The Impacts of Climate Change-Induced Floods on Livelihoods in Rural Pakistan: A Case Study of District Charsadda

Abstract

This study investigates the impacts of climate change-induced flood on livelihoods in flood-affected areas of district Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. The study comphrehensively has analysed that how the climate change-induced floods have impacted the various aspects of livelihoods such as: income loss, health issues, house inundation; agriculture, livestock, economic, and small local businesses. The data collected from 350 flood-affected households through a structured questionnaire and analysed quantitatively by using SPSS software. The results indicated a widespread disruption such as of the health-related issues, house inundation, the loss of income. Moreover, the farmers and daily wage laborers were disproportionately affected. Agricultural damages were comprised on crops loss majorly wheat and vegetables, delay in cultivation and disruption in irrigation system; while livestock owner had to deal with distressed sale and shortage of feed and small businesses took a prolong period of recovery and physical damage. Additionally, statistically a significant association found between the assets loss and house inundation, and shortage of feed and sales of livestock at lower prices; however, there was no significant correlation between housing damage and loss of income, indicating the other factors  influence the economic vulnerability. The findings draw attention toward a recurrent exposure to floods, structural vulnerabilities and fragile economic sectors. The study concludes that the affected population remain in a perpetual cycle of debt, repeated loss, and fragile recovery. Hence, a rational intervention is required to boost the disasters risk reduction, development of economically viable livelihood, accessibility to healthcare, resilience agriculture and small businesses recovery.