Assessing climate change vulnerability and livelihood strategies in Burkina Faso including insecurity paradigm: a focus on rain-fed agriculture households

This study investigates the vulnerability of Burkina Faso to climate change, focusing on rain-fed agriculture, which is crucial for many African nations. Burkina Faso's heavy reliance on climate-dependent livelihoods, along with the presence of armed terrorist organizations in the Sahel, heightens its vulnerability. There is limited knowledge about how vulnerability varies among families in different agroecological zones. The research specifically aims to quantify the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) in three primary agroecological zones: Sahelian, Sudano-Sahelian, and Sudanian. To achieve this, the study incorporates a new major component, insecurity, into the LVI. An ordered logistic regression was conducted to better identify and understand the factors contributing to vulnerability. Data were collected through household surveys in Kongoussi, L & eacute;o, and Gaoua districts, covering a range of factors such as socio-demographics, livelihood strategies, social networks, food security, water security, health, land, insecurity, natural disasters, and climatic variability. Additionally, station meteorological data and insecurity event from ACLED database were used. Results indicate that Kongoussi (0.494) is the most vulnerable to climate change impacts, followed by Gaoua (0.405) and L & eacute;o (0.263). Specifically, regarding food insecurity 71,53% of households in Gaoua reported to have difficulties to preserve their crop as same as Kongoussi with 71,11% compared to 37.47% in L & eacute;o. Water security was a significant issue, with 49.50% of households in Kongoussi experiencing a lack of consistent water supply, versus 33% in Gaoua and 21% in L & eacute;o. The ordered regression logistic analysis revealed that households without access to water supply are significantly more vulnerable in all districts. The study emphasizes the urgency of policies and measures to address vulnerabilities in these communities for sustainable agriculture. Notably, livelihood strategies and social networks play a crucial role in shaping the vulnerability of households in Kongoussi and Gaoua districts. Strengthening community ties is identified as a key factor in reducing vulnerability among populations. This research contributes valuable insights into Burkina Faso's vulnerability to climate change and highlights the significance of community resilience and human capital investment in mitigating vulnerability.