Vulnerability Assessment of Farmer’s Livelihood to Flood in An Giang Province

Abstract

This study, conducted in An Giang Province of Vietnam, assesses the vulnerability and adaptability of local farmers to the flood in different conditions. Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) proposed by Hahn, Riederer, and Foster (2009, Global Environmental Change, 19(1), 74–88) was applied for livelihood vulnerability analysis of different flooding zones (upper, middle and lower zones) in low flooding condition. Research results showed that LVI of different flooding zones are decreasingly dependent on major components of social networks, knowledge and skills, natural resources, finance and incomes, livelihood strategies, and natural disaster and climate variability. In which, LVI of Phu Huu commune in An Phu district which locates in the upper zone is 0.397 higher than LVI of two communes located in the lower parts of the river: Vinh An commune, Chau Thanh district (middle zone; LVI: 0.299) and Vinh Phuoc commune, Tri Ton district (lower zone; LVI: 0.357). Adaptive capacity of Phu Huu commune (0.415) is also higher than Vinh An (0.304) and Vinh Phuoc (0.355) communes. It reflects the direct correlation between LVI and adaptive capacity. The research recommends some solutions to reduce the vulnerability on livelihoods due to floods in the context of climate change.