Development handicraft economics in Kutch: planning for cultural preservation in the face of climate crisis

Abstract

Communities in the Global South are at risk from climate change, with significant impacts on India's unorganised craft sector, as 200 million artisans face resource depletion, displacement, supply chain disruption by unpredictable weather, and escalating costs, jeopardizing cultural intangible heritage and livelihood. Due to inadequate funding, there is a gap in targeted research, and equitable policies are crucial to fostering climate resilience, preserving cultural heritage, and collaborating with artisans. The objective of the study is to assess the intensity of climate change on rural handicrafts and quantify vulnerability to indigenous community livelihood, evaluate their ability to adapt, and suggest policy recommendations. The study employs a robust structure to investigate climate-induced risks in the craft sector. A stratified survey of 200 samples aimed at combining data from three crafts across five villages, illustrating the diversity of the samples in the context of social, economic, and environmental factors. Identify the key factors influencing interruptions in the handicrafts value chain through mapping intensity. The Ridit scoring method within SciPy analytics quantified the intensity of vulnerability by production stages. The livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) evaluated the adaptive capacity across six capitals through the IPCC framework, enabling an in-depth grasp of resilience dynamics in craft ecosystems. Key findings reveal that sourcing raw materials is the most climate-vulnerable stage, followed by craft production. The primary challenge is seasonality, which plays a role in resource availability and productivity losses, which increase risk. The lack of adaptive strategies exacerbates the vulnerabilities throughout the craft value chain. Households are highly vulnerable to climate change (exposure index = 0.65) but have limited adaptive capacity (0.340). A (0.60) sensitivity index reinforces that the communities are particularly vulnerable with poor adaptive capacity. The ability to adapt in terms of physical capital is quite limited, and there is also a need for intervention in both human and financial capital. A bottom-up approach is essential for addressing climate responses at the grassroots level. Targeted interventions providing support for minor-level cluster development assist with each component of the sustainable livelihood framework, strengthening adaptive ability. This multifaceted approach minimizes climate risks and promotes resilience in craft-based economies and rural communities. Keywords: Climate crisis, Ridit Scoring, Informal economy, Livelihood Vulnerability Index, Intangible culture, Adaptive capacity