Risk transfer policies and climate-induced immobility among smallholder farmers

Choquette-Levy, N., Wildemeersch, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6660-2712, Oppenheimer, M., & Levin, S.A. (2021). Risk transfer policies and climate-induced immobility among smallholder farmers. Nature Climate Change 11 1046-1054. 10.1038/s41558-021-01205-4.

[thumbnail of Choquette_Levy_et_al_Risk_Transfer_Policies_Facilitate_Smallholder_Climate_Adaptation_MainText_09_2021.pdf]
Preview
Text
Choquette_Levy_et_al_Risk_Transfer_Policies_Facilitate_Smallholder_Climate_Adaptation_MainText_09_2021.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

Download (243kB) | Preview

Abstract

Climate change is anticipated to impact smallholder farmer livelihoods substantially. However, empirical evidence is inconclusive regarding how increased climate stress affects smallholder farmers’ deployment of various livelihood strategies, including rural–urban migration. Here we use an agent-based model to show that in a South Asian agricultural community experiencing a 1.5 oC temperature increase by 2050, climate impacts are likely to decrease household income in 2050 by an average of 28%, with fewer households investing in both economic migration and cash crops, relative to a stationary climate. Pairing a small cash transfer with risk transfer mechanisms significantly increases the adoption of migration and cash crops, improves community incomes and reduces community inequality. While specific results depend on contextual factors such as risk preferences and climate risk exposure, these interventions are robust in improving adaptation outcomes and alleviating immobility, by addressing the intersection of risk aversion, financial constraints and climate impacts.

Item Type: Article
Research Programs: Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA)
Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) > Exploratory Modeling of Human-natural Systems (EM)
Depositing User: Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited: 01 Dec 2021 17:13
Last Modified: 21 May 2022 03:00
URI: https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/17684

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item