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What is autonomous adaption? Resource scarcity and smallholder agency in Thailand

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  • Forsyth, Tim
  • Evans, Natalie

Abstract

The concept of autonomous adaptation is widely used to describe spontaneous acts of reducing risks posed by resource scarcity and, increasingly, climate change. Critics, however, have claimed it is unproven, or simplifies the agency by which smallholders respond to risk. This paper presents empirical research in eight Karen villages in Thailand to identify how resource scarcity is linked to adaptive responses including livelihood diversification. The paper argues that autonomous adaptation is driven by how environmental change and scarcity present livelihood risks, rather than physical risks alone. Adaptation planning therefore should acknowledge different experiences of risk, and socio-economic barriers to adaptation.

Suggested Citation

  • Forsyth, Tim & Evans, Natalie, 2013. "What is autonomous adaption? Resource scarcity and smallholder agency in Thailand," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 45412, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:45412
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    Cited by:

    1. Clay, Nathan & King, Brian, 2019. "Smallholders’ uneven capacities to adapt to climate change amid Africa’s ‘green revolution’: Case study of Rwanda’s crop intensification program," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 1-14.
    2. Benjapon Prommawin & Nattanun Svavasu & Spol Tanpraphan & Voravee Saengavut & Theepakorn Jithitikulchai & Witsanu Attavanich & Bruce A. McCarl, 2022. "Impacts of Climate Change and Agricultural Diversification on Agricultural Production Value of Thai Farm Households," PIER Discussion Papers 184, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    3. Burnham, Morey & Ma, Zhao, 2018. "Multi-Scalar Pathways to Smallholder Adaptation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 249-262.
    4. Md Roushon Jamal & Paul Kristiansen & Md Jahangir Kabir & Lisa Lobry de Bruyn, 2023. "Challenges and Adaptations for Resilient Rice Production under Changing Environments in Bangladesh," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-21, June.
    5. Gannon, Kate & Crick, Florence & Atela, Joanes & Conway, Declan, 2021. "What role for multi-stakeholder partnerships in adaptation to climate change? Experiences from private sector adaptation in Kenya," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110377, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Nguyen, Trung Thanh & Nguyen, Loc Duc & Lippe, Rattiya Suddeephong & Grote, Ulrike, 2017. "Determinants of Farmers’ Land Use Decision-Making: Comparative Evidence From Thailand and Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 199-213.
    7. Mersha, Azeb Assefa & van Laerhoven, Frank, 2018. "The interplay between planned and autonomous adaptation in response to climate change: Insights from rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 87-97.
    8. David J. Yu & Michael L. Schoon & Jason K. Hawes & Seungyoon Lee & Jeryang Park & P. Suresh C. Rao & Laura K. Siebeneck & Satish V. Ukkusuri, 2020. "Toward General Principles for Resilience Engineering," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(8), pages 1509-1537, August.
    9. Rahwa Kidane & Thomas Wanner & Melissa Nursey-Bray & Md. Masud-All-Kamal & Gerald Atampugre, 2022. "The Role of Climatic and Non-Climatic Factors in Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation Responses: Insights from Rural Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, May.
    10. Ngo, Thanh Quang & Luu, Khai Duc & Nguyen, Danh Ngọc & Bui, Thanh Xuan & Van, Sang Nguyen & Nguyen, Ky Tran, 2022. "Effects of Land Quality on Land Use: Farm-level Panel-data Evidence from Viet Nam," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 14(4), December.
    11. Gupta, Divya & Fischer, Harry & Shrestha, Suchita & Shoaib Ali, Syed & Chhatre, Ashwini & Devkota, Kamal & Fleischman, Forrest & Khatri, Dil B. & Rana, Pushpendra, 2021. "Dark and bright spots in the shadow of the pandemic: Rural livelihoods, social vulnerability, and local governance in India and Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    12. Lisa C. Kelley & Agung Prabowo, 2019. "Flooding and Land Use Change in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-19, September.
    13. Forsyth, Tim, 2018. "Is resilience to climate change socially inclusive? Investigating theories of change processes in Myanmar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 13-26.
    14. Forsyth, Tim, 2021. "Time to change? Technologies of futuring and transformative change in Nepal’s climate change policy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 107544, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    adaptation; livelihoods; resource scarcity; households; Asia; Thailand;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N0 - Economic History - - General
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment

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