An exploratory study on the life recovery experiences of flood affected farmers in South Punjab-Pakistan

Abstract

We conducted this qualitative study to explore the life recovery experiences of farmers in one of the worst flood-hit districts of Pakistan. Data were gathered in August 2020, ten years after the disastrous 2010 floods, which hit a significant population of the country. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to document the subjective evaluation of the study participants with regard to restoration and readjustment of routine social life, work and livelihoods. Specifically, we asked the farmers to share their life recovery experiences by recalling the factors that helped and hindered their recovery process. Thematic analysis uncovered that personal resilience, belief system, bonding social capital, formal aid and previous flood experience were the major factors that contributed positively to the farmers’ life recovery. Political patronization and perceived unfairness in distribution of disaster aid were major factors that hindered the pace of their life recovery. In general, the findings of the study indicate that positive life recovery feelings of flood affected farmers are associated with resilience/vulnerabilities at individual and community level. Flood affected famers’ life recovery experiences are shaped by trade-offs between social vulnerabilities and resilience.

Keywords:

• Life recovery
• floods
• experiences
• farmers
• South Punjab
• Pakistan

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2023.2197144.

Notes

1 NDMA is the apex authority in Pakistan responsible for disaster risk reduction and disaster response activities across the country. NDMA coordinated with Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) for data gathering and decentralizing its disaster response activities.

2 Federal Flood Commission of Pakistan was established in 1977. This commission works under the ministry of Water and Power and is responsible for the preparation of national flood protection plans, flood warnings and flood monitoring.

3 A “dera” is a place in the rural Punjab where men usually spend their idle time, host their guests and sometimes it also serves as a barn.

4 Watan is Urdu translation for country.