Climate Change Impacts on the Livelihoods of Vulnerable Groups

Climate Change Impacts on the Livelihoods of the Vulnerable Groups

Prepared and presented at the International course on Climate change adaptation in agriculture amp natural resource

management 3rd February 2015

By Joshua Zake Doctoral Research Fellow at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria

Email joszakegmailcom Tel +256773057488

Personal website httpuglinkedincompubjoshua-zake2345181

Outline of presentation

bull Definition of selected terms

bull Examples of vulnerable groups

bull Impacts of climate change on vulnerable groups ndash some examples from selected countries

bull Discussionsinteractions

Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

bull Climate is the prevailing or average weather conditions of a place as determined by the temperature and metrological change over a period of time Various factors determine climate and the most important are rainfall and temperature

bull Climate change refers to any change in climate over time whether due to natural causes or as a result of human activity

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Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

bull Climate change adaptation refers to adjustments in practices processes or structures to take into account changing climate conditions to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change

bull Mitigation - refers to an intervention to reduce green house gas (GHS) emissions or enhance GHG sinks

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Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

Vulnerability is the extent to which a natural or social system is susceptible to sustaining damage from climate change determined by exposure sensitivity and coping capacity (as well as structural processes) Hence it may be biophysical or socio-economic vulnerability

Vulnerability is a function of three factors

Exposure

Sensitivity

Adaptive capacity

Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

Sensitivity is the degree to which a given change in climate will lead to positive or negative changes in a system such as to the functions of an ecosystem or output from a particular type of agricultural production

Exposure mdash the intrinsic (age sex SES ethnicity livelihood strategies etc) and extrinsic (institutions entitlements ) characteristics of a population

Adaptive capacity is the potential or ability to institute adaptation the capacity of a system to adjust practices processes or structures to moderate or offset the potential damage or take advantage of opportunities created by a given change in climate

Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

--The subsistence agricultural activities and natural resources directly depend on the prevailing local climatic conditions Thus changes in the local climate directly impact on the agricultural activities

--Vulnerable groups usually have limited options for survivaladaptation when affected by climate change impacts Thus they have a low climate change adaptation capacity

--Climate change impacts worsen their livelihoods and well-being

Key definitions of selected terms in respect to climate change

Vulnerable groups

--Most vulnerable groups depend on subsistence agriculture and natural resources for livelihood

--They are poverty and hunger stricken

Types of vulnerable groups

Vulnerability based on gender

--Males

--Females (girls and pregnant women)

--Children

--AgedOld

--People with disabilities

Types of vulnerable groups

Minority and disadvantaged groups

--Indigenous peoples eg Batwa

--

Based on location

--Rural poor

--Urban poor in informal settlementsslums

--Coastal communities

--Mountain communities

--Arid and semi-arid communities

hellip

Types of vulnerable groups

Livelihood options

--Smallholder farmers

--Natural resource depend communities such as forest or wetlands dependentadjacent fisher folk

--

How have climate change impacts affected vulnerable groups a case for women

bull Climate change affects various gender categories at a household level differently Itrsquos therefore important to understand how each gender category is affected and also determine their climate adaptation and mitigation needs

bull Additionally it requires an understanding of existing inequalities between women and men and of the ways in which climate change can exacerbate these inequalities Conversely it also needs an understanding of the ways in which these inequalities can intensify the impacts of climate change for all individuals and communities

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How have climate change impacts affected vulnerable groups a case for women

bull Many studies have revealed that poor women and children are more vulnerable to natural disasters given socially constructed gender roles and behaviors

bull For instance in many communities in Uganda women are expected and or take up the role of tilling the land caring for the family caring for the sick among other household chores Despite this very few women own and have limited access to resources and decision making

bull Only about 7 of agricultural land in Uganda is owned by women yet they do most of the agricultural work

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How have climate change impacts affected vulnerable groups a case for women

bull This therefore means that when climate change impacts strike women have limited options for coping and adaptation as compared to men

bull As such women are often less able to adapt to climate change than men since they represent the majority of low-income earners they generally have less education than men and are thus less likely to be reached by extension agents and they are often denied rights to property and land which makes it difficult for them to access credit and agricultural extension services

bull At the household level the failure of women to meet their gender constructed roles amidst climate change impacts results in domestic violence and conflicts

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Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

bull Floods across Africa are reported to be the worst in decades in some places and extend in an arc from Mauritania in the west to Kenya in the east They have affected over 17 countries in Africa including Uganda Kenya Ghana Sudan Nigeria Burkina Faso Togo Rwanda and Ethiopia among others

bull Floods displaced hundreds of people eg in Uganda in 2011 750 residents from 404 households in Bwaise Central Uganda were affecteddisplaced

bull Floods destroy infrastructure such as roads bridges ndash thus limiting access of agricultural produce to markets

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Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

bull Floods promote water borne diseases (cholera malariahellip) which affect farming community thereby reducing their performanceoutput on their farms

bull They destroyed thousands of homes and farmlands

bull Other associated impacts include increased infestation of diseases such as cholera and malaria and food crises

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Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

bull Heavy rains with hailstones ndash destroy crops and affect productivity resulting in hunger and food insecurity

bull Heavy rains with strong winds ndash destroy crops and affect productivity resulting in hunger and food insecurity

bull High temperatures ndash scotching sunshine ndash Global warming

129201517

Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

Prolong droughts ndash destroy crops and affect productivity resulting in hunger and food insecurity

The 1980-1984 drought in Kenya led to(i) Reduced rice production on Mwea Irrigation Scheme by 2000 Metric tonnes(ii) In Semi-arid districts of the Rift Valley famine was so severe that the locals in Baringo District nicknamed it the ldquoRubetab Sibinsirdquo meaning hunger of yellow maize

1998- 2001 La Nina drought - one of the longest and severest droughts in many parts of East Africa Notable impacts included(i) Drying up of rivers Karanga Weruweru and Kikafau in Tanzania and Rivers Nginyang Endao and Chemeron in Kenyarsquos Baringo District(ii) Reduced water levels of rivers Tana in Kenya Pangani in Tanzania and Kagera in Uganda led to reduced Hydropower generation reduced industrial output redundancies and unemployment due to low water supply

129201518

Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

(iii) Wide spread crop failure food insecurity famine and high livestock mortality and introduction of artificial powdered milk in the Kenyan markets in 2001 (DMCN 2002)

The 2005-2006 drought led to 80 livestock loss due to lack of water and pasture in the semi-arid districts of Turkana Wajir Mandera and Karamoja It also caused

(i) Drying of water resources in the ASAL

(ii) Drying up of pasture

(iii) Total crop failure in Mandera

(iv) Death of both human and animals and migration of environmental refugees which caused conflicts and death around the watering points in Mandera and Wajir Districts

129201519

Key Climate change impacts on Vulnerable groups

bull Increased incidenceseverity of pests and diseases for crops and livestock

bull Climate variability increases incidence and severity of crop and livestock diseases (Wilts Mossaic Newcastle Swine feverhellip) results in higher expenses on treatment costs and at extreme loss of crops and livestock

bull Increased Household conflicts and violence

bull In Uganda more than 300 people died in Bududa Eastern Uganda as a result of landslides due to heavy rains in 2010 and 2012

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Eastern Uganda 2012 Tabu

Iguluibi village L

Victoria basin

Science direct

Teso floods 2007 Pilgrim

Nakasongola Drought in Mubende 2009 Ben T

Teso floods 2007 Pilgrim

Floods submerge road in Bwaise 2011 Awamubandoned houses in Bwaise ndash due to flooding 2010 Echwalu

Teso floods 2007 Pilgrim

Selected videos ndash Impact of climate change on Vulnerable Groups bull Chad suffering from drought and food shortages - 07 Jul 08

httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=auKaPRvSfzc

bull Uganda floods wreck havoc

httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=qLBMOpL_pqo

Conclusionsbull Climate change and its impacts on livelihoods of vulnerable groups are here

with us and is not about to go They are similar across regions but their severity is different Therefore the time is now for different stakeholders including Government Academia Development partners Research and Development Institutions Civil Society both National and International and communities among others to act

bull This should be through prioritizing climate change through long term planning and resources allocation to address the impacts of climate but also through undertaking appropriate strategies at different levels including local national and regional and international levels

bull Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies should be informed by vulnerability assessments so that vulnerable groups are not left out and the applied adaptation actions are appropriate for the vulnerable groups

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Selected references for further reading

Ngaira J K W (2009) Challenges of water resource management and food production in a changing climate in Kenya Journal of Geography and Regional Planning Vol 2(4) pp 097-103 httpwwwacademicjournalsorgJGRP ISSN 2070-1845

NAPA (2007) National Adaptation Program of Action on Climate Change in Uganda httpwww preventionwebnetenglishpoliciesvphpid=8578ampcid=180

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development The World Bank (2011) Guide to Climate Change Adaptation in Cities httpsiteresourcesworldbankorgINTURBANDEVELOPMENTResources336387-1318995974398GuideClimChangeAdaptCitiespdf

httpsiteresourcesworldbankorgINTURBANDEVELOPMENTResources336387-12565668009206505269-1268260567624Adelekanpdf

Zake J Kiconco S Kimbugwe C Drani H and Andama G (2010) Climate change in Uganda Insights for long term adaptation and building community resilience Environmental Alert Kampala

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