Rural Community’s Livelihood Security and Perception of Climate Variability and Change to Better Address Climate Change Adaptation -Case Study in East Central Madagascar

Madagascar is exposed to a variety of natural hazards, including seasonal cyclones, floods and droughts that have severe impacts on the national economy, mainly dependent on agriculture. Due to these problems, the security of livelihoods is threatened and although Madagascar people had the historic ability to cope with these threats, it is of prime importance to consider climate change adaptation in a more holistic manner in the face of climate change and variability. However, for adaptation to be appropriately enacted there is a need to understand how local context and conditions are. For that, this study aims to understand livelihood security as well as rural community’s perception to climate variability and change and their impacts in order to better address climate change adaptation. The first step is to understand how local livelihoods are characterized, what local conditions are, and how they are related to occurring changes and impacts through a case study in Alaotra Region in East Central Madagascar. An analysis of livelihood resources (human, natural, social, physical and financial capital), livelihood strategies and outcomes was coupled with an investigation of communities’ perception on the climate variability and impacts on their lives and livelihoods. Findings showed that livelihoods of local communities, living mainly from agriculture and fisheries, are threatened by a degrading environment and related impacts, exacerbated by a changing climate. Households are facing climate extremes which directly affect their livelihoods, already characterized by limited assets and entitlements. Outputs from this study are believed to further contribute to understand the factors that need to be considered to better address adaptation strategies based on the current vulnerability and climate variability, both at present time and in the future.