The vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change: Part I—Conceptualising and measuring vulnerability

Nelson, Rohan; Kokic, Philip; Crimp, Steven; Meinke, Holger; Howden, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2009.09.006

Cited by 146 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Adaptive/coping capacity: the ability to overcome system instability by working within existing infrastructure and alternative livelihood strategies. This term also refers to framework evolution over time, although not directly observed in this case study (Eriksen et al 2005, Nelson et al 2010. Three main areas were considered in this case: (1) local ecological knowledge (LEK; Somnasang and MorenoBlack 2000); (2) access, using proximity to harvest areas and farm size as proxies (Pardo-De-Santayana et al 2005, Arenas andScarpa 2007); and (3) regulation, in terms of harvest restrictions on public land and permission requirements for private holdings (Widayati et al 2010).…”

Section: Research Objectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the contribution of wild edible plants to rural social-ecological resilience in semi-arid Kenya

Shumsky¹,

Hickey²,

Pelletier³

et al. 2014

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Wild edible plants (WEPs) are known to make important contributions to food baskets and livelihoods in the smallholder and subsistence farming communities of sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, protecting and promoting the sustainable use of WEPs in concert with more mainstream agricultural innovation efforts has the potential to build household resilience to food insecurity. There is, however, a need to better understand how WEPs contribute to rural livelihoods on a daily basis and act as emergency safety nets during periods of hunger. Focusing on two villages in rural eastern Kenya, we sought to determine which household conditions are correlated with household reliance on WEPs as a coping strategy during times of food insecurity, while also investigating the role of access restrictions on adaptive capacity and the ability to obtain these important food resources. Results reveal that reliance on WEPs is greater in households that report food insecurity, lack off-farm income, and have lower asset levels. Access to WEPs is also a major factor in consumption frequency, with smaller farm sizes and increased distance to harvest areas significantly correlated with lower levels of WEP use. By combining vulnerability and adaptive capacity measures for each household, we created a more complete accounting of the factors that influence WEP consumption frequency, with implications for policy. This study represents an important first step in taking a more holistic view of the subsistence value of WEPs and the myriad factors that influence households' reliance on, and ability to obtain, uncultivated natural resources.

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Section: Research Objectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the contribution of wild edible plants to rural social-ecological resilience in semi-arid Kenya

Shumsky¹,

Hickey²,

Pelletier³

et al. 2014

E&S

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“…According to their framework, capacity for environmental management is shaped by: (1) shared concerns (shared understanding of environmental issues); (2) community identity; (3) participation; (4) inclusion; (5) leadership; (6) access to accessible information; (7) skills and resources (financial, human, and social), and (8) political influence. Rural livelihoods analysis has also been used to analyze the community capacity for NRM in both developing (Ellis and Freeman 2005) and developed nations, including Australia (Nelson et al 2005(Nelson et al , 2010a(Nelson et al , 2010b. The framework consists of five capitals: natural, human, social, physical, and financial (see Table 1 for definitions).…”

Section: Identify Community Capacity Indicators and Scoring Rubrics Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tool and Process that Facilitate Community Capacity Building and Social Learning for Natural Resource Management

Raymond¹,

Cleary²

2013

E&S

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ABSTRACT. This study presents a self-assessment tool and process that facilitate community capacity building and social learning for natural resource management. The tool and process provide opportunities for rural landholders and project teams both to self-assess their capacity to plan and deliver natural resource management (NRM) programs and to reflect on their capacities relative to other organizations and institutions that operate in their region. We first outline the tool and process and then present a critical review of the pilot in the South Australian Arid Lands NRM region, South Australia. Results indicate that participants representing local, organizational, and institutional tiers of government were able to arrive at a group consensus position on the strength, importance, and confidence of a variety of capacities for NRM categorized broadly as human, social, physical, and financial. During the process, participants learned a lot about their current capacity as well as capacity needs. Broad conclusions are discussed with reference to the iterative process for assessing and reflecting on community capacity.

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“…Research that straddles the generation of new knowledge and the various perceptions of what constitutes reliable and relevant knowledge in the face of complex and changing political, economic, social and bio-physical environments has been described as ''boundary work'' (Guston 2001;Clark et al 2011) or ''participatory action research'' McCown 2001McCown , 2002. Boundary work using bio-physical modelling has been applied successfully in Australia, where it involved iterative learning cycles in which the participating researchers, policy-makers and farmers (re-)designed and (re-)evaluated simulation scenarios as informed by practical experience and empirical observations (Meinke et al 2001;Kokic et al 2007;Nelson et al 2007Nelson et al , 2010a. Such participatory, reflective modelling can cater for the various perceptions of sustainability (other than the single perception put forward in this study), as well as changes in perceptions throughout the participatory learning process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

et al. 2013

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Concepts of agricultural sustainability and possible roles of simulation modelling for characterising sustainability were explored by conducting, and reflecting on, a sustainability assessment of rain-fed wheat-based systems in the Middle East and North Africa region. We designed a goal-oriented, model-based framework using the cropping systems model Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). For the assessment, valid (rather than true or false) sustainability goals and indicators were identified for the target system. System-specific vagueness was depicted in sustainability polygons-a system property derived from highly quantitative data-and denoted using descriptive quantifiers. Diagnostic evaluations of alternative tillage practices demonstrated the utility of the framework to quantify key bio-physical and chemical constraints to sustainability. Here, we argue that sustainability is a vague, emergent system property of often wicked complexity that arises out of more fundamental elements and processes. A 'wicked concept of sustainability' acknowledges the breadth of the human experience of sustainability, which cannot be internalised in a model. To achieve socially desirable sustainability goals, our model-based approach can inform reflective evaluation processes that connect with the needs and values of agricultural decision-makers. Hence, it can help to frame meaningful discussions, from which actions might emerge.

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The vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change: Part I—Conceptualising and measuring vulnerability

Cited by 146 publications

References 33 publications

Understanding the contribution of wild edible plants to rural social-ecological resilience in semi-arid Kenya

Understanding the contribution of wild edible plants to rural social-ecological resilience in semi-arid Kenya

A Tool and Process that Facilitate Community Capacity Building and Social Learning for Natural Resource Management

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

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