mafongoya ◽

Paramu Leslie Mafongoya ◽

Maxwell Mudhara

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Seasonal Prediction ◽

Knowledge Systems ◽

Seasonal Forecasting ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

Indigenous Knowledge Systems ◽

Policy Frameworks

The use of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in seasonal forecasting and adaptation to devastating vagaries of climate change has gained attention in academic discourses. The debates opened contrasting views with the first over-romanticizing IKS’ potentials, while the other arguing that it has many setbacks. In this study, we interrogated IKS’ roles in seasonal forecasting and chances of informing adaptation among poorly resourced smallholder farmers in ward 24, Bikita. Using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews, we identified diverse indigenous indicators and interrogated how they subsequently inform adaptation. We noted that IKS is important in providing seasonal forecasting information, which is critical in making decisions in planning, designing cropping calendars, offering early warnings, as well informing preparedness against disasters. However, we also noted that IKS is under threat from Western education, Christianity, scientific seasonal forecasting (SSF), and climate change. These factors are challenging and reducing IKS’ reliability and hence increasing its susceptibility to disappearance. We concluded that IKS can be resuscitated if included in science education and policy frameworks. We recommended governments to formulate policy frameworks, which allow it to work well with SSF in reducing poorly resourced smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change disasters.

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Can a Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme Increase the Technical Efficiency of Smallholders? A Case Study of Groundnut Farmers in India

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13169327 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 9327

Author(s):

K. Nirmal Ravi Kumar ◽

Suresh Chandra Babu

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Data Envelopment Analysis ◽

Technical Efficiency ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Crop Insurance ◽

Data Envelopment ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

The Impact

This paper analyzes the impact of a Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) on the Technical Efficiency (TE) of smallholder groundnut farmers in the context of climate change in India. We use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to study the TE of smallholder farmers, which range between 0.58 and 1, with a mean of 0.79. Using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique, we find that the TE of smallholder farmers improves when they participate in a WBCIS using three matching methods. Increasing the coverage of farmers under a WBCIS can help in reducing smallholder farmers vulnerability to climate change.

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Gender dimension of vulnerability to climate change and variability

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/ijccsm-10-2016-0156 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 195-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Suhiyini I. Alhassan ◽

John K.M. Kuwornu ◽

Yaw B. Osei-Asare

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Northern Region ◽

Content Type ◽

Climate Change And Variability ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Female Headed Households ◽

The Impact ◽

Farming Households

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability in the northern region of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study assessed the vulnerability of male-headed and female-headed farming households to climate change and variability by using the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) and tested for significant difference in their vulnerability levels by applying independent two-sample-student’st-test based on gender by using a sample of 210 smallholder farming households.FindingsThe results revealed a significant difference in the vulnerability levels of female-headed and male-headed farming households. Female–headed households were more vulnerable to livelihood strategies, socio-demographic profile, social networks, water and food major components of the LVI, whereas male-headed households were more vulnerable to health. The vulnerability indices revealed that female–headed households were more sensitive to the impact of climate change and variability. However, female-headed households have the least adaptive capacities. In all, female-headed farming households are more vulnerable to climate change and variability than male-headed farming households.Research limitations/implicationsThe study recommends that female-headed households should be given priority in both on-going and new intervention projects in climate change and agriculture by empowering them through financial resource support to venture into other income-generating activities. This would enable them to diversify their sources of livelihoods to boost their resilience to climate change and variability.Originality/valueThis is the first study that examined the gender dimension of vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ghana by using the livelihood vulnerability framework. Female subordination in northern region of Ghana has been profound to warrant a study on gender dimension in relation to climate change and variability, especially as it is a semi-arid region with unpredictable climatic conditions. This research revealed the comparative vulnerability of male- and female-headed households to climate change and variability.

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Household Vulnerability to Climate Change and Identification of Target Beneficiaries to Implement Household-Specific Adaptation Strategies: A Quantitative Assessment

Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development ◽

10.37801/ajad2021.18.2.p2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Swamikannu Nedumaran ◽

◽

Ravi Nandi ◽

Jyosthnaa Padmanabhan ◽

Srigiri Srinivasa Reddy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Cluster Analysis ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Principal Component ◽

Adaptation Strategies ◽

Credit Access ◽

Income Sources ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

And Cluster Analysis ◽

Adaptation Practices

This study investigated the climate change vulnerability of 6,214 households in the drought-prone districts of Telangana state in India. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to group farm households based on their level of vulnerability to climate change and to suggest a portfolio of adaptation strategies. The PCA revealed the presence of five components from 14 key variables: (1) access to irrigation; (2) credit access, landholding, and income from agriculture; (3) household size and income sources; (4) access to information and climate-smart adaptation practices; and (5) social capital. The first five components (eigenvalue ≥ 1) collectively accounted for 60.42 percent of the total variance. Three clusters emerged after the component scores were analyzed using K-means clustering: extremely vulnerable, moderately vulnerable, and resilient households. The results of the cluster analysis revealed that 79 percent of the households were extremely vulnerable, 11.20 percent were moderately vulnerable, and 9.65 percent were resilient. Moreover, 96 percent of marginal farmers and 94 percent of smallholder farmers were extremely vulnerable, while 19 percent of large farmers and 16 percent of medium farmers were moderately vulnerable. Interestingly, nearly 26 percent in the extremely vulnerable category and 19 percent in the moderately vulnerable category were large farmers, which contradicts previous assumptions. The findings of this study can guide development practitioners, policymakers, and donors in designing evidence-based programs focusing on households vulnerable to climate change.

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