Climate change vulnerability of below mean sea level rice farmers using an agro ecological unit approach

In developing countries such as India, climate change is posing a severe threat to food security. India, which forms 17% of the global population, is ranked among the nations most at risk, as its livelihood is heavily dependent on agriculture, with rice-based production systems forming the basis of the national food supply. The rapidly increasing frequency and intensity of climatic stressors, namely floods and droughts, emphasize the importance of a systematic evaluation of how communities are affected and how well they are equipped to respond and cope. In this context, the present study constructs a Composite Vulnerability Index for Agro Ecological Units (CVI ^AEU ) to investigate the vulnerability of rice farmers across two major rice-growing regions of Kerala. The index is developed based on three dimensions, namely exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. These dimensions are derived from nine components, which are represented with the help of 39 indicators reflecting the agro–ecological characteristics of the study areas. Data were primarily collected from 263 farm households using a structured and pretested interview schedule. Results reveal that the difference in vulnerability between the two regions is more prominent in the exposure dimension, followed by sensitive and adaptive capacity. The study also identifies priority areas/ hotspots where timely interventions could result in risk reduction. The findings emphasize the importance of promoting diversified livelihood opportunities, improving access to credit, enhancing water resource management, promoting the adoption of appropriate climate-smart technologies, and strengthening disaster preparedness mechanisms. The CVI ^AEU framework proposed by the study offers flexibility and can be utilized for application in other rice-growing and tropical environments with suitable modification of the indicators relevant to the study area.