Abstract:
Marginalized rural farming communities in Sri Lanka, particularly in highly climate
vulnerable regions such as Horowpothana, face a growing risk of food insecurity due
to the impacts of climate change. While extensive research has explored the link
between climate change and food availability, limited attention has been paid to how
climate vulnerability influences other dimensions of food security, particularly food
access. This study investigated the relationship between rural household vulnerability
to climate change and food insecurity, utilizing data collected from 200 farming
households in the Horowpothana Divisional Secretariat Division. Households were
selected through a multistage proportionate random sampling method. Data collection
involved questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group
discussions ensuring a comprehensive assessment of household food insecurity and
climate vulnerability conditions. Household vulnerability to climate change was
analyzed using a framework incorporating sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive
capacity metrics, while food insecurity was measured with the Food Agriculture
Organization (FOA) Food Insecurity Experience Scale, with a focus on food access.
The findings revealed that the majority of households were food insecure, with about
one-fourth experiencing severe and mild to moderate food insecurity, highlighting
significant climatic vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the majority of households exhibited
medium or high levels of climate vulnerability. Ordered logistic regression analysis
showed that climate vulnerability and household dependency ratios significantly
(p<0.05) increased food insecurity. Conversely, higher monthly household income
and participation in agricultural projects significantly (p<0.05) reduced food
insecurity. These results highlight the critical interplay between climatic and socio
economic factors in determining food insecurity status. To mitigate these challenges,
the study recommends contextual vulnerability-specific development interventions
focused on enhancing adaptive capacity and improving livelihood assets, particularly
income-generating activities, to enhance household food security.
