Climate Change Vulnerability and Its Impacts on Livelihoods of Indigenous Communities in Tanahun, Gandaki Province, Nepal

The detrimental effects of climate change disproportionately impact indigenous communities that rely heavily on the natural resource base for their livelihoods. In response to the climate change impacts, these communities have utilized their indigenous knowledge and practices to cope with this challenge. The present study focused on identifying and examining major climate-related hazards impacting livelihoods and prioritizing the most vulnerable livelihood components within the highly marginalised Bote, Darai and Kumal communities in the Tanahun district of Western Nepal. Along with household surveys in 56 households (HHs), participatory tools such as focus group discussion, key informant interviews, stakeholder consultation, and direct observation were employed during the study period. Primary and secondary data were analyzed to determine the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI). Climate change has been observed and perceived in the study sites through increased temperature and changes in rainfall patterns. The result revealed that 21 HHs (37.5%) reported drought as the most common climatic hazard followed by Hailstorms and the occurrence of invasive species. Agriculture was mentioned as the most impacted resource by 67.85% of respondents. Social networks with LVI value (0.45) and livelihood strategies (0.44) have been the most vulnerable and health (0.19) and water (0.18) are the least vulnerable components in the study area. The Bote was found the most vulnerable with the LVI (0.36). Adaption measures like rainwater harvesting techniques, drip irrigation, bamboo, and broom grass plantation practices were found to be practised to cope with climate-related hazards. This study recommended income and livelihood diversification options to reduce the vulnerability of the communities under climate change scenarios.