Publication Details

Differentiated effects on poverty of a climatic shock

evidence from a longitudinal survey in rural Sindh, Pakistan

Hari Ram Lohano
James Copestake
2010

Abstract

Since the late 1980s, the agricultural sector of Sindh has experienced a sharp fall in availability of irrigated water from the Indus River. The paper draws on data for households interviewed during 1986–91 and 2004-5 to assess associated changes in their land use, land tenure, cropping, income and poverty mobility. Findings are analysed with reference to alternative theories of agrarian change in South Asia. On average, both richer and poorer households interviewed experienced falls in income. However, this decline was far from uniform: indeed 27 out of 225 households actually climbed out of poverty. Characteristics of upwardly mobile, downwardly mobile, chronic poor and non-poor households are compared. The paper illustrates the need for climate change research to build on earlier debates over agrarian structure, taking into account land quality and differences in outcomes within as well as between landownership categories.

Publication Type(s)

Conference Paper

Ten Years of War Against Poverty Conference Papers

Conference: Ten Years of War Against Poverty

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