Examining livelihood risk perceptions in disaster resettlement

Abstract

Purpose Although many disaster resettlement programs are implemented throughout the world, their ramifications continue to challenge our understanding of scope, impact, context, and nature of efforts to rebuild livelihoods. The purpose of this paper is to examine involved rural farmers’ livelihood risk perceptions (LRPs) in Southern Shaanxi Disaster Resettlement based on the case of Ziyang County. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing a livelihood risk perspective, this paper identified factors contributing to LRPs. The research categorized the involved rural farmers into groups and explored the factors affecting their LRPs using decision tree (DT). Findings Analyzing LRPs of different groups, this paper derived influential factors and the decision rules followed by groups. Additionally, critical factors were discussed according to their relative importance for decision making and to propose some intervention measures for effectiveness. Originality/value The results and implications enhance understanding on how local community members perceive the problem or risk in disaster resettlement. The application of a DT also provides methodological contributions for risk analysis and disaster preparedness.