Climate Change Vulnerability: Household Assessment Levels in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia

Abstract

Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) conducted vulnerability and adaptation assessments using two different methodologies: the Global Circulation Model (MoE, 2001) and Household Surveys (MoE, 2005). They found that Cambodia is vulnerable to climate change and has a low adaptive capacity compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. Flood and drought were identified as the climatic hazards that imposed the greatest threats to rural farmers. This study, which assessed vulnerability at the household level in the drought-prone Kampong Speu (KPS) province, calculates climate change vulnerability based on the framework developed by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The results indicate that drought is the most severe climate hazard experienced in KPS. Farmers reported that they regularly experienced irregular rainfall distribution during cropping season that results in crop damage and/or loss. Adaptations to drought adopted by farmers include water storage, introducing drought- tolerant crop varieties, and improving knowledge about farming techniques. Other mechanisms that are also feasible are providing or enhancing secondary income capacity.