Rainfall Variability, Occupational Choice, and Welfare in Rural Bangladesh
This study investigates the choice of occupational focus versus diversification between household members in rural Bangladesh as an autonomous and proactive adaptation strategy against ex ante local rainfall variability risks. The analysis combines...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/07/16506879/rainfall-variability-occupational-choice-welfare-rural-bangladesh http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11945 |
| Summary: | This study investigates the choice of
occupational focus versus diversification between household
members in rural Bangladesh as an autonomous and proactive
adaptation strategy against ex ante local rainfall
variability risks. The analysis combines nationally
representative household level survey data with historical
climate variability information at the Upazila level. The
authors note that flood prone Upazilas may face reduced
risks from local rainfall variability as compared with
non-flood prone Upazilas. They find that two members of the
same household are less likely to be self-employed in
agriculture if they live in an area with high local rainfall
variability. However, the occupational diversification
strategy comes at a cost to households in terms of
consumption welfare. The paper considers the effects of
three policy actions, providing access to credit, safety
net, and market. Access to market appears to be more
effective in reducing the likelihood of costly
within-household occupational diversification as an ex ante
climate risk-reducing strategy as compared with access to
credit and safety net. |
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