Chapter 5 - Assessing and quantifying livelihood vulnerability of tribal farmers in water-stressed region of rural West Bengal, India

Abstract

Purulia is known as the water-stressed district of West Bengal, India, and multiple moderate to severe and acute drought occurrences have hit Purulia in recent years. This study attempted to measure the extent of livelihood vulnerability among tribal farmers in the face of water scarcity by focusing on four backward villages in the Balarampur block. To determine the level of vulnerability, a composite Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) model and the IPCC-LVI technique were used. In addition to secondary data, a household survey of 98 agricultural households from selected villages was done. For analyzing the level of vulnerability of four selected villages, 7 components and 33 indicators were considered. By using stepwise regression, the study found that the higher degree of livelihood vulnerability index (LVI >0.6) for all of the selected villages is strongly influenced by numerous characteristics, including income level, irrigation facility, credit pattern, and social group participation. Monocrop cultivation and less livelihood options make farmers more vulnerable.