Climate Change and Rural Livelihoods Vulnerability Assessment of Sudan and Nigeria

Abstract

This paper focuses on climate change vulnerability and its impact on rural livelihoods in Nigeria and Sudan, utilizing the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) to analyze selected environmental, economic and social factors that affect agricultural productivity and social wellbeing. Utilizing a quantitative research design which bases itself on a positivist paradigm, the research investigates secondary data from the period of 2000 to 2023 sourced from World Bank and applies Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) technique preventing serial correlation and endogeneity with mixed integration orders. The study establishes that climate change vulnerability along with the impacts, especially in Nigeria and Sudan, exacerbates livelihood insecurity, thus highlighting the importance of climate-resilient practices such as using drought-tolerant crops, agroforestry, sustainable land management, and clean energy technologies like solar water pumping and rural electrification. Potential suggestions include strengthening measures of social inclusion, developing environmentally friendly forms of financing, and improving disaster preparedness to mitigate climate shocks. Indeed, the research’s reliance on quantitative data to establish clear numerical patterns stresses that future works need to address the qualitative knowledge gap, diversify the geographical setting and discuss community-level adaptation initiatives while offering the strategy for the development of sustainable livelihoods affected by climate change