Livelihood Sensitivity Matrix: A Novel Technique for Mapping Vulnerability of Rural Households to Climate Change

Abstract

Almost all nations are aware of changing climatic scenario and India is not an exception and neither immune from the  impact of climate change. The lives of inhabitants are most at risk from cyclone and flood than from drought and heat  wave. Poor are the worst affected. Livelihood group wise as well as climatic hazard wise vulnerability index through  exposure and impact matrix was developed based on the responses of selected households sampled for present study. To  understand the livelihood group wise as well as climatic event wise vulnerability the exposure index and impact index  were derived. Crop farmers are most exposed livelihood group followed by labourers, livestock keepers and fish farmers.  Cyclone has made highest impact on livelihoods followed by flood, drought and heat wave, respectively. The outlooks for  the vulnerable regions are not good unless on-farm contingency plans, both short and long-term, are adopted.