Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia
Purpose – The conceptual root of vulnerability dates back to the 1970s in the social science spheres. Vulnerability is a multi-dimensional and determinant precondition for disaster occurrence. The Gamo lowlands are exposed to a wide range of vulnerabilities. Therefore, this study aims to schematize...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2021-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2021-0034/full/pdf |
| _version_ | 1828240848832167936 |
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| author | Thomas Toma Tora Degefa Tolossa Degaga Abera Uncha Utallo |
| author_facet | Thomas Toma Tora Degefa Tolossa Degaga Abera Uncha Utallo |
| author_sort | Thomas Toma Tora |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – The conceptual root of vulnerability dates back to the 1970s in the social science spheres. Vulnerability is a multi-dimensional and determinant precondition for disaster occurrence. The Gamo lowlands are exposed to a wide range of vulnerabilities. Therefore, this study aims to schematize community perceptions and understanding of vulnerability in drought-affected rural Gamo lowlands. Design/methodology/approach – A community-based cross-sectional survey design and the mixed-methods research approach were executed. A four-staged multistage sampling was used to identify the respondent households. Into the four study sites, sample households were allocated proportionally by the lottery method. The survey data were gathered from 285 lowland households. The structured survey questionnaire, key informant interview, focus group discussion, and field observations, and transect walks were the tools used to collect the primary data. Data were analyzed deploying both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The Likert scale is used to analyze households’ vulnerability perceptions in which the item analysis approach was used for detailed analysis of the Likert-type items. Findings – Locally, people perceive and understand vulnerability as exposure to drought hazard, rainfall inconsistency, the prevalence of human and animal diseases, livelihood insecurity, food shortfalls, poor income, lack of access to market, landholding and livestock ownership which are schematized by vulnerability perception pathways that delineate its extent. The findings also showed that the Gamo lowland inhabitants are unequally vulnerable as 96.5% of the studied households stated the differential idiosyncrasy of vulnerability. Old-aged, small-sized and female-headed households with no supportive force were found to be more vulnerable. Practical implications – For better resilience, enhancing communities’ perceptions and understanding of vulnerability via continuous awareness creation by all the concerned stakeholders is recommended as the majority was lowly educated. It also yields input for policy debates and decision-making in the drought-prone lowland setup for building a resilient community. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is an original work pursued by using a household survey with empirical data sourced from drought-prone rural lowland communities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c41f6938e4e144c2bd399d542f703d89 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-8692 1756-8706 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-c41f6938e4e144c2bd399d542f703d892022-12-22T03:15:34ZengEmerald PublishingInternational Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management1756-86921756-87062021-11-01134/558060010.1108/IJCCSM-04-2021-0034675711Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest EthiopiaThomas Toma Tora0Degefa Tolossa Degaga1Abera Uncha Utallo2Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCollege of Development Studies (CDS), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaPurpose – The conceptual root of vulnerability dates back to the 1970s in the social science spheres. Vulnerability is a multi-dimensional and determinant precondition for disaster occurrence. The Gamo lowlands are exposed to a wide range of vulnerabilities. Therefore, this study aims to schematize community perceptions and understanding of vulnerability in drought-affected rural Gamo lowlands. Design/methodology/approach – A community-based cross-sectional survey design and the mixed-methods research approach were executed. A four-staged multistage sampling was used to identify the respondent households. Into the four study sites, sample households were allocated proportionally by the lottery method. The survey data were gathered from 285 lowland households. The structured survey questionnaire, key informant interview, focus group discussion, and field observations, and transect walks were the tools used to collect the primary data. Data were analyzed deploying both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The Likert scale is used to analyze households’ vulnerability perceptions in which the item analysis approach was used for detailed analysis of the Likert-type items. Findings – Locally, people perceive and understand vulnerability as exposure to drought hazard, rainfall inconsistency, the prevalence of human and animal diseases, livelihood insecurity, food shortfalls, poor income, lack of access to market, landholding and livestock ownership which are schematized by vulnerability perception pathways that delineate its extent. The findings also showed that the Gamo lowland inhabitants are unequally vulnerable as 96.5% of the studied households stated the differential idiosyncrasy of vulnerability. Old-aged, small-sized and female-headed households with no supportive force were found to be more vulnerable. Practical implications – For better resilience, enhancing communities’ perceptions and understanding of vulnerability via continuous awareness creation by all the concerned stakeholders is recommended as the majority was lowly educated. It also yields input for policy debates and decision-making in the drought-prone lowland setup for building a resilient community. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is an original work pursued by using a household survey with empirical data sourced from drought-prone rural lowland communities.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2021-0034/full/pdfcommunitydroughtgamo lowlandsperceptions and understandingvulnerabilitydrought hazard |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Toma Tora Degefa Tolossa Degaga Abera Uncha Utallo Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management community drought gamo lowlands perceptions and understanding vulnerability drought hazard |
| title | Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_full | Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_short | Schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought-prone Gamo lowland communities: an evidence from Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_sort | schematizing vulnerability perceptions and understanding of drought prone gamo lowland communities an evidence from southwest ethiopia |
| topic | community drought gamo lowlands perceptions and understanding vulnerability drought hazard |
| url | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2021-0034/full/pdf |
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