Impacts, adaptation and mitigation efforts in Kerala’s coastal food system: a socio-ecosystem evaluation of fishing community responses to climate change

Gills, Reshma and Padua, Shelton and Ramachandran, C and Varghese, Eldho and Vivekanandan, E and Ratheesh Kumar, R and George, Grinson (2025) Impacts, adaptation and mitigation efforts in Kerala’s coastal food system: a socio-ecosystem evaluation of fishing community responses to climate change. International Journal of Advances in Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, 17. pp. 247-265. ISSN 0975-5616

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Abstract

Global food systems face intricate problems from climate change, which threatens livelihoods and food security while upsetting every link in the food supply chain. Small-scale fishermen with little adaptive capacity are disproportionately affected by this impact, which is especially severe in marine and coastal environments like Kerala, India. This study investigates how Kerala’s coastal food systems are affected by climate change, looking at mitigation techniques and adaptive measures. Data were gathered from 905 fishermen’s family representatives across Kerala’s nine coastal districts using a mixed-method approach, capturing a variety of fishing community segments. The results show that the majority of respondents believe that deforestation, industrial pollutants, and emissions are the main causes of climate change. Fishermen reported losing a considerable number of fishing days each year as a result of harsh weather. Additionally, the impacts of climate change contribute to reduced fish yields, decreased profitability, and biodiversity loss. Preferred adaptation tactics emphasize better forecasting and infrastructure development, although opinions about government actions show varying degrees of satisfaction. The policy proposals place a strong emphasis on improving education to empower fishermen, closing the gap between large-scale climate initiatives and local impacts, and bolstering community resilience through comprehensive adaptation and mitigation strategies.

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