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Climate variability and rural livelihoods: assessing the impact of seasonal climate forecasts in Lesotho
Author(s) -
Ziervogel Gina,
Calder Rebecca
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
area
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1475-4762
pISSN - 0004-0894
DOI - 10.1111/j.0004-0894.2003.00190.x
Subject(s) - livelihood , geography , climate change , agriculture , adaptive capacity , natural resource economics , productivity , environmental resource management , economics , economic growth , ecology , archaeology , biology
Climate variability acutely affects rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity, yet it is just one of many stresses that vulnerable rural households have to cope with. A livelihood approach is used to assess the potential role that seasonal climate forecasts might play in increasing adaptive capacity in response to climate variability, using Lesotho as a case study. An examination of the assets and strategies that rural households employ enables a holistic assessment of the impact seasonal forecasts could have on rural livelihoods. This research thereby bridges macro‐level variability with local‐level impacts and adaptation to provide insight into the dynamics of forecast use and impact among vulnerable groups.