Assessing the vulnerability of farm families towards drought in Kermanshah province, Iran

Drought as a natural disaster and an inevitable phenomenon has impacted different countries such as Iran. Since most Iranian rural households are dependent on agricultural production, they are severely vulnerable to drought. Studies on drought vulnerability have focused on individual farmers with less attention to the farm families. Therefore, the purpose of this survey research was to determine the vulnerability of farm families in Droud Faraman region, Kermanshah. The population comprised of 3329 households in which 172 farm families were selected using multi-stage random sampling techniques. Drought vulnerability was assessed using Deressa et al. formula that measures adaptive capacity, exposure and sensitivity. Results revealed that farm families formed three clusters of vulnerability, i.e. low, moderate and high drought vulnerability. Moreover, Kahrar Moghoofe and Choobderaz villagers were most vulnerable towards drought whereas Moradabad and Amme villagers were least vulnerable to this phenomenon. This study has implications for drought mitigation programs in Kermanshah province. Limited resources should focus on drought vulnerable regions so that adaptive capacities in those regions would be enhanced.