ASSESSING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS: A CASE OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS OF PISHIN-LORA BASIN BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Vulnerability to climate change impacts is one of the biggest challenges faced by Pakistan in 21st century. Enhancing community-resilience is a widely used practice in dealing climatic shocks. This study aims to assess smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change impacts in Pishin-Lora basin of Balochistan, Pakistan. Resilience to climate change impacts was determined by selecting indicators of resilience through extensive literature review. Weightage was assigned to each indicator through expert-opinion. To collect primary data for the selected indicators of resilience, 264 small-holder farmers were interviewed through a structured questionnaire in two districts Pishin and Mastung of Pishin-Lora Basin. A resilience index was developed to calculate each component variable through a score ranging from 0-1. Resilience for each variable was calculated by dividing percent of obtained value from field survey upon weightage value. Later, resilience for each component was calculated by taking the average value of variables for each component. The results show that resilience of small-holder farmers for each component variable and overall composite resilience is low in both selected districts. The composite resilience index (CVI) of overall PLB is 0.38 while CRI of small-holder farmers in Pishin and Mastung is 0.41 and 0.35 respectively. The study recommends for community-driven pragmatic measures to improve the socio-economic, physical and institutional components of resilience through consolidated mechanism of disaster risk management.