Land-use response to drought scenarios and water policy intervention in Lijiang, SW China

As a part of the Asian highlands, Lijiang, in the northwest of Yunnan Province, China, is threatened by climate-induced drought and an increasing water demand by tourism development. Understanding local farmers' land-use options in response to drought and policy intervention is crucial for future adaptation strategies. We assessed farmers' land-use options and the socio-economic factors affecting decisions under drought and water policy scenarios using household surveys. From the total of 174 households surveyed, whether under a drought scenario or a drought scenario with water policy intervention, we found that respondents preferred land-use options focusing on four choices: keep current pattern; keep crops, but reduce areas; abandon farming; rent out farmlands. Findings suggest that there is a growing pattern of agricultural abandonment for urban jobs as a strategy to cope with climate change impacts. The results identified a total of five socio-economic factors that have a significant effect on the households' land-use options. These factors are important for the households' land-use decisions and could prevent people from altering their livelihood strategies. We provide some specific recommendations which could enhance local households' potential adaptation to drought, as well as for effective management of water to prevent potential conflicts in the design or implementation of water policy with the local community.