AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOODS AND COPING STRATEGIES TO FLOOD IN FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN KAMBALU TOWNSHIP

This study was carried out to understand a short term impact of flood on agricultural livelihoods conditions, coping strategies adopted by affected farm households and to determine the factors affecting on the revenue of monsoon paddy before and after flood during 2015 which is the devasting flood in Kambalu Township, Sagaing Region. Data were obtained from 135 flood affected farm households selected from six villages by purposive random sampling in the study area which was severely affected area of flood in 2015. The sample farm households were categorized into three groups: seriously affected, moderately affected and less affected farmers according to their damaged crop areas due to flood. Based on the findings, the average age of household’s head was around 50 years with average 6 schooling years among the three groups. There were significantly different in the household and farm assets of mobile phone, cattle, chicken, harrow, plough and boat for all groups before and after flood. The flood extremely reduced yield of monsoon paddy, sugarcane and maize up to 52%, 71% and 64% respectively among three groups. The lower yield of crop production resulted lower farm income in all groups. Each 55% of the sample farm households in seriously and moderately affected groups obtained the aids from government and non-government organizations while almost all of the sample farm households in less affected group received it because their location and transportation access were easier than others. Reducing household expenditure, borrowing money, selling household assets and livestock were found commonly used coping strategies in the study area. Among these coping strategies, engaging in borrowing money with various interest rates will lead to higher debt in farm household groups in the long term. The regression analysis showed that, flooding in the study area had negative affect on the revenue of monsoon paddy per hectare because of high yield reduction due to flood. However, family labor and non-farm income were significantly influencing factors to get high revenue for monsoon paddy production by engaging and investing more on it before and after flood. Regarding on the findings, the study area which is frequently flood affected region needed the introducing the sustainable farming system through climate resilient varieties and improved agricultural technology, disaster awareness information and improved transportation infrastructure and non-farm income activities should be provided and created as the development program for the rural areas to overcome negative impact of disaster