Determinants of household vulnerability and adaptation to floods: Empirical evidence from the Indian State of West Bengal

The study assesses household livelihood vulnerability and adaptive capacity in a flood prone area of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The analysis is based on the primary data collected from two administrative blocks of Murshidabad district of the state where frequent occurrences of floods cause damages to both human lives and property. In order to develop a comprehensive livelihood framework to measure the degree of livelihood vulnerability of the flood affected households, the study uses both vulnerability framework proposed by the IPCC and Sustainable Livelihood Framework developed by the DFID. A composite Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVIs) is estimated by combining the household level data, and a comparative analysis is carried out between two administrative blocks and overall district level scenario. The results suggest that Jiaganj block is more vulnerable than Berhampore block; the overall adaptive capacity of the households was less than the exposure and sensitivity to flood events. Vulnerability elements such as exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity are found to be significantly influenced by age of the household head, household income, land holding size and family size. Some of the key household coping and adaptation strategies to floods identified in the study area include borrowing money from friends/relatives, money lender, selling assets and livestock, diversification of livelihoods, migration, elevation of the height of houses, preserving food and fuel stocks.