Livelihood strategies under climate change vulnerability constraints in Quang Nam, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces, Vietnam

Using data from detailed household surveys conducted from /2015 in 4 different provinces (166 and 460 households respectively). The idea was to discuss various approaches to defining vulnerability and adaptation strategies. If we use the economic losses as an indicator of sensitivity (change in income attributed to natural disaster factors), we conclude the following:

Economic losses under climate change related natural disasters in Quang Nam, Vietnam The disaster losses are directly related to the income level of the households. Higher income households experience also higher losses. Even in relative terms, the rich income households are those most affected by the typhoon (Ketsana) We saw no correlation between the degree of severity of losses and the geographical location of households. Of the interviewed households, 80% of them experienced economic losses greater than 50% of their income base.

From vulnerability in Quang Nam to livelihood strategies in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh Based on these findings, we could ask whether climate change in Vietnam in fact is more of a concern for richer households than poorer ones First step was asking households the following question: ‘How seriously do you consider the following stress factors impacting your household?’. Answering on a scale from 0 to 10. Teasing out climate related stress factors, we define climate impact as high for values greater than 8.

Climate change matters for all ? Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, Vietnam More poor households in 2013 are found to having experienced a high impact from climate changes (40 households vs. 28 households in the low impact group). A test for the third order interaction term between poverty in 2008 compared to 2013 and impact of climate change being zero,shows significance, p = 2.67%. Poor households suffer more from climate impacts (perception based)

Search for alternative income sources is not correlated with the impact of climate change or to changes in poverty status. Contrary to what looks like a common sense reaction, poor households do not see their income base dwindling because of natural disasters. The do not rush out of rice cropping to embark on non-farm economic activities, rather they continue their agricultural activities and invest more money and labor force in rice farming. Climate change matters for all ? Nghe An and Quang Binh, Vietnam

In this sense, the vulnerable households’ responses are short-term, individual sought solutions and certainly less viable in the long-term. Why do poor households do not opt for alternative livelihood strategies ? Climate change matters for all ? Nghe An and Quang Binh, Vietnam

Poor households might not master the skills required in alternative job situations. Poor households are trapped between a political system with virtually no compensation, when the disaster hits and a government approach with no permanent alternative livelihood strategy to offer.

Data from the last field trip, fall 2014 and spring No article yet published. ds_income_crops (difference in crop share of total income, from 2010 to 2014): ds_income_animal In terms of changes in economic activities, households react to drought but not to flooding. When asked about the severity of different disasters, households claim flooding is more important. An explanation could be drought is a new climate related phenomenon and more difficult to cope with.

Migration and de-agrinization In other recent articles authors argue that migration is a livelihood strategy for household exposed to agricultural and economic shocks (Nguyen et al., 2015). Migration for education is more likely among households with higher income. Other studies again are in line with our own findings arguing that all households are experiencing negative effects of disasters and access to remittances can help households to survive the disasters (Arouri et al, 2015). We believe the increasing migration of family members is the first step in a general de-agrinization of the villages we visit.