An Analytical Framework for Assessing Context-Specific Rural Livelihood Vulnerability

Abstract

Reviewing both conceptual and empirical studies on climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment, this paper offers an analytical framework to help better understand how context-specific adaptation strategies could be developed. The framework systematically assembles the Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and the Vulnerability Assessment frameworks to develop its structural and analytical components. The resulting five-step approach involves: (i) identification of context along with understanding what aspect of vulnerability need to be studied; (ii) assessment of livelihood exposure to climate impacts involving both community perspectives and meteorological data-based climate forecasts; (iii) characterization of available capital asset usages to help buffer climate sensitivity; (iv) analysis of formal and informal institutional impetus to enhance adaptive capacity; and (v) evaluation of gaps between context-specific vulnerability and institutional and policy responses to avoid maladaptive trajectories. Drawing on published research and policy documentation, we apply the framework to the livelihood systems operating in the northeastern floodplain community of Bangladesh to demonstrate the utility of the approach and then discuss its potential to inform adaptation strategies.

Rethinking resilient agriculture: From Climate-Smart Agriculture to Vulnerable-Smart Agriculture

“…2) that will enable a holistic perspective of various factors that together explain how small-scale farmers can most effectively face climate change incidents. Climate vulnerability is a diverse and nuanced policy issue that interacts with global, regional, national, local, social, political, economic, and ecological variables (Rahman and Hickey, 2020). Consequently, the understanding of climate risk varies from sector to context (Jurgilevich et al, 2017).…”

“…Consequently, the understanding of climate risk varies from sector to context (Jurgilevich et al, 2017). Despite the complex nature of first, local resource usage and delivery patterns (Adger et al, 2006), and second, the degree of ambiguity regarding livelihoods related to climate variability (Rahman and Hickey, 2020).…”

“…It has been suggested that climate change and its pressures would both limit the potential of a state to offer jobs and resources for people affected, cutting the capacity of rural communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change (Rahman and Hickey, 2020). Previous research on small-scale farm capability suggests that adaptive capacity components can be considered as deciding factors (Burnham and Ma, 2017).…”

“…climate vulnerability, governments and communities are taking steps to promote climate adaptation, defined by the IPCC as the phase of adaptation to and impacts of real or anticipated climate(IPCC, 2014). The Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC Working Group II stated that different regions respond to the consequences of climate change in various ways by climatesensitive decision-making(Rahman and Hickey, 2020). This reflects the increasing awareness in different contexts of climate uncertainty, the types of tools required for various actions, and socio-political complexities.Extreme poverty, social discrimination, and a strong dependency on natural resources also define the livelihoods in rural areas of the developed countries.…”

Vicious Circles: Violence, Vulnerability, and Climate Change

“…Poor governance constitutes another key driver of vulnerability. This broad category encompasses lack of representation or outright discrimination, rampant political corruption, underdeveloped property rights, unsustainable resource management, formal institutions founded on clientelism, weak rule of law, and widespread violence (55)(56)(57). One early study that sought to rank the relative importance of generic vulnerability factors concluded that aspects of governance, notably effectiveness and accountability, were the most decisive in determining disaster-related loss of human lives (35).…”