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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.

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  • Forsyth, Tim & Evans, Natalie, 2013. "What is Autonomous Adaption? Resource Scarcity and Smallholder Agency in Thailand," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 56-66.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:43:y:2013:i:c:p:56-66
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.11.010
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    Cited by:

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    7. Tim Forsyth, 2015. "Ecological Functions and Functionings: Towards a Senian Analysis of Ecosystem Services," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(2), pages 225-246, March.
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    9. Burnham, Morey & Ma, Zhao, 2018. "Multi-Scalar Pathways to Smallholder Adaptation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 249-262.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. 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.
    14. Lisa C. Kelley & Agung Prabowo, 2019. "Flooding and Land Use Change in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-19, September.
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