Livelihood vulnerability

Gillnet fisheries play an important role in supporting the local economy and the welfare of coastal communities. However, fishermen still face challenges related to unequal access to livelihood assets and high vulnerability to external factors such as seasonal changes, catch fluctuations, market pressures, and environmental conditions. This study aimed to analyze the level of vulnerability, identify livelihood assets, and formulate strategies for sustainable livelihood development among gillnet fishing communities. The study was conducted in Margasari and Muara Gading Mas Villages in September 2025 using a mixed-method approach, combining questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and field observations. Samples were selected through purposive sampling, and data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods supported by a Likert scale. The results showed that fishermen's vulnerability is relatively high (54.5%), affecting income stability. Social (81.4%) and natural (78.7%) assets are relatively strong, while human (38.6%), physic (48.3%), and financial (43.20%) assets remain relatively low. Limited education, lack of training, and restricted access to financial resources are the main constraints, leading to low adaptive capacity and limited livelihood diversification. Recommended strategies include improving human resource capacity, strengthening access to financial capital, and developing livelihood diversification based on local potential. These efforts are expected to enhance household economic resilience and support sustainable livelihoods among gillnet fishing communities.

This study examines how fluvial geomorphological dynamics influence the livelihood vulnerability of river-dependent communities residing along the Ganga floodplain in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. It investigates the socioeconomic and environmental consequences of recurring floods, riverbank erosion, sediment accumulation, channel migration, and environmental degradation on households whose livelihoods are closely linked to the river. These communities rely on a range of activities, including agriculture, fishing, tourism, wage labour, and other informal occupations. A household survey was carried out using a proportionate stratified random sampling approach across 33 riparian wards, covering 384 households. The findings suggest that repeated flood events, increasing environmental pollution, the erosion of traditional river-based livelihoods, and rising socioeconomic insecurity have significantly affected both livelihood stability and the sustainability of settlements within the floodplain. To understand the extent of vulnerability and the strategies adopted by communities to cope with these challenges, the study employed several statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, coefficient of variation, Z-score analysis, vulnerability categorisation, and principal component analysis. The analysis identifies flood exposure, poverty, and health-related concerns as the major factors contributing to livelihood vulnerability. In response to these challenges, many households have adopted livelihood diversification and seasonal migration as key adaptation strategies to reduce risks and improve their resilience. The study emphasizes the importance of integrated floodplain management, stronger measures to control river pollution, sustainable urban planning, and community-centred resilience-building initiatives. Such interventions are vital for enhancing environmental sustainability, strengthening the adaptive capacity of local communities, and promoting long-term socioeconomic stability for people living along the Ganga floodplain in Prayagraj.

Gillnet fisheries play an important role in supporting the local economy and the welfare of coastal communities. However, fishermen still face challenges related to unequal access to livelihood assets and high vulnerability to external factors such as seasonal changes, catch fluctuations, market pressures, and environmental conditions. This study aimed to analyze the level of vulnerability, identify livelihood assets, and formulate strategies for sustainable livelihood development among gillnet fishing communities. The study was conducted in Margasari and Muara Gading Mas Villages in September 2025 using a mixed-method approach, combining questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and field observations. Samples were selected through purposive sampling, and data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods supported by a Likert scale. The results showed that fishermen's vulnerability is relatively high (54.5%), affecting income stability. Social (81.4%) and natural (78.7%) assets are relatively strong, while human (38.6%), physic (48.3%), and financial (43.20%) assets remain relatively low. Limited education, lack of training, and restricted access to financial resources are the main constraints, leading to low adaptive capacity and limited livelihood diversification. Recommended strategies include improving human resource capacity, strengthening access to financial capital, and developing livelihood diversification based on local potential. These efforts are expected to enhance household economic resilience and support sustainable livelihoods among gillnet fishing communities.

Various studies on rural household livelihood systems have been carried out in Indonesia to explain the level of household livelihood vulnerability in both farming and fishing communities. The livelihood of small-scale farmers and fishermen is usually vulnerable due to climate and non-climate pressure. This desk study compares the results of studies on livelihood vulnerability from various theses, dissertations and scientific journal articles with a similar topic of study. A case study analysis is used to figure out a comparative picture of small-scale farmers and fishermen households in responding to the pressure as well as making adaptive actions to survive. The weakness of this study is that the conclusion cannot provide evidences as a basis for deriving generalization. Rather it only provides an initial description of the socioeconomic responses as shown by small-scale farmers and fishermen in reacting to ecological pressures. This study comes up with a typology of pressure face...

Mangrove forest is a key livelihood support system for rural households in lkot Abasi Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. In spite of its usefulness to human, this rich natural resource base has been seriously
degraded through unsustainable exploitation. Unfortunately, no serious effort has been made to empirically analyze the dimensions of gender in mangrove forest-based livelihoods among rural households in the area. This study is
therefore designed to fill this gap. The data used for this work were collected mainly through direct field
observation, focus group discussions and structured questionnaire. The sandy revealed that the three main resources
extracted to support livelihood in the area include mangrove trees (15.27 %), water (l 3.88 %) and fishes (12.5 %).
About 6.57 % of men and 11.73 % of women were involved in farming, 12.12 % of men and 6.17 % of women
were involved in fishing, while only 2.52 % of men arid 9.88 % of women were involved in fuel-wood collection.
Further analysis revealed men-dominated livelihoods to include fishing (12.12 %), logging (10.60 %) and palm
fruit harvesting (7.07 %), while women dominated livelihoods include farming (l l.73 %), fuel-wood collection
(9.88 %) and palm fruits processing (9.29 %). Given this observed dependence on natural resources for survival, it
is recommended that community-driven conservation strategies be inculcated in the residents to ensure that the
natural resource base continues to support livelihoods on a sustainable basis. The high number of people depending
on these mostly non-renewable resources is very worrisome arid effort should be made to introduce them to
alternative livelihoods. Conservation practices are seriously needed along with a well worked out programme on
environmental awareness.

Adaptation remains the most reasonable response lo the damning threats of climate change, especially, in the agriculture sector. This work examined measures desired by farmers lo enhance their capacity to adapt to climate change. The primary data used for this work were obtained with the aid of the. questionnaires which were administered on 720 farm families selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. The result revealed that seven main measures are desired by farmers IO help promote adaptation including:
provision of credit (loan/grants) (81.94%), eradication of poverty (80.69%), creation of awareness on climate change/ adaptation options (78.06%), improvement in extension services (71.11%), provision of education (61.94%), provision of inputs (53.33%) and formulation of policies on climate change adaption (32.78%). The results of one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that the F-ratio is 3.365, which is significant /P
value of0. 014 is less than 0. 05). This means that farmers across the six Agricultural Zones differ significantly in the measures they desire to promote adaptation. Specifically, multiple comparisons with Tukey HSD revealed that farmers in Eket and Oron zones are significantly different from those in Idiot Ekpene zone with regards to the adaptation
measures they desired The results also revealed that the difference in the mean scores
between groups was very large with Eta Squared value of 0.318. However, the Levene 's test for equality of variance is not significant (P value of0.811 is greater than 0.05). implying that the homogeneity requirement has been meet. Since the climate change challenge is already here with us, it is recommended that concerted ports be made to facilitate measures to promote adaptation.

HIGHLIGHTS  A comprehensive 38-item scale was developed to measure farmers' adaptation strategies to climate change across eight major dimensions.  All eight dimensions demonstrated strong internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.795 to 0.861.  The developed scale provides a reliable framework for assessing farmers' adaptation behaviour toward climate change.

In recent years, droughts have strongly affected the Central Highlands of Vietnam and have resulted in crop damage, yield decline, and serious water shortage. This study investigated the livelihood vulnerability of five communities of farmers who are exposed to droughts in one of the more vulnerable regions of Vietnam—Dak Nong Province. A survey of 250 households was conducted in the five communities to collect data on the region’s sociodemographic profile, livelihood systems, social networks, health status, food and water security, drought conditions, and climate variability. Data were aggregated using a livelihood vulnerability index and the IPCC vulnerability index. The survey results indicate that Quang Phu community is the most vulnerable of the study’s communities, followed by Nam N’dir, Dak Nang, Duc Xuyen, and Dak D’ro in descending order of vulnerability. Water availability and livelihood strategies are the most important variables in determining the vulnerability of the fi...

Mining serves as a major source of livelihood for many rural communities around the world. However, it often exposes miners to various risks, including workplace accidents, consumption of contaminated food and water, and the spread of diseases. This study explores how miners in the rural areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria, adapt to the challenges associated with artisanal mining. Data were gathered using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and direct observations in the field. The findings, analysed using descriptive statistics with NVivo Version 11.0, reveal a variety of coping strategies employed by miners. These include avoiding polluted water sources, treating water through boiling, filtration, or chemical methods, relying on family, unions, and friends for medical support, and adopting safety measures like wearing protective gear and ensuring safe mining practices. Other strategies include consuming treated or packaged water, promoting awareness about mining hazards, and improving personal nutrition. Based on these findings, the study recommends that miners actively engage with their unions and build strong relationships with peers and community members to ensure support during times of need. Secondly, miners should ensure safe mining practices by avoiding underground mining and mishandling of mining equipment.

conditions, limited access to capital, and widespread environmental degradation , which reduces access to cultivated land . Artisanal mining in Nigeria frequently degrades physical capital, damaging infrastructure, natural assets, and ecosystem services essential for development. For instance, in Niger State, miners wash ore in open waterways, polluting water sources and undermining soil and water systems vital for agriculture and community infrastructure . While in Ife-East, Osun State, artisanal gold mining caused land-cover change, expanding bare surfaces and mine tailings while diminishing vegetation, impairing land integrity, and building capital over time . Physical capital, which includes tools, infrastructure, and environmental assets, is heavily degraded. Soil erosion, land degradation, and water source contamination weaken agricultural productivity and reduce community assets like roads, bridges, and water systems, limiting communities' ability to invest in infrastructure and land (

Coastal flooding, exacerbated by climate change, poses a critical threat to the burgeoning "blue tourism" sector in coastal states worldwide. This paper expands on a previous assessment of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, by incorporating a global comparative analysis to develop a more robust framework for vulnerability assessment and climate-resilient development. The study assesses the physical and socioeconomic vulnerabilities of key tourism sites, such as Ibeno Beach, against the backdrop of international experiences from the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and other parts of Africa. Instead, successful international models leverage a combination of green and gray infrastructure, innovative public-private partnerships (PPPs), and community-led adaptation strategies. Using a mixed-methods approach with primary data from Akwa Ibom and secondary data from global case studies, this paper proposes a holistic vulnerability assessment model and a strategic blueprint for sustainable blue tourism in the region. The findings demonstrate that by learning from international best practices, Akwa Ibom can transition from a reactive to a proactive stance, enhancing its resilience, protecting its natural heritage, and securing its economic future as a premier coastal tourism destination.

Climate change poses a substantial threat to agricultural systems and rural livelihoods. This study develops and validates the Perceived Climate Change Impact on Farmers' Livelihood Security Index (PCCLSI) to systematically assess farmers' perceptions of climate change and its impact on their livelihood security. Five core dimensions-food security, economic security, health security,

HIGHLIGHTS  A Livelihood Vulnerability Scale was developed based on the IPCC framework, covering exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.  The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.90, indicating high internal consistency across all dimensions.  The developed scale is a reliable tool for assessing climate-related livelihood vulnerability among farming communities.

Thailand, a crucial agricultural zone worthwhile, is facing climate variability and extreme events. At the regional level, the east of Thailand is a major fruit trees and rubber plantation zone. Climate variation is inevitably affected this essential agricultural region of Thailand. To guide a proper policy intervention, an assessment of vulnerability to climate variation plays an important role. The paper aims to assess the vulnerability index in the east of Thailand as well as farm-households in Tha mai and Khao khitchakut districts in Chanthaburi province. Primary data of a 452 farm-households survey and secondary data were utilized. The paper applies the vulnerability index classified into 3 factors based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They are 1) exposure: the nature and extent of changes to regions’ climate variability, 2) sensitivity: the human-environmental conditions that can worsen the hazard ameliorate or trigger an impact of climate variation, and 3...

Based on secondary data, this paper examines the current legal status of Bangladesh fisheries and constraints in the implementation of fisheries laws. It is identified that twelve fisheries regulations are executed for the regulation and management of the fisheries resources in Bangladesh. Among these laws, a few are historically important for the regulating and managing of fisheries. These laws are implemented with some amendments for the development of legal mechanisms for fisheries development of Bangladesh. The implementations of these laws often met limited success due to a number of shortcomings in the legislations. The constraints in the implementation are the lack of clear policy guidelines and strategy; inadequacy of existing regulatory framework, non-enforcement of legislation and jurisdictional conflicts, the absence of regular law review and updating mechanism and formulation of by-laws, rules, orders etc. Finally, this study submits that for sustainable management of fisheries resources of Bangladesh a comprehensive legal framework is required.

Floods are the most dreaded danger for household livelihoods, particularly those in coastal and estuary regions, due to their tremendous destruction. Proper assessment of the livelihood vulnerability of these communities thus becomes imperative for prioritizing policies. Applying the LVI-IPCC framework, this study investigates the flood-induced vulnerability of two coastal communities in Hai Duong and Vinh Hien communes of Thua Thien Hue province, Central Vietnam, and their vulnerable index's determinants. Data were obtained through three focus group discussions, twelve key-informant interviews, and a cross-sectional survey of 360 households between September and December 2021. The results disclosed that coastal fishery communities are highly vulnerable to flood risks due to their high exposure and sensitivity. Further analysis revealed that floods are an extra burden to impoverished fishermen and have sealed the poor into endless poverty traps and thus could reverse the poverty reduction efforts. Therefore, poverty alleviation should be integrated and prioritized in capacity-building programs to adapt to flood risks. Attention to issues that assist the resilience of poor populations, specifically allocating resources to vulnerable groups, strengthening access to information for hard-to-reach households, and well cognizance of the floods-relative poverty and inequality nexuses should be future priorities.

The 2024 field study of Saint Martin's Island, organized by the Department of Geography and Environment at Jagannath University, Dhaka, provided an in-depth exploration of the island's unique geographical and socio-economic characteristics, alongside pressing environmental challenges. This research encompassed the island's ocean morphology, geomorphology, and biodiversity, with a focus on the dynamic processes that shape its coastal and marine environments. Key areas of investigation included soil profiling, water quality analysis, and the study of diverse flora and fauna, enhancing our understanding of the complex ecological systems at play.

A significant aspect of the study was the examination of the rapid tourism growth on the island, which has led to considerable environmental degradation. This necessitates the implementation of environmental ethics in management practices, with active community involvement being crucial for sustainable development. The study highlighted the adverse effects of unregulated tourism, such as improper waste management and the destruction of key ecological features like sand dunes and Keya plants, which have accelerated erosion processes.

Geologically, the island's aquifers and coral resources are under threat from pollution and overfishing, necessitating proper waste disposal and water management practices. The depletion of coral populations, coupled with pollution, poses significant threats that require urgent governmental intervention and public awareness campaigns. The research underscores the importance of strict enforcement of environmental regulations and the adoption of sustainable tourism practices to mitigate these impacts.

Methodologically, the study utilized both primary and secondary data sources, including field investigations, observations, focus group discussions, and questionnaire surveys, to establish a comprehensive baseline of the island's physical, ecological, and socio-economic conditions. Satellite imagery analysis was employed to study shoreline dynamics, disaster vulnerability, and adaptation strategies, providing insights into the island's resilience and the effectiveness of current mitigation efforts.

The findings reveal a clear need for collaborative efforts among key stakeholders to preserve the island's environment. Recommended actions include limiting visitor numbers, enhancing waste management systems, establishing clear maritime boundaries, promoting responsible land use, and conducting extensive public awareness campaigns. The study concludes that while the challenges are significant, the implementation of targeted, community-driven conservation strategies can ensure the sustainable future of Saint Martin's Island    .