Perceptions, Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies for Mitigating Climate Change Effects among Small Livestock Herders in Punjab, Pakistan.

Muhammad Faisal,Abdelrahman Ali,Yi Cai,Syed Abdul Sattar,Shoaib Akhtar,Azhar Abbas,Muhammad Amir Shahzad,Zahira Batool,Muhammad Haseeb Raza,Muhammad Arslan Ajmal,Chunping Xia

doi:10.3390/ijerph182010771

Abstract

Pakistan is an agrarian nation that is among the most vulnerable countries to climatic variations. Around 20% of its GDP is produced by agriculture, and livestock-related production contributes more than half of this value. However, few empirical studies have been conducted to determine the vulnerability and knowledge of livestock herders, and particularly the smaller herders. Comprehending individual perceptions of and vulnerabilities to climate change (CC) will enable effective formulation of CC mitigation strategies. This study intended to explore individual perceptions of and vulnerabilities to CC based on a primary dataset of 405 small livestock herders from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab. The results showed that livestock herders’ perceptions about temperature and rainfall variations/patterns coincide with the meteorological information of the study locations. The vulnerability indicators show that Dera Ghazi Khan district is more vulnerable than the other two zones because of high exposure and sensitivity to CC, and lower adaptive capacity. However, all zones experience regular livelihood risks due to livestock diseases and deaths resulting from extreme climatic conditions, lower economic status, and constrained institutional and human resource capabilities, thus leading to increased vulnerability. The results indicate that low-cost local approaches are needed, such as provision of improved veterinary services, increased availability of basic equipment, small-scale infrastructure projects, and reinforcement of informal social safety nets. These measures would support cost-effective and sustainable decisions to enable subsistence livestock herders to adopt climate smart practices.

Highlights

IntroductionIn the form of erratic rainfall, intermittent droughts, deadly cyclones, and heat waves, pose threats to all sectors of the economy and walks of life, both marine and land-based [4]
In the 20th century, climate change (CC) has posed significant challenges for nations and the global community, in addition to posing threats for future generations [1,2,3].Climatic variations, in the form of erratic rainfall, intermittent droughts, deadly cyclones, and heat waves, pose threats to all sectors of the economy and walks of life, both marine and land-based [4]
This study aimed to explore the vulnerability of small livestock herders from a multifaceted and multidimensional perspective, with the intention of determining the perceptions of CC of respondents’ in three agro-ecological zones of Punjab, Pakistan

Summary

Introduction

In the form of erratic rainfall, intermittent droughts, deadly cyclones, and heat waves, pose threats to all sectors of the economy and walks of life, both marine and land-based [4]. Due to its high dependence on natural resources, such as water, temperature, light, soil, and oxygen, and vulnerability to events that may result from any natural imbalance, the agriculture sector is one of the most sensitive to CC, threatening millions of subsistence farmers who heavily rely on the sector’s performance [5,6]. The level of vulnerability of small farmers to CC is further intensified because of their low adoptive capacity, poor institutional support, and the temporary nature of resilience-enhancing infrastructure [7,8]. Considering the close association between individuals’ income and agricultural production [14], the negative impact of CC on livestock may increase the vulnerability of small livestock herders

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