Vulnerability of Households and Decisions for Adaptation to Climate Change: An Empirical Study in Coastal Sunderban, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Indian Sundarban is one of the most hazardous areas in the Indian subcontinent in respect of poverty, sea level rise and cyclonic storms. The present study analyzes degree and pattern of Vulnerability based on composite Vulnerability Index followed by Patnaik and Narayanan (2005) methodology to identify region specific adaptation strategies in the coastal belts of Indian Sunderban. Binary Probit Model is used to identify the factors responsible for such adaptation strategies. Primary data were collected on 202 households from two coastal villages of Sunderban, during 2014 with structured questionnaire and group discussions. The vulnerability index for the sample households in coastal Sunderban is found to be 0.6532. The result shows that majority (64.36%) of households belongs to moderate vulnerability whereas only quarter of sample households are highly vulnerable. Migration, diversification of livelihoods and livestock rearing are identified as the significant adaptation strategies adapted by the households as means of resilience. The socio-economic and climate variables explain the decisions for adaptation at household level. The paper has an important policy implication for the conservation of natural resources like fishing and crab collection and enhancement of sustainable livelihood security of the vulnerable coastal people.