Impacts of changing weather patterns on smallholder well-being: Evidence from the Himalayan region of northern Pakistan
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
ISSN: 1756-8692
Article publication date: 20 March 2017
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assesses impacts of perceived weather changes (i.e. temperature, wind and rainfall) at the farm household level on income, poverty, wheat yield and use of timber and non-timber forest products in Pakistan’s Himalayan region. Mountains are fragile ecosystems – particularly for farming and in the context of climate change. Yet for many such geographies, there is limited empirical understanding of the potential impacts of climate change.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses a comprehensive field survey of 500 farmers from the Gilgit-Baltistan territory (comprising seven districts Ghizer, Gilgit, Diamer, Astore, Skardu, Ghance and Hunza-Nagar). A multivariate probit model first assesses the factors associated with perceived weather changes by farm households and a propensity score matching (PSM) approach then estimates the impacts of the perceived changes in temperature, wind and rainfall.
Findings
The empirical results show that an overwhelming majority of the farmers experience climate change, which primarily has adverse impacts on household income, poverty levels and wheat yields and increases dependence on both timber and non-timber forest products.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the scanty literature on the climate change in the Himalayan region of Pakistan.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was made possible through the support provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) for Pakistan. The authors would also like to thank the Consortium Research Program (CRP) on WHEAT for supporting this study. The contents and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, or the authors’ institution, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The usual disclaimer applies.
Citation
Ali, A., Rahut, D.B., Mottaleb, K.A. and Erenstein, O. (2017), "Impacts of changing weather patterns on smallholder well-being: Evidence from the Himalayan region of northern Pakistan", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-05-2016-0057
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited