The role oF local power relations in household vulnerability to Climate Change in humla, nepal - Climate Change Adaptation and Development: Transforming Paradigms and Practices - page 202

Chhetri and Pandey 2009; Ministry of Environment of Nepal 2010; NPC
2010). Observations of climate conditions over the past century in South Asia
reveal increasing temperatures in the Himalayan region and important seasonal
changes in precipitation along with fewer but more intense precipitation events
over the next 100 years (Christensen et al. 2013 ) . Climate change and variability
are expected to further worsen the food-security situation of small-scale farmers
(Chaudhary et al. 2006), prompting humanitarian organizations to scale up their
interventions (Oxfam 2009; World Food Programme 2009).
Our empirical analysis shows, first, that climate-change vulnerability cannot
be seen as a simple product of traditional agricultural indicators at village level,
since it encompasses various livelihood strategies at the household level as well.
Second, we investigate how various social and political relations are central
in determining access to strategies to secure food, thus driving differential
vulnerability patterns. Finally, our analysis focuses on how stress situations, such
as drought, influence dependency relations between those who have food and
those who do not. Our findings indicate that deepening dependency between
people is a key element in the local vulnerability dynamic because greater social
inequities within and among villages aggravate the vulnerability of the poor.
Understanding this dynamic has critical implications for how the humanitarian
and development communities can approach solutions to the joint problems
of food insecurity and adaptation to climate change, and effectively reduce the
vulnerability of the poor.
Our analysis challenges the 'development as usual' approaches of governments
and humanitarian organizations that distribute food and seeds in response
to food insecurity in poor countries such as Nepal (Adhikari 2008), instead
of addressing social relations and the distribution of power. With increasing
attention and international funding being directed to climate-change adaptation
in poor and food-insecure areas (Tanner and Mitchell 2008; Agrawal and Perrin
2009), it is particularly important that policies and actions be formulated on the
basis of a sound understanding of the causes of vulnerability.
studying vulnerability and food security in humla
The study focuses on the mountainous district of Humla in far north-western
Nepal, bordering Tibet in the north ( Figure 11.1 ). Humla is one of the poorest
districts in Nepal, as indicated by its very low Human Development Indicator
(UNDP 2007 in Mission East 2010; Sanders 2010; Citrin 2012). Large parts of
the district are regularly classified as highly food insecure (DFSN 2010). This
situation may be worsened by climate change, which is likely to lead to increased
incidence of heavy rainfall events during summer and less rain and snow during
winter (NCVST 2009; Christensen et al. 2013). Practical consequences for small
farmers in the study area may include higher risks of landslides, difficulties in
predicting sowing time and decreased water availability (Eriksson et al. 2009;
Oxfam 2009).