Dilshad Ahmad

Climate change instigating severe threat on global population livelihood more specifically the developing countries alike Pakistan. Rural households of Pakistan predominately depend on farming practices where their livelihood is vulnerable due to severe and repeated threats of flood disasters. In view of income diversification as livelihood strategy regarding life-threatening of floods this research work investigated the factors of income diversification in flood prone areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Multistage random sampling method was applied for data collection of 380 flood-affected households where household-based income diversification was estimated with Herfindahl Index while ordinary least square method applied for regression coefficients estimation. Estimates of this research work shown as households with more educated family members, male household heads and more earning numbers of family having more income diversification profile. Moderation analysis indicated households with aged educated members and male household head more likely to income diversification rather than illiterate households. Findings indicated contradiction with literature as insignificant coefficient of poverty with income diversification in Muzaffargarh district highlighting the inadequate awareness and insufficient economic opportunities reason be more significant factor of income diversification rather than wealth. Policy measure to Pakistan and more particular to rural communities as investing human capital, rising economic opportunities access and formulating awareness strategies of income diversification consider essential to developing rural household’s livelihood sustainability particularly flood prone communities.

Population living in climate induced disaster vulnerable areas can mitigate risks by preventive resettlement strategies. However, prior to having resettlement risks and particular resettles livelihood impacts it is necessary to investigate those communities whose living have transformed through climate persuaded resettlement. Objective of this research work is to examine prior resettlement and after resettlement climate-based livelihood vulnerability variations of resettled two model villages flood prone community of Muzaffargarh. Livelihood vulnerability changes of resettled households were investigated by application of Livelihood vulnerability index that covers seven major components exposure, finance, water, health, social networks, livelihood strategy and sociodemographic profile. In this study data was collected by well-developed questionnaire from 241 households’ heads which resettled in two model villages from twelve flood prone union council areas. Data collected by direct interaction with respondents where questionnaire consists on some significant perspectives regarding resettlers subsidies receipts, physical conditions, job status, income aspect, socioeconomic perspective and damages of flood disasters prior and after resettlement. Livelihood vulnerability index each indicator values prior and after resettlement were calculated to determine in what way altered household’s livelihood after resettlement. Estimated outcomes of study indicated that vulnerability of health, water, livelihood strategy and exposure components were significantly declined when household moved to less flood prone areas owing to resettlement in well-construction model villages associated with government subsidies. On the other hand, some major components like finance and social networking becomes higher vulnerable owing to loss in economic activity and kinship which were deep rooted in original communities of households. In these resettled areas, proactive stance of concerned authorities or institutions and policy makers need to implement with compacted strategies to reduce financial risks and job vulnerabilities to develop sustainable livelihood of resettled households.

Environmental degradation due to intense climatic dynamics has raised frequency of natural disasters which particularly increased livelihood vulnerability of disaster-prone rural communities mainly inhabited in developing countries. Rangelands dilapidation and drought caused by climate change are some severe external disruptions confronted by pastoralists’ households. Anthropogenic and climatic stressors are anticipated to amplify pastoralists’ households’ vulnerability and pretense extra stress on rangelands. Examine and identify the livelihood outcomes, strategies and its profile more appropriate measure is to application the structure of sustainable livelihood. The particular purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of environmental and economic livelihood management strategies in disaster-prone areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Multiple cluster sampling approach was applied for the data collection of 768 various pastoral groups as agro-craft pastoral, servicing pastoral, agro-pastoral and pastoral households and applied principal component analysis for empirical estimation of the study. Even so, in perspective of pastoralists household’s livelihoods status traditional pastoral group has played crucial role. Estimates of the study indicated as pastoralist’s livelihood assets significantly drives households engagements in several livelihood strategies. Outcomes of the study suggested as application of livelihood diversification in pastoralists households can sustain appropriate circumstances of rangelands and lessen poverty in pastoralist’s community. On the other significant aspect, due to livelihood assets diversity in pastoralist’s households still no sole approach can concurrently make available mutually most favorable ecological sustainability and economic returns.

In global perspective, in current decades the intensity of climatic dynamics have elevated disasters incidence of floods and riverbank erosion. Farming community mainly resides in flood prone locality has happen to more susceptible owing to destruction of these repeated climate induced disasters. The purpose of this research work is to examine the influence of Indus River current tendency of shifting course with raising outcomes of floods and riverbank erosion on living of Bait and riverbank areas community in Pakistan. The study applied both secondary and primary date even as applied random sampling approach to collecting the primary data of 380 households from Bait and riverbank area. This research work used satellite images from 2000 to 2022 for analysis procedure; it is pragmatic as Indus River course continuing to shifting eastern side and is eroding villages in succession. Study area inhabited households are confronted with multidimensional obstructions to sustaining their livelihood and households in the homeland. Frequent land losses due to riverbank erosion enforce each year majority of households to displace from their native areas. Inadequate access of resettlement space and lack of other public support disaster mitigation mechanism make it unfeasible to get better from dreadful circumstances of susceptible inhabited population. Construction of embankment, criss-cross embankment pillars, sandbags and boulder pitching to protect inhabited population from forthcoming floods and riverbank collapses strategy measures initiated by Government to reduce sever influence of hazards. Outcomes of such government protective measures remained unsatisfied due to inappropriate implementation such strategies. Local based appropriate rehabilitation programmes and quick work need to focus for riverbank erosion and flood affected inhabitants to maintain the sustainability of their livelihood.

Climate change severely affected agrarian economies while developing countries particularly those having a major dependency on agriculture were rigorously influenced. In a couple of decades, agriculture has undergone substantial yield and productivity losses owing to severe disasters and risks of drought hazards. The significant objective of this research is to examine the farmer’s socioeconomic determinants and preferences of farmers about climate change adaptation strategies. A multivariate probit model was used for empirical estimation of the independent variables and farmers' assessments to apply the adaptation strategies. Estimates of the study illustrated soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, ponds, spillway terraces, and changing dates of crop planting were particular approaches applied by farmers to cope with drought risks. Moreover, socioeconomic determinants played a considerable role in the adoption of these drought-based strategies. In the scenario of such empirical findings, farmers must be educated and provided more easy access to climate change information, usage of climate-based apps, print media, electronic media, and social media for developing strategies and mitigation measures to overcome the severe impacts of drought.