scholarly journals Assessing vulnerability and adaptation strategies of forest dependent people to climate change in the Mid-hills of Nepal

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-62
Author(s):  
K. Acharya ◽  
K. R. Tiwari ◽  
Y. P. Timilsina ◽  
S PC

Climate change is now recognized as one of the most serious challenges facing the world– its people, the environment and its economies. Rural people are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to its high dependence on climate-sensitive sectors like glaciers, agriculture and forestry, and its low financial adaptive capacity. This study was carried out with the aim of assessing and documenting vulnerability and adaptation strategies of forest-dependent people to climate change effects in Mid-hills of Nepal. Primary data were collected from household survey, interview with key informants, and focused group discussion. The results showed that the average annual rainfall was decreasing at the rate of 18.02 mm whereas the average annual mean temperature was increasing at the rate of 0.07°c per year. The major climatic hazards, of the study area, identified were long drought and landslide. The chi-square test shows that the poor forest-dependent people are more vulnerable to long drought, landslide and floods as compared to the rich rural people. Indigenous adaptation practices such as cultivation of vegetables and other crops that are less susceptible to droughts, and rearing of hybrid-varieties of livestock are mostly used to cope with climate change impacts. The results indicate that 15% of the respondents have changed their cropping pattern from paddy to off-seasonal vegetables crops because of more income from vegetable farming. Raising awareness and sharing information as well as increasing income from farming among the locals by applying new technologies should be done in order to build their capacity to cope with climate change impact.Banko Janakari, A Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 25, No. 1Page: 55-62

Author(s):  
Eugen Cyrilo ◽  
Claude G. Mung'ong'o

Abstract In developing countries like Tanzania, societal vulnerability to the risks of climate change and variability (CC&V) exacerbate ongoing social and economic challenges because people's livelihoods are largely dependent on resources that are sensitive to climate change such as agriculture. Although studies show that most communities in Africa have low adaptive capacity, for centuries people have developed traditional adaptation strategies to face climate inter-annual variability and extreme events based on their long-term experiences. Various studies show how CC&V have impacted the socio-economic and and environmental conditions among the pastoral and agropastoral societies. However, little emphasis has been given to studying the community's resilience status to CC&V impacts. Much of the focus has been placed on studying the community vulnerability and impacts of CC&V as well as coping and adaptation strategies to avert CC&V impacts. Little is known on how the interaction between society and nature can enhance or reduce community resilience under changing climate. The study was conducted in two villages, Ibulyu and Mahaha, in Bariadi District. The main objective of the study was to deepen our understanding of the socio-ecological resilience of agropastoral communities to CC&V impacts in a semi-arid district. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research designs. Quantitative data were captured through a household survey whereas qualitative data was collected through focus group discussion, key informant interviews and field observation. The results show that CC&V have negatively affected the farming system in the study area. The ecological setting of the area has significantly been altered to the extent that it cannot provide the required ecosystem services and products that are important for human and livestock sustainance. Changes in the production system have negatively affected community resilience and increased their vulnerability.


Author(s):  
Mary Funke Olabanji ◽  
Nerhene Davis ◽  
Thando Ndarana ◽  
Anesu Gelfand Kuhudzai ◽  
Dawn Mahlobo

Abstract Climate change is expected to affect the livelihood of rural farmers in South Africa particularly the smallholder farmers, due to their overwhelming dependence on rain-fed agriculture. This study examines smallholder farmers' perception of climate change, the adaptation strategies adopted and factors that influences their adaptive decisions. The unit of data collection was household interview and focus group discussion. Climate data for the Olifants catchment (1986–2015) were also collected to validate farmers' perception of climate change with actual climate trend. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Kendall trend, Sen's slope estimator and multinomial logit regression model. Results revealed that smallholder farmers are aware of climate change (98%), their perception of these changes aligns with actual meteorological data, as the Mann–Kendall test confirms a decreasing inter-annual rainfall trend (−0.172) and an increasing temperature trend (0.004). These changes in temperature and precipitation have prompted the adoption of various adaptation responses, among which the use of improved seeds, application of chemical fertilizer and changing planting dates were the most commonly practised. The main barriers to the adoption of adaptation strategies were lack of access to credit facility, market, irrigation, information about climate change and lack of extension service. The implication of this study is to provide information to policy-makers on the current adaptation responses adopted by farmers and ways in which their adaptive capacity can be improved in order to ensure food security.


Author(s):  
Mohamed M.S Rijja ◽  
Amelia S. Buriyo

Climate change remains to be the biggest challenge of 21st century threatening to negatively impacts seaweed production levels in Tanzania. Seaweed farmers have coped and adapted to the impacts of the changes for several years but the implication of their efforts measured by the level of seaweed production is still not documented. The study investigated implications of various coping and adaptation strategies employed by farmers on seaweed production. A cross sectional study was adopted to collection information’s September-November, 2016. Primary data collection tools includes Questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion from 100 seaweed farmers and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and variation, and liner regression model at 5% confidence level. The results indicated that, seaweed farmers continued to employ documented and have recently developed new undocumented coping and adaptation strategies, documented for the first time by this study which include, setting seaweed plot in partially drilled area and tying of big sized seedling as well as planting plenty of seaweeds during cooler months. Nevertheless, production level declined from 80 to 130 sacks per harvest before notable environmental changes to 20 sacks per harvest in a situation of weather and climate changes. It was shown that only planting plenty of seaweeds during cooler months slightly improved seaweed production and others, none at all. The study recommends initiation of ceased extension services to offer technical education and services to seaweed farmers on the best ways to integrate available coping and adaptation strategies on seaweed production as well as developing the best alternative coping and adaptation strategies.


2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
H S Grantham ◽  
E McLeod ◽  
A Brooks ◽  
S D Jupiter ◽  
J Hardcastle ◽  
...  

Tropical Oceania, including Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia and northern Australia, is one of the most biodiverse regions of the world. Climate change impacts have already occurred in the region and will become one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and people. Climate projections indicate that sea levels will rise in many places but not uniformly. Islands will warm and annual rainfall will increase and exhibit strong decadal variations. Increases in global atmospheric CO2 concentration are causing ocean acidification, compromising the ability of organisms such as corals to maintain their calcium carbonate skeletons. We discuss these climate threats and their implications for the biodiversity of several ecosystems (coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves) in the region. We highlight current adaptation approaches designed to address these threats, including efforts to integrate ecosystem and community-based approaches. Finally, we identify guiding principles for developing effective ecosystem-based adaptation strategies. Despite broad differences in governance and social systems within the region, particularly between Australia and the rest of the Pacific, threats and planning objectives are similar. Ensuring community awareness and participation are essential everywhere. The science underpinning ecosystem-based adaptation strategies is in its infancy but there is great opportunity for communicating approaches and lessons learnt between developing and developed nations in tropical Oceania.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 233-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
John K. M. ◽  
Prince Maxwell Etwire . ◽  
Yaw Osei-Owusu .

Farmers have been modifying their practices in order to deal with climate change and variability. Even though such practices have been documented in other parts of Africa, information on Ghana and particularly northern Ghana is scanty. This study examines the adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers to climate change and variability in northern Ghana. The paper is based on primary data collected through a household survey, community focus group discussions and key informant interviews in order to identify the adaptation responses of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana to climate change and variability. Several indigenous climate-related practices and technologies categorised into four strategies were identified. In addition, climate related technologies introduced by research, also categorised into four strategies, and were identified as being used by smallholder farmers in northern Ghana. The empirical results of the Friedman test indicates that timing of the onset of the rainy season which informed planting, and soil and plant health related strategies are the most important climate related strategies used by smallholder farmers in securing yield. The policy implication is that practical, timely and reliable information on the onset of the rainy season as well as region specific soil and plant health technologies should be generated and made available to smallholder farmers in northern Ghana to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
OM Akinnagbe ◽  
IJ Irohibe

Climate change is expected to intensify existing problems and create new combinations of risks, particularly in Africa. The situation is made worst due to factor such as widespread poverty, over dependence on rain fed agriculture, inequitable land distribution, limited access to capital and technology, inadequate public infrastructure, such as roads, long term weather forecasts and inadequate research and extension. By lessening the severity of key damages to the agricultural sector, adaptation is the key defensive measure. Adaptation to climate change involves changes in agricultural management practices in response to changes in climate conditions. This paper reviews agricultural adaptation strategies employed by farmers in various countries in Africa in cushioning the effects of climate change. The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation and agro-forestry. The paper concluded that improving and strengthening human capital through education, outreach programmes, extension services at all levels will improve capacity to adapt to climate change impact. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v39i3.21984 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 39(3): 407-418, September 2014


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 21-27
Author(s):  
Devi Prasad Poudel

This paper aims to identify the diversification of livelihood strategies of community forest users of different ecological regions in Nawalparasi district. This paper basically based on primary and secondary sources of information primary information have been collected from focus group discussion, key informant survey and household survey. All the primary data are concerned with forest users of the study area. The forest users of the study area have adopted mainly three types of livelihood strategies i.e. farm based, forest based and off-farm based. The finding of the study shows that livestock farming has occupied major role to achieve the average income from farm based livelihood. The linkages between community forest and livelihood of rural people have been found different in the different ecological regions in the study area. The changing life style of members of community forest users can help to manage the forest and improve the livelihood of rural people with the support of such livelihood options in the study area. Nepalese Journal of Development and Rural StudiesVol. 14 (Joint issue) (1&2), 2017, Page: 21-27


Scientifica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Louis Nyahunda ◽  
Happy Mathew Tirivangasi

The livelihoods of rural people have been plagued by the precarious impacts of climate change–related disasters manifesting through floods, heat waves, droughts, cyclones, and erratic temperatures. However, they have not remained passive victims to these impacts. In light of this, rural people are on record of employing a plethora of adaptation strategies to cushion their livelihoods from climate change impacts. In this vew, the role of social capital as a determinant of climate change adaptation is underexplored. Little attention has been paid to how social capital fostered through trust and cooperation amongst rural households and communities is essential for climate change adaptation. This study explored how people in Mazungunye communal lands are embracing social capital to adapt to climate change impacts. The researchers adopted a qualitative research approach guided by the descriptive research design. The population of the study was gathered through simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Accordingly, the population sample consisted of 25 research participants drawn from members of the community following the simple random and purposive sampling techniques. In-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Data were analysed through the Thematic Content Analysis. This study established that different forms of social capital are being embraced by the community members to withstand the effects of climate change. These include village savings clubs (fushai), chief’s granary (Zunde raMambo), collective field work (nhimbe), and destocking of livestock (kuronzera) strategies. These strategies illustrate community reliance on indigenous knowledge adaptation strategies as a community response to impacts of climate change on their livelihoods.


2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Aldous ◽  
James Fitzsimons ◽  
Brian Richter ◽  
Leslie Bach

Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on hydrologic regimes and freshwater ecosystems, and yet few basins have adequate numerical models to guide the development of freshwater climate adaptation strategies. Such strategies can build on existing freshwater conservation activities, and incorporate predicted climate change impacts. We illustrate this concept with three case studies. In the Upper Klamath Basin of the western USA, a shift in land management practices would buffer this landscape from a declining snowpack. In the Murray–Darling Basin of south-eastern Australia, identifying the requirements of flood-dependent natural values would better inform the delivery of environmental water in response to reduced runoff and less water. In the Savannah Basin of the south-eastern USA, dam managers are considering technological and engineering upgrades in response to more severe floods and droughts, which would also improve the implementation of recommended environmental flows. Even though the three case studies are in different landscapes, they all contain significant freshwater biodiversity values. These values are threatened by water allocation problems that will be exacerbated by climate change, and yet all provide opportunities for the development of effective climate adaptation strategies.


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