IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i4p2339-d752563.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Empirical Evidence of the Livelihood Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts: A Case of Potato-Based Mountain Farming Systems in Bhutan

Author

Listed:
  • Pradeep Rai

    (National Potato Program, National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan)

  • Yadunath Bajgai

    (National Potato Program, National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan)

  • Jimba Rabgyal

    (Horticulture Program, National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan)

  • Tirtha Bdr Katwal

    (National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan)

  • Anthony Ryan Delmond

    (Department of Agriculture, Geosciences, and Natural Resources, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN 38238, USA)

Abstract

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) is an indispensable commodity, mainly cultivated by high-altitude mountain households, that sustains and supports the livelihood of an overwhelming 51% of the Bhutanese population. The popularity of potato cultivation among Bhutanese farmers can be attributed to the crop’s adaptability to a wide range of agroclimatic conditions such as a rainfed crop, high productivity, an assured market, and a reliable source of income for the farming families. We hypothesize that the changing climate would make the livelihood associated with potato cultivation in Bhutan more vulnerable. We tested this hypothesis to identify the sources of vulnerability of smallholder farming households using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and LVI-IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) approaches in six potato growing districts of Bhutan: Bumthang, Chukha, Gasa, Mongar, Tashigang, and Wangdue. Primary data were generated through a semi structured sample survey of 240 households on the seven major livelihood components of sociodemographic profiles, livelihood strategies, social networks, health, food, water, natural disasters, and climate variability. The results showed that the LVI (range 0.302 to 0.375) and LVI-IPCC (range −0.005 to 0.030) differed significantly ( p < 0.001) across the districts. The districts of Tashigang and Mongar were less vulnerable than the other four districts by the LVI approach, whereas Bumthang was also revealed to be less vulnerable using the LVI-IPCC approach. The degree of vulnerability in a district differed according to their level of exposure and adaptive capacity to the climate change impacts of the potato farming household. The results are expected to serve as empirical evidence for designing a future course of actions to mitigate the negative impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Pradeep Rai & Yadunath Bajgai & Jimba Rabgyal & Tirtha Bdr Katwal & Anthony Ryan Delmond, 2022. "Empirical Evidence of the Livelihood Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts: A Case of Potato-Based Mountain Farming Systems in Bhutan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-27, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2339-:d:752563
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2339/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2339/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James D. Ford & E. C. H. Keskitalo & Tanya Smith & Tristan Pearce & Lea Berrang‐Ford & Frank Duerden & Barry Smit, 2010. "Case study and analogue methodologies in climate change vulnerability research," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 1(3), pages 374-392, May.
    2. Maredia, Mywish K. & Shankar, Bhavani & Kelley, Timothy G. & Stevenson, James R., 2014. "Impact assessment of agricultural research, institutional innovation, and technology adoption: Introduction to the special section," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 214-217.
    3. Tirtha Bdr. Katwal & Singay Dorji & Rinchen Dorji & Lhab Tshering & Mahesh Ghimiray & Ganesh B. Chhetri & Tashi Yangzome Dorji & Asta Maya Tamang, 2015. "Community Perspectives on the On-Farm Diversity of Six Major Cereals and Climate Change in Bhutan," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Ngawang Chhogyel & Lalit Kumar & Yadunath Bajgai, 2020. "Consequences of Climate Change Impacts and Incidences of Extreme Weather Events in Relation to Crop Production in Bhutan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Karen O'Brien & Siri Eriksen & Lynn P. Nygaard & Ane Schjolden, 2007. "Why different interpretations of vulnerability matter in climate change discourses," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 73-88, January.
    6. Tobgay, S., 2006. "Agriculture Diversification in Bhutan," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25409, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Ringler, Claudia & Zhu, Tingju & Cai, Ximing & Koo, Jawoo & Wang, Dingbao, 2010. "Climate change impacts on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from comprehensive climate change scenarios," IFPRI discussion papers 1042, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Janvry, Alain de & Sadoulet, Elisabeth, 2001. "Income Strategies Among Rural Households in Mexico: The Role of Off-farm Activities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 467-480, March.
    9. Nani Maiya Sujakhu & Sailesh Ranjitkar & Jun He & Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt & Yufang Su & Jianchu Xu, 2019. "Assessing the Livelihood Vulnerability of Rural Indigenous Households to Climate Changes in Central Nepal, Himalaya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, May.
    10. Stephen J Atwood & Somil Nagpal & Nkosinathi V Mbuya & Luc Laviolette, 2014. "Nutrition in Bhutan: Situational Analysis and Policy Recommendations," Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Discussion Paper Series 94029, The World Bank.
    11. World Bank, 2019. "Poverty, Vulnerability, and Welfare in Bhutan," World Bank Publications - Reports 33366, The World Bank Group.
    12. Orkhan Sariyev & Tim K. Loos & Manfred Zeller & Tulsi Gurung, 2020. "Women in household decision-making and implications for dietary quality in Bhutan," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-20, December.
    13. Stefan Dercon & Pramila Krishnan, 2000. "Vulnerability, seasonality and poverty in Ethiopia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(6), pages 25-53.
    14. Lanjouw, Jean O. & Lanjouw, Peter, 2001. "The rural non-farm sector: issues and evidence from developing countries," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 1-23, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sangay Wangchuk & Jennifer Bond & Rik Thwaites & Max Finlayson, 2023. "Exploring Human–Wildlife Conflict and Implications for Food Self-Sufficiency in Bhutan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maja Micevska & Dil Bahadur Rahut, 2008. "Rural Nonfarm Employment and Incomes in the Himalayas," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(1), pages 163-193, October.
    2. Zeeshan & Geetilaxmi Mohapatra & Arun Kumar Giri, 2022. "How Farm Household Spends Their Non-farm Incomes in Rural India? Evidence from Longitudinal Data," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(4), pages 1967-1996, August.
    3. Nguyen, Huy, 2014. "The effect of land fragmentation on labor allocation and the economic diversity of farm households: The case of Vietnam," MPRA Paper 57521, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Lori M. Hunter & Sheena Murray & Fernando Riosmena, 2013. "Rainfall Patterns and U.S. Migration from Rural Mexico," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 874-909, December.
    5. Danielle Emma Johnson & Karen Fisher & Meg Parsons, 2022. "Diversifying Indigenous Vulnerability and Adaptation: An Intersectional Reading of Māori Women’s Experiences of Health, Wellbeing, and Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-40, May.
    6. Dsouza, Alwin & Mishra, Ashok K. & Tripathi, Amarnath, 2018. "Improving Diet Quality through Off-Farm Work: Empirical Evidence from India," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274494, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Devkota, Niranjan & Paija, Nirash, 2020. "Impact of Climate Change on Paddy Production: Evidence from Nepal," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 17(2), December.
    8. Rahman, H.M. Tuihedur & Mia, Md. Ekhlas & Ford, James D. & Robinson, Brian E. & Hickey, Gordon M., 2018. "Livelihood exposure to climatic stresses in the north-eastern floodplains of Bangladesh," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 199-214.
    9. Kimty Seng, 2015. "Welfare Effects of Diversification on Farm Households in Cambodia," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2645-2663.
    10. Rahman, Andaleeb, 2018. "Does off-farm income affect food security? Evidence from India," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273882, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Otsuka, Keijiro & Estudillo, Jonna P. & Yamano, Takashi, 2010. "The Role of Labor Markets and Human Capital in Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Asia and Africa," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-18, June.
    12. Cocchi, Horacio & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Quiroga, Ricardo E., 2004. "Farm Benefits And Natural Resource Projects In Honduras And El Salvador," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20328, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    13. Evans Jadotte & Xavier Ramos, 2016. "The Effect of Remittances on Labour Supply in the Republic of Haiti," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(12), pages 1810-1825, December.
    14. Guido, Zack & Knudson, Chris & Finan, Tim & Madajewicz, Malgosia & Rhiney, Kevon, 2020. "Shocks and cherries: The production of vulnerability among smallholder coffee farmers in Jamaica," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    15. Emerick, Kyle, 2018. "Agricultural productivity and the sectoral reallocation of labor in rural India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 488-503.
    16. Sènakpon F.A. Dedehouanou & Dugassa Aichatou Ousseini & Abdoulaziz Laouali Harouna & Jabir Maimounata, 2015. "Spillovers from Off-farm Self-Employment Opportunities in Rural NIGER," Working Papers 2015/03, Maastricht School of Management.
    17. Bezu, Sosina & Barrett, Christopher B., 2010. "Activity Choice in Rural Non-farm Employment (RNFE): Survival versus accumulative strategy," MPRA Paper 55034, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Dil Bahadur Rahut & Maja Micevska Scharf, 2012. "Livelihood diversification strategies in the Himalayas," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 56(4), pages 558-582, October.
    19. Dil Bahadur Rahut & Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Akhter Ali, 2018. "Rural Livelihood Diversification Strategies and Household Welfare in Bhutan," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(4), pages 718-748, September.
    20. Jonasson, Erik & Helfand, Steven M., 2010. "How Important are Locational Characteristics for Rural Non-agricultural Employment? Lessons from Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 727-741, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2339-:d:752563. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.