Water Resource Utilization and Livelihood Adaptations under the Background of Climate Change: A Case Study of Rural Households in the Koshi River Basin

Jiangjun Wan, Xueqian Song, Yi Su, Li Peng, Shanta Paudel Khatiwada, Yawen Zhou and Wei Deng
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Jiangjun Wan: Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 610041, China
Xueqian Song: School of Management, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
Yi Su: Rural Development Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Social Science, Chengdu 610041, China
Li Peng: Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Shanta Paudel Khatiwada: Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Yawen Zhou: Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 610041, China
Wei Deng: Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: In the Koshi River Basin, the effects of climate change have become clear. Agricultural countries, such as Nepal, depend on farmers’ adaptations to climate change for local sustainable development. Limited livelihood options, unequal access to resources and information, and climate change-related floods and droughts have reduced farmer welfare. Few studies have investigated the effects of altitude in rural areas or examined livelihood adaptation strategies in Nepal. Using a survey of farmers in rural areas at high, middle, and low altitudes in Nepal, this article explores the impacts of climate change-related floods and droughts, as well as the water resource utilization, disaster resilience, and livelihood improvement ability of farmers and the influencing factors. This article adopted participatory rural appraisal to obtain survey data from farmers at three altitudes. Through one-way ANOVA and F-tests, farmers’ perceptions of floods and droughts were analyzed, and through field investigations, their production and water consumption patterns were established. Logistic regressions show that college education, farming income, and domestic water consumption have the strongest impacts on households’ disaster resilience, while non-farm income, male laborer rates, and college education have the strongest impacts on households’ abilities to improve livelihoods. Based on our results, we offer countermeasures and suggestions on education, gender equality, and rural infrastructure construction.

Keywords: climate change; water resource utilization; livelihood; disaster resilience; Nepal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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