Name: Edna Onyinye Ugbechie
Programme/ Year: PhD/2nd Year
Project Title: Vulnerability and Climate justice: Exploring Livelihood Experience and
Adaptation of Rural People Living in Poverty in Nigeria to Climate Variability
Research Background and Aim
Climate change is predicted to have impact on coastal regions of the world and could
complicate livelihood strategies of especially poor people in developing countries. While
significant studies have examined the impact of climate change on economic and food
security at macro levels, and impacts on agriculture at micro level, there is a dearth of
empirical studies regarding its impacts on livelihood strategies and the general well-being of
poor people in rural communities. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore the
experiences of climate variability, drivers of vulnerability and coping strategies adopted by
people living in poverty in rural areas of Nigeria. This study contributes to the current
discourse on climate change by enhancing understanding of the determinants of vulnerability
and existing/anticipated adaptation strategy of the rural poor people.
Poverty and climate change vulnerability are widely recognised as closely linked, however
this assertion is sometimes based on generic classification of vulnerability and adaptive
capacity of people in developing countries. Nigeria is regarded as one of the most vulnerable
countries prone to the impacts of climate change (IPCC, 2007), and over 60% of the people
live in poverty (National Bureau of Statistics, 2012) and majority of this number live in rural
areas and they rely on rain-fed agriculture for income. Particularly, the Niger Delta region of
the country is susceptible to flooding due to the soil type, vegetation depletion and climatic
factors such as intense rainfall (Yakubu et al., 1998 cited in Ogbonna, 2014). It has been
observed that there have been variations in the climate of Nigeria and consequently extreme
weather events have (such as flood, drought and heatwaves) become a regular incident
(NIMET, 2012). Floods occur at an increasing intensity yearly, resulting in enormous damage
and causing trauma to affected individuals and communities.
In 2012, Nigeria recorded the worst flooding incident leaving many of the coastal States with
adverse socio-economic and health devastation (Social Action, 2012; & NIMET, 2012). The
increased variation in temperature and precipitation pattern has undoubtedly affected some
social groups more, especially their well-being and livelihood strategies. Biophysical factors
(e.g. variable ecological zones) and socioeconomic factors (e.g. poor institutions and
structures) expose many rural communities in Nigeria to the impacts of climate change. Lack
of infrastructure and high dependence on livelihood activities that are sensitive to climatic
conditions render Nigeria vulnerable to climate change (Abdulhamid, 2011). A large number
of Nigeria’s population rely on rain-fed agriculture as their main source of subsistence; and
this is threatened by climate change (Ogbonna, 2014). Particularly, changes in climate have
interrupted planting season for food crops in some communities in Niger Delta as irrigation is
scantily practiced (Uyigue and Agho, 2007), and also massive devastation of farm lands due
to flooding (NEMA, 2012). Thus, food and income security of people have been affected.
The flexible internal-external factor framework developed for this study will guide data
collection to understand the dynamic nature of impacts, vulnerability and coping strategies of
individuals and households living in poverty in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria to climate
change. The framework integrates insight from sustainable livelihood and the climate change
literature as a gateway. The qualitative research methodology using interview will be
employed to gather data at individual and household level. The findings will afford a
pragmatic approach on how to boost adaptive capacity and livelihood activities of rural poor
people in a sustainable manner which fundamentally underpins climate justice, i.e. a
recognition of the challenges faced by already marginalised social group, whose low
livelihood activities contribute less to the emissions that have significantly induced changes
in global climate but lack the power and influence to demand for better infrastructure that
will ultimately secure their well-being and livelihood.