Conference paper

Appeared in: Social and Technological Transformation of Farming Systems: Diverging and Converging Pathways, Volume 2

Editor list: Wilcox, A.; Mills, K.

Publication year: 2016

Pages: 1234-1250

Volume number: 2

ISBN: 978-1-9996126-1-0

URL: https://cdn.harper-adams.ac.uk/document/event/ifsa/IFSA-2016-Proceedings-Vol-2.pdf

Conference: 12th European IFSA Symposium

Abstract: 

Watershed Development Programmes (WDP) receive enormous attention due to their capacity to enhance production in rain-fed agriculture along with restoration of ecological balance and sustainability. Many of these programmes are questionable in terms of building climate change adaptation strategies among the rural poor in watershed areas. This paper analyses vulnerability towards climate change on watershed community level in Kerala, India. A case study was conducted in a watershed, which was implemented by a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). Primary data was collected using the Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge System methodology with its main instruments household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal interviews with various stakeholders. Vulnerability due to climate variability is assessed by developing a Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) which employs both qualitative and quantitative data. The composite index comprises of three dimensions of vulnerability - adaptive capacity, sensitivity, exposure -, and its ten major components: socio-demographic profile, socio-economic assets, agricultural, livelihood, social networks, health, food, water, climate variability and natural disasters. As a main result, the vulnerability due to adaptive capacity indicators/subcomponents holds the highest value among the three dimensions of climate vulnerability. This implies an urgent need for location specific micro level planning of the watershed programmes with emphasis on activities to address water scarcity, soil and water conservation, farm diversification, production enhancement and livelihood alternatives for better coping strategies and resilience.

Harvard Citation style: Sathyan, A., Aenis, T. and Breuer, L. (2016) Climate vulnerability analysis facilitating transformation of watersheds in Kerala, India, in Wilcox, A. and Mills, K. (eds.) Social and Technological Transformation of Farming Systems: Diverging and Converging Pathways, Volume 2. Newport: Harper Adams University. pp. 1234-1250. https://cdn.harper-adams.ac.uk/document/event/ifsa/IFSA-2016-Proceedings-Vol-2.pdf

APA Citation style: Sathyan, A., Aenis, T., & Breuer, L. (2016). Climate vulnerability analysis facilitating transformation of watersheds in Kerala, India. In Wilcox, A., & Mills, K. (Eds.), Social and Technological Transformation of Farming Systems: Diverging and Converging Pathways, Volume 2. (2, pp. 1234-1250). Harper Adams University. https://cdn.harper-adams.ac.uk/document/event/ifsa/IFSA-2016-Proceedings-Vol-2.pdf