resource-based livelihoods that are disproportionately affected by climate change;
and have the weakest ability to adapt to the impacts. Small and marginal farmers are
more vulnerable to both the current and future climate change impacts given their
high dependence on agriculture, strong reliance on ecosystem and rapid population
growth.
Vulnerability assessments can play a vital role in the design of appropriate
adaptation and mitigation policies targeted towards climate change and its impacts
on ecosystems, and those who depend upon these resources for their livelihoods
and well-being. Every human community in the globe has a tendency to become
adversely affected by the changes in climate, regardless of the communities’ contribution to that change. This tendency is simply known as vulnerability of that
particular community to climate change impacts. Agricultural and social vulnerability explicitly focuses on those agricultural, demographic and socio-economic
factors that increase or attenuate the impacts of hazard events on local populations.
People who live in arid or semi-arid regions, in low-lying coastal areas, in water
limited or flood-prone areas, or on small islands are particularly vulnerable to
climate change (Watson et al. 1996). It is clear that climate change will, in many
parts of the world, adversely affect socio-economic sectors, including water
resources, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and human settlements, ecological systems
and human health with developing countries being the most vulnerable (IPCC
2001). Developing countries have lesser capacity to adapt and are more vulnerable
to climate change damages, just as they are to other stresses. This condition is most
extreme among the poorest people (IPCC 2001).
There is an increasing need to develop indicators of vulnerability and of adaptive
capacity both to determine the robustness of response strategies over time and to
understand better the underlying processes (Adger et al. 2004). At the district level,
vulnerability assessments contribute to setting development priorities and monitoring progress. Sectoral assessments provide details and targets for strategic
development plans. In Karnataka, agricultural farmers and agricultural labourers
form 56 % of the total workforce (Government of Karnataka 2005) and this is
considered as one of the driving forces in determining the socio-economic vulnerabilities of communities in Karnataka. In the present context, a district-wise
socio-economic and agricultural vulnerability profile of Karnataka was developed.
3 Objectives, Method and Data
The key objectives of this assessment are: (a) To assess vulnerability of agricultural
sector across the districts of Karnataka; (b) To estimate the socio-economic vulnerability of the districts of Karnataka.
The data pertaining to various socio-economic and agricultural indicators were
collected and compiled from different sources such as Census of India (2011) and
Statistical Abstracts of Karnataka (Directorate of Economics and Statistics), 2008–
09, 2009–10 and 2010–11. To understand the agricultural and socio-economic
Socio-economic and Agricultural Vulnerability Across Districts …
163
and have the weakest ability to adapt to the impacts. Small and marginal farmers are
more vulnerable to both the current and future climate change impacts given their
high dependence on agriculture, strong reliance on ecosystem and rapid population
growth.
Vulnerability assessments can play a vital role in the design of appropriate
adaptation and mitigation policies targeted towards climate change and its impacts
on ecosystems, and those who depend upon these resources for their livelihoods
and well-being. Every human community in the globe has a tendency to become
adversely affected by the changes in climate, regardless of the communities’ contribution to that change. This tendency is simply known as vulnerability of that
particular community to climate change impacts. Agricultural and social vulnerability explicitly focuses on those agricultural, demographic and socio-economic
factors that increase or attenuate the impacts of hazard events on local populations.
People who live in arid or semi-arid regions, in low-lying coastal areas, in water
limited or flood-prone areas, or on small islands are particularly vulnerable to
climate change (Watson et al. 1996). It is clear that climate change will, in many
parts of the world, adversely affect socio-economic sectors, including water
resources, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and human settlements, ecological systems
and human health with developing countries being the most vulnerable (IPCC
2001). Developing countries have lesser capacity to adapt and are more vulnerable
to climate change damages, just as they are to other stresses. This condition is most
extreme among the poorest people (IPCC 2001).
There is an increasing need to develop indicators of vulnerability and of adaptive
capacity both to determine the robustness of response strategies over time and to
understand better the underlying processes (Adger et al. 2004). At the district level,
vulnerability assessments contribute to setting development priorities and monitoring progress. Sectoral assessments provide details and targets for strategic
development plans. In Karnataka, agricultural farmers and agricultural labourers
form 56 % of the total workforce (Government of Karnataka 2005) and this is
considered as one of the driving forces in determining the socio-economic vulnerabilities of communities in Karnataka. In the present context, a district-wise
socio-economic and agricultural vulnerability profile of Karnataka was developed.
3 Objectives, Method and Data
The key objectives of this assessment are: (a) To assess vulnerability of agricultural
sector across the districts of Karnataka; (b) To estimate the socio-economic vulnerability of the districts of Karnataka.
The data pertaining to various socio-economic and agricultural indicators were
collected and compiled from different sources such as Census of India (2011) and
Statistical Abstracts of Karnataka (Directorate of Economics and Statistics), 2008–
09, 2009–10 and 2010–11. To understand the agricultural and socio-economic
Socio-economic and Agricultural Vulnerability Across Districts …
163