3.

Climate change vulnerability to drought

By assessing vulnerability to climate change we are essentially helping to identify potential risks in
the area in terms of drought resistance as well as identifying different steps communities can take to
mitigate future droughts or adapt to the conditions at hand. This is assessment helps create various
scenarios and models where climate factors can be varied to different level of extremities thus
analyze even the most drastic of situations where drought conditions can become irreversible. By
analyzing different extreme drought situations different area specific drought adaptation plans can
be drawn up and relevant stakeholders can then be appointed to pass this forward for communities
to learn. Hence their vulnerability will be reduced, and overall livelihoods will be much improved.
Apart from creating different adaptation plans and possible measures these vulnerability
assessments can help stakeholders differentiate between various vulnerable areas and put on them
levels of high risk to low risk. Using this information, they will then take executive decisions
regarding what drought adaption plan is to be implemented in the area along with the type of
resources needed as well.

4. Socio economic vulnerability to drought

In accordance to current literature and data collected in the study area which is in the Barind tracts
comprising of districts Rajshahi, Nawabganj and Naogaon there is already a somewhat weak
socioeconomic condition overall. The socioeconomic vulnerability of these areas will help determine
the people’s ability to cope, adapt and mitigate. To perform the aforementioned actions, the areas
need to be well equipped in terms of education, income, healthcare accessibility amongst many
others. But when looking into data collected it is seen that the areas have an average of 60% literacy
rate altogether which is not as promising and not to mention the workforce mainly comprises of at
least 70% of the people being engaged in Agricultural labor. The lack of heterogeneity in
employment sectors already pose as a red flag as this shows how majority of the population of the
Barind tract are well equipped for one job hence any sudden shift well not be deemed plausible
since there isn’t enough skilled workforce. This is further backed up with the low literacy rate as the
lack of education will stand as a barrier in terms of learning to adapt by learning new skills and
understand the causes and effects of drought. One of the major effects of droughts in those areas
are on crop yield and productivity. So once drought strikes the farmers suffer from severe losses and
cannot resort to any other alternative job or live below their current means. Drought not only affects
the people’s income but also their health. This is also a major concern for the Barind areas because
there are barely any fully operating hospitals, majority being clinics. Hence intensive medical care
cannot be provided when diseases escalate. Due to poor financial stability the affected people
cannot seek medical treatment in cities where the quality and accessibility to facilities are much
better.