Repository logo
 

Adaptation to Drought in Rural Saskatchewan: A case study of Kindersley and Maidstone, Sakatchewans

dc.contributor.advisorKulshreshtha, Surenen_US
dc.contributor.advisorWheaton, Elaineen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberReed, Maureenen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberElabor-Idemudia, Patienceen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberMartz, Dianeen_US
dc.creatorAbbasi, Saimaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-14T12:00:14Z
dc.date.available2014-02-14T12:00:14Z
dc.date.created2014-01en_US
dc.date.issued2014-02-13en_US
dc.date.submittedJanuary 2014en_US
dc.description.abstractAbbasi, S., M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, September 2013. Adaptation to Drought in Saskatchewan Rural Communities: A Case study of Kindersley and Maidstone, Saskatchewan. Joint Supervisors: S. Kulshreshtha and E. Wheaton The main aim of this thesis is to gain knowledge of the processes of adaptation that have enabled communities and agricultural producers to function in a relatively dry and drought prone region of Saskatchewan. This investigation was limited to two rural communities – Kindersley and Maidstone. Historically, vulnerability to natural hazards has been considered only a physical phenomenon. As a result, the social characteristic of a place\system, which contribute to vulnerability to natural hazards, are not well studied. This study used both secondary (quantitative in nature) and primary (qualitative in nature) methods to understand exposure, sensitivity and adaption to droughts in two study communities. Quantitative method included estimating drought condition from time series data for both communities. Intensity of the drought was based on Palmer Drought Severity index and Standard Precipitation Index. Given this background, qualitative techniques (semi-structured interviews and participation observations) were employed to explore the sensitivity and adaptation to droughts in the two communities. The results indicated that drought had caused significant economic hardships for farmers and ranchers during the 2001- 2003 period. Crop yield declined more than 50% of normal level for some crops during this period. Producers had undertaken some adaptive actions to counteract the adverse effect of the drought. These included changing their farming practices -- intensive tillage to minimum or zero tillage, diversification in terms of types of crops grown, off-farm employment, and participation in business risk management programs. Respondents reported that drought was not the sole cause of their vulnerability. Social factors such as changing government policies, reduced profit margins, insufficient business risk management programs, and international markets shaped their vulnerability to climate-related natural hazards. The study found a strong sense of alienation between respondents and federal government agencies. The combination of economic stress, inadequate government risk management programming translates into a very narrow window of sustainability for producers should they face a severe multi-year drought in the future.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10388/ETD-2014-01-1385en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.subjectKeywords: Drought, Vulnerability, Adaptive Capacity, Climate Changeen_US
dc.titleAdaptation to Drought in Rural Saskatchewan: A case study of Kindersley and Maidstone, Sakatchewansen_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
dc.type.materialtexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentSchool of Environment and Sustainabilityen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEnvironment and Sustainabilityen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Saskatchewanen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)en_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ABBASI-THESIS.pdf
Size:
1.87 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1005 B
Format:
Plain Text
Description: