A Rising Tide in Bangladesh: livelihood adaptation to climate stress

ABSTRACT

Bangladesh is at the forefront of countries experiencing and debating climate change, despite having contributed little to global emissions, and has the greatest vulnerability to climate change due to inadequate institutional support for the dense population dispersed in low-lying terrain. A micro-level study of livelihoods in the Panpatti Union, a district of the coastal zone exposed to climate stress and an array of other social, economic and political stresses, demonstrated that adaptation strategies to a range of shocks were both reactive and proactive. The persistent nature of shocks, and the limited margins in which to respond, meant that achieving sustainable long-term livelihoods was unusually difficult. Despite cases of dynamism and flexibility, where livelihoods had been effectively diversified, rural people largely failed to reduce their exposure to vulnerability. That was especially true of extremely poor, landless and female-headed households. In such challenging circumstances external interventions were required to ensure sustainable development, but were unlikely because of the isolation of Panpatti and the number of villages and people in similar circumstances. This emphasised the need to develop a more robust livelihoods framework to support the most vulnerable communities in severe economic and environmental contexts where climate change is likely to exacerbate all existing problems.     

国内外农户对气候变化/变异感知与适应研究

基于国内外农户气候变化感知和适应研究进展,在辨析气候变化和气候变异概念的基础上,阐释农户气候变化/变异感知结果及影响因素。研究发现农户气候变化感知与适应行为之间存在不确定关系,农户气候变化感知直接转化为适应策略需克服一系列障碍因素。针对农户气候变化适应策略,在系统梳理国内外农户适应策略的基础上,对这些策略是否属于气候变化和变异适应行为提出质疑,认为不能忽略其他复杂的社会经济和政治因素对这些措施的驱动作用。最后,对中国未来研究提出慎重大规模开展农户气候变化感知及适应研究、厘清气候变化/变异感知与适应策略之间关系和重视时空异质性以及农户异质性研究三点展望。     

Targeting seasonal climate forecasts for integration into household level decisions: the case of smallholder farmers in Lesotho

Seasonal climate forecasts have been promoted as a means to increase the resilience of marginal groups in Africa. The manifestations of this are still to be seen. This paper argues that successful dissemination and adoption of the forecast requires an in-depth profile of the characteristics and needs of user groups. The case study of a mountainous village in southern Lesotho is used to highlight the decisions which one group of marginal users – smallholder farmers – might make in response to the forecast. A participatory role-play exercise explores what information households presently receive and how new climate forecast information could be integrated into seasonal decision making. Results show that there are a number of low-input options available to these farmers for responding to the forecast. Adoption, however, is going to require repeated exposure to the forecast in conjunction with forecast development that is suited to users' needs. The case study is linked back to the larger scale by suggesting paths that seasonal climate forecast development could take if it is to contribute to improving livelihood sustainability among marginal groups.     

Climate variability and maize production in Cameroon: Simulating the effects of extreme dry and wet years

The effects of interyear variability of extreme rainfall events on maize yields at locations in Cameroon, in central‐west sub‐Saharan Africa were investigated through a simulation assessment combining a weather generator with a crop growth model. This study analyzes the potential of using dry/wet year predictions to reduce risk in subsistence agricultural production associated with climate variability at the site level. Weather data sets from eight provincial study localities were classified into three precipitation scenarios – dry (lower threshold), normal and wet (upper threshold) years. According to the modelling results, there is a less than 12 per cent variance in mean maize yields across six out of the eight localities when planting occurs in March, May and August. The variance is equivalent to approximately 100–300 kg per ha, which represents a significant amount of food in the household security of the majority impoverished sectors of rural and urban society, and which could greatly impact the socioeconomic activities of the entire populace. The results lead to the conclusion that all extreme dry and wet years are not equal in terms of their regional manifestation. This calls for precise monthly and sub‐seasonal local level forecasts and the effective dissemination of this information to farming communities in Cameroon, thereby facilitating the adaptive management of indigenous cropping practices and reducing their vulnerability to climate related disasters.     

高寒生态脆弱区农户的气候变化适应策略——以甘南高原为例

气候变化对生态脆弱区以自然资源为生计基础的农户产生了严重影响,急需寻求有效的适应策略。以地处青藏高原东缘的甘南高原为研究区,基于1963-2013年气象数据分析甘南高原气候变化趋势,采用入户调查数据分析了气候变化对农户生计的影响及农户采取的适应策略,并利用多元线性回归模型和多项logistic回归模型分析了影响农户适应策略选择的因素。结果显示：① 近50年甘南高原气温呈增加趋势,倾向率为0.23 ℃/10 a,降水呈减少趋势,倾向率为-5.21 mm/10a,63.45%的农户认为气候变化对其生计带来了严重影响;② 甘南高原农户的适应策略多样化指数为2.65,农户的人力资本、自然资本、金融资本及其对气候变化的严重性感知、适应效能感知及自我效能感知与适应策略多样化程度呈显著正相关;③ 甘南高原65.30%的农户采取各种组合型策略应对气候变化,尤以采取扩张+调整型组合策略的农户为多,农户的人力资本是影响其适应策略选择的最显著因素,社会资本与气候变化风险感知的影响次之,金融资本及气候变化适应效能感知的影响最弱。最后,提出提高农户适应气候变化能力的对策建议。     

Observing climate impacts on tea yield in Assam,India

Tea is an important cash crop for the economy in northeast India. It also supports the livelihoods of a large proportion of the population. At the same time, tea growth is sensitive to climatic conditions making it vulnerable to climate change and variability. Identifying the tea yield response to climatic variability in operational plantations, and identifying the most important climatic variables that impact tea yield is critical to assessing the vulnerability of the industry and informing adaptation. Here, we developed a garden level panel dataset and estimated statistical models to identify the causal effect of monthly temperature, monthly precipitation, drought intensity, and precipitation variability on tea yield. We found decreasing tea yield returns to warmer monthly average temperatures, and when monthly temperatures were above 26.6 °C warming had a negative effect. We found that drought intensity did not affect tea yield and that precipitation variability, and in particular precipitation intensity, negatively affect tea yield. An increase in average temperatures as expected with global warming will reduce the productivity of tea plantations, all else held equal. Further, interventions to reduce the sensitivity of tea plantations to warming and precipitation variability will have immediate pay-offs as well as providing climate change adaptation benefits.     

Resource Development and the Perpetuation of Poverty in Rural Laos

ABSTRACT

Government efforts to industrialise and modernise the Lao economy through intensive resource development are having adverse effects on rural livelihoods as resources are degraded and access to limited land and natural resources has intensified. In one of the country's key river basins, Nam Ngum, a series of resource developments including hydropower, mining and agricultural plantations have modified the landscape over the last four decades. Uncoordinated resource developments are putting intense pressure on increasingly scarce natural resources and affecting the lives of people who are dependent on them. Economic diversification of rural households in Feuang District in the Nam Ngum River Basin has created significant discrepancies between the rich and the poor, yet all households remain primarily dependent on agriculture. Land is of enduring importance to rural livelihoods. National development intervention has failed to secure basic livelihoods for rural households.     

Localization and characterization of populations vulnerable to climate change: Two case studies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Future climate change potentially can have a strong impact on the African continent. Of special concern are the effects on food security and the restricted adaptive capacity of Africa's poverty stricken population. Targeted policy interventions are, therefore, of vital importance. While there is a broad consensus on selection of climate and agricultural indicators, a coherent spatial representation of the populations' vulnerability is still subject to debate, basically because important drivers at household and institutional level are captured at the coarser (sub)-national level only. This paper aims to address this shortcoming by capitalizing on available spatially explicit information on households, food security institutions and natural resources to identify and characterize vulnerable groups in climate change prone areas of East and West Africa. First, we identify and localize groups with varying degrees of vulnerability, using food security and health indicators from georeferenced household surveys. Second, we characterize these vulnerable groups using statistical techniques that report on the frequency of occurrence of household characteristics, social bonding, remittances and agro-ecological endowments. Third we localize areas where climate change conditions affect production of major staple crops even after a maximum adaptation of crop rotations. Fourth, we characterize the vulnerable groups in the climate change affected areas and compare their profiles with the overall assessment to elucidate whether generic or climate change targeted policies are required. Since climate change will impact predominantly on agricultural production, our analysis focuses on the rural areas. For West Africa, we find that vulnerable groups in areas likely to be affected by climate change do not fundamentally differ from vulnerable groups in the study area in general. However, in East Africa there are remarkable differences between these groups which leads to the conclusion that in this part of Africa, poverty reducing strategies for climate change affected areas should differ from generic ones.     

Land desertification and restoration in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is characterized by high population growth, degraded and fragile nat-ural ecosystems, and a limited amount of arable lands. It is one of the most water-sc...     

Climate‐induced migration: Exploring local perspectives in Kiribati

A number of studies have indicated that the long term habitability of Kiribati, a low‐lying country in the central tropical Pacific Ocean, is tenuous given the impacts of climate change, particularly sea level rise. In an effort to plan for the resultant challenges ahead, a number of national policies and programs have surfaced to reduce the impact of localized changes on people's livelihoods. This study explores how local community members (n = 60) have taken it upon themselves to respond to the impacts of climate change by utilizing a number of different strategies. The results highlight that: first, respondents consider climate change to be the most concerning issue for sustaining their livelihoods; second, respondents have built physical defences, relocated temporarily or permanently, and sought government assistance to adapt to localized climate‐related impacts; and third, the majority of respondents indicated that they would migrate as a long term strategy to respond to the future impacts of climate change.     

贫困山区脱贫农户的生计可持续性及生计干预——以陇南山区为例

增强贫困山区脱贫农户的生计可持续性不仅是新时期农村扶贫的现实需求,更是推动乡村振兴的客观要求。论文从生计资本、生计策略及生计环境出发,建立了脱贫农户的生计可持续性评价指标体系,利用陇南山区脱贫农户的入户调查资料,评估贫困山区脱贫农户的生计可持续性、识别脱贫农户的生计障碍。研究发现:① 从川坝河谷区、半山区到高山区,从早期脱贫到后期脱贫,脱贫农户的生计可持续性依次降低,且务工型与农工互补型脱贫农户的生计可持续性强于其他生计方式农户;② 陇南山区生计不可持续脱贫农户比重达28.83%,高山区、传统务农型及后期脱贫户中生计不可持续农户比重较高,而川坝河谷区、农工互补型与务工型及早期脱贫户中该比重较低;③ 生计不可持续脱贫户均面临着多元生计障碍,其中近2/3的农户面临多维资本—环境阻滞型与多重要素阻滞型障碍;④ 针对生计不可持续脱贫农户面临的多元生计障碍,需分类实施多维生计干预。     

Change of parameters of BCC/RCG-WG for daily non-precipitation variables in China: 1951–1978 and 1979–2007

Parameters of weather generator BCC/RCG-WG for daily non-precipitation variables including maximum temperature, minimum temperature and sunshine hours at 669 stations in China are estimated using history daily records from 1951 to 1978 and from 1979 to 2007 respectively. The changes in the parameters for the two periods are revealed to explore the impact of climate change on these parameters. The results show that the parameters of the non-precipitation variables have experienced different changes. While the annual means and the amplitudes of the seasonal cycle show a clear change, the interannual variability, the timings of the seasonal cycles, and the temporal correlations for each variable remain practically unchanged. This indicates that climate changes in China over the last 57 years are mainly reflected in variations in the means and in the strength of the seasonal cycles. The changed parameters have implications for the stationary assumption implied in the parameter estimation and use of the weather generator for climate change studies.     

Spaces of change: tribal authorities in the former KaNgwane homeland, South Africa

South Africa's democratic transition has had a significant impact upon localized governance systems in mediating development opportunities within the former apartheid homelands. This paper uses a case study from the former KaNgwane homeland to evaluate the role of the Matsamo Tribal Authority in shaping livelihoods and access to environmental resources. It is argued that although the colonial and apartheid empowerment of the tribal authorities continues to have symbolic and material meaning for rural populations, newly created democratic structures are challenging traditional governance systems in the post-apartheid era. The intersection between these contrasting, and historically situated, systems suggests a dynamic renegotiation is occurring that will continue to impact rural households within the former places of apartheid.     

Perceptions of Climate Vulnerability,Tenure Security and Resettlement Priorities: insights from Lami Town,Fiji Islands

The future impact of climate change will be a considerable challenge for all countries, and in particular Small Island Developing States. Challenges related to climate vulnerability and tenure security are exacerbated in areas of rapid urbanisation and urban growth, with highly vulnerable informal settlements a common result. Drawing on research into vulnerable informal settlements in the Greater Suva Urban Area in Fiji, this research seeks to better understand perceptions of climate vulnerability, adaptive capacity, tenure security and options for resettlement. This research confirmed that there are important linkages at the settlement level between tenure security, perception of vulnerability, and people’s ability to adapt. Two critical factors in any decision to resettle people are (i) providing tenure security for all people affected, and (ii) considering livelihood impacts as a result of resettlement. We conclude that vulnerability, tenure security and resettlement decisions are complex issues and specific to individual settlements, and to specific households within settlements.     

BCC/RCG-WG天气发生器非降水变量模拟参数气候变化特征

利用中国699 个气象站点1951-2007 年的逐日最高气温、最低气温和日照时数资料,分1951-1978 年和1979-2007 年两个时段分析了气候变化对BCC/RCG-WG天气发生器中我国各地逐日非降水变量模拟参数的影响.结果表明,最高气温、最低气温和日照时数三个变量平均值傅立叶级数展开式的年平均值和基波振幅较标准差傅立叶级数展开式的年平均值和基波振幅的变化幅度明显偏大,而平均值傅立叶级数展开式的基波位相变化幅度较标准差的基波位相变化幅度明显偏小;三个变量当天以及后延一天之间的相关系数的绝对变化较小.说明在气候变化背景下,最高气温等三个非降水变量的年平均值和年内变幅有明显的变化,而三个变量年际间的变异、峰值出现时间以及各变量之间的相关性变化较小.     

Poverty and prosperity among Sama Bajo fishing communities (Southeast Sulawesi,Indonesia)

Over recent decades, sustained economic growth in Indonesia has lifted many millions of Indonesians out of poverty. But despite these developments, 28 per cent of the population still live below the official poverty line and many more remain vulnerable to falling into poverty. Coastal and fishing communities represent some of the poorer populations across Indonesia, their livelihoods increasingly threatened by deleterious environmental impacts and overfishing. This paper draws on an analysis of household surveys from two Sama Bajo fishing settlements in coastal Southeast Sulawesi. A predominantly maritime language community, Sama Bajo livelihoods are shaped by seasonal patterns of fishing and marine based harvesting and trading. Using a modified poverty survey instrument, the paper explores comparative patterns of poverty and prosperity in these two communities with a focus on livelihood dynamics, seasonality effects, and the enduring patron‐client relationships that sustain their market‐oriented way of life. Key findings highlight the vulnerability of female headed households given the highly gendered access to fishing success, and the significance of relational co‐dependencies between patron‐client networks that sustain the current patterns of fishing livelihoods. The paper highlights the need for more focussed livelihood research among vulnerable populations in Indonesia and smallholder fishing communities in particular.     

生态补偿方式对农户可持续生计影响分析

对长汀县2000年以来的生态补偿措施进行分类,总结出各生态补偿方式的具体形式和补偿客体;并基于可持续生计分析框架,系统阐述了各生态补偿方式对农户生计资本、生计策略和生计结果的影响．结果表明,现金补偿部分缓解了因封山育林等措施对农户生计造成的不利影响;实物补偿增强了主要参与农户的物质资本,并确定了以农业为主的生计策略和相对稳定的纯收入;政策补偿主要使主要参与农户获得具有稳定产权的山地资源;技术补偿和产业补偿的作用相对较弱．最后,为增强今后各类农户可持续生计,提出技术补偿、政策补偿和产业补偿方式方面的具体对策．     

雨养农业区农户的气候变化适应行为及影响因素路径分析

厘清农户的气候变化适应行为类型以及农户属性、气候变化感知对适应行为的影响机制,对于制定合适的适应政策至关重要。论文将适应行为分为技术性行为、经济性行为和迁移性行为3类,并构建了以气候变化感知为中介变量的“属性-感知-适应”多变量路径分析模型,在对农户属性对适应行为的影响进行多元方差分析的基础上探讨了变量间的影响路径。结果表明：① 农户适应气候变化会优先选择技术性行为,其次是经济性行为,选择迁移性行为的农户最少;② 农户属性对适应行为的影响具有显著差异;③ 根据中介变量的中介效应,将多变量路径分析模型分解为3类：完全中介模型、部分中介模型和无中介模型。通过分析以上3种模型可以发现,农户属性对适应行为既有通过中介变量产生的间接影响,也有不通过中介变量产生的直接影响,说明适应行为的选择并不仅仅依赖于气候变化感知,农户属性对于适应行为的选择也是一个重要的直接影响因素。最后针对提高农户应对气候变化的能力提出了相关政策建议。     

Double exposure in Mozambique's Limpopo River Basin

This paper examines how double exposure to economic and environmental stressors – and the interaction between the two – affect smallholder farmers in Mozambique's Limpopo River Basin. Studying two case study villages we find that people, in general, are resilient to environmental stressors. However, most households show less resilience to the socioeconomic stressors and shocks that have been introduced or intensified by economic globalisation. Our findings indicate that economic change brought about by structural adjustment policies pressures rural people to alter their approach to farming, which makes it more difficult for them to respond to environmental change. For example, smallholder farmers find it difficult to make a transition to commercial farming within the Limpopo Basin, in part because farming techniques that are well adapted to managing environmental variability in the region – such as seeding many small plots – are not well suited to the economies of scale needed for profitable commercial agriculture. People use a variety of strategies to cope with interactive environmental and economic stressors and shocks, but many face considerable constraints to profitably exploiting market-based opportunities. We conclude that economic stressors and shocks may now be causing small-scale agriculture to be less well adapted to ecological and climate variability, making smallholders more vulnerable to future climate change. Some local level policy interventions, including those that support and build on local environmental knowledge, could assist rural agricultural societies in adapting to future environmental change in the context of economic globalisation.     

青藏高原东部山地农牧区生计与耕地利用模式

利用分层随机抽样、参与式农村评估及其工具、地块调查、数理统计等方法,对63个农户、272个地块进行了系统的调查与取样,研究了青藏高原东部山地农牧区金川县克尔马村的生计多样化与耕地利用模式。结果表明:①不同类型农户的生计策略选择、组合及收入不同,生计多样化,引入并扩大非农活动是当地生计策略的发展趋势,但不利的自然环境和社会经济条件以及农户自身素质共同影响了生计和土地利用的可持续性;②各种生计策略对土地利用的影响不同,主要影响土地利用类型和土地利用集约化水平;③以非农活动为主的生计多样化可能是该区构建可持续生计的核心,同时也是实现土地可持续利用的根本途径。