Index-based tools for livelihood security and resilience assessment (LiSeRA) in lower Mekong Basin

Indrajit Pal; Ayush Baskota; Ganesh Dhungana; Parmeshwar Udmale; Mayuri Ashokrao Gadhawe; Puvadol Doydee; Tanh T N Nguyen; Seak Sophat; Sreejita Banerjee

doi:10.1016/j.mex.2023.102301

Index-based tools for livelihood security and resilience assessment (LiSeRA) in lower Mekong Basin

MethodsX. 2023 Jul 29:11:102301. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102301. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Indrajit Pal¹, Ayush Baskota¹, Ganesh Dhungana¹, Parmeshwar Udmale², Mayuri Ashokrao Gadhawe², Puvadol Doydee³, Tanh T N Nguyen⁴, Seak Sophat⁵, Sreejita Banerjee¹

Affiliations

¹ Asian Institute of Technology, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
² Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
³ Kasetsart University Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, Sakon Nakhon 47000, Thailand.
⁴ An Giang University (AGU), Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
⁵ Royal University of Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Abstract

This paper presents a framework and toolkit for assessment of multi-hazard livelihood security and resilience in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) communities. The LMB is a subsidiary region of the Mekong region in South East Asia, and is frequently exposed to hydrometeorological hazards and anthropogenic stressors that expose and directly affect the livelihoods of more than sixty-five million people living in the region. The main purpose of the study is to support decision-making and risk management planning through integration of the concepts of livelihood security and resilience into a holistic framework, and subsequently developing an index-based toolkit for conducting assessments. Firstly, dimensions, sub-dimensions and indicators for measurement of livelihood security and resilience in the LMB were identified through comprehensive literature review and expert consultation. Then, several local workshops were conducted with various stakeholders (researchers, government officials, community people) in the LMB region to validate the indicators and generate weightages. The indicators were then arranged in a matriculated form, and the weightages were used to generate the algorithm for computing the quantitative outputs of livelihood security and resilience in study area. An Excel toolkit and a 'R' programming package were developed using the algorithm for visualization of the assessment outcomes. The proposed framework and toolkit are expected to assist researchers, government officials and development professionals in generating robust resilience assessment indices for risk informed decision-making and planning. Brief outline of the method •Livelihood security and resilience concepts were integrated to generate a holistic assessment framework and an indicator library.•Weightages for indicators were generated using the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) through consultation with relevant stakeholders.•The indicator library was developed into an algorithm-based Excel and 'R' programming toolkit that provides quantitative assessment outputs.

Keywords: AHP; Climate hazard; Disaster risk; Index; Index Based Tools for Livelihood Security and Resilience Assessment; Livelihood security; Mekong River; Resilience.