This paper investigates the livelihood vulnerability experienced by agricultural households in Kuttanad, a below sea level farming system in southern India, in the aftermath of a major flood in August 2018. For this purpose, we constructed a flood coping strategy index (FCSI), to measure coping strategy intensity, using the data on the severity and frequency of various coping strategies adopted by households. Furthermore, we estimated a Tobit regression model to identify the factors influencing the intensity of coping strategy choices. The FCSI revealed that only two per cent of agricultural households experienced a ‘severe’ level of vulnerability because of the quick and effective policy response of the Kerala state government. In addition, Tobit regression analysis indicated that female-headed and labour households are more vulnerable than their respective counterparts. While income exerts a negative influence on the degree of livelihood vulnerability, agricultural landholding has a positive effect, as it increases cultivation loss during a flood.

中文翻译：

---

印度南部海平面以下农业系统的洪水引起的脆弱性：通过应对战略强度进行的评估

本文调查了印度南部海平面以下农业系统 Kuttanad 的农业家庭在 2018 年 8 月发生大洪水后所经历的生计脆弱性。为此，我们构建了一个洪水应对战略指数 (FCSI)，以使用有关家庭采用的各种应对策略的严重程度和频率的数据来衡量应对策略的强度。此外，我们估计了一个 Tobit 回归模型来确定影响应对策略选择强度的因素。FCSI 透露，由于喀拉拉邦政府的快速有效的政策反应，只有 2% 的农业家庭经历了“严重”的脆弱性。此外，Tobit 回归分析表明，女户主家庭和劳动力家庭比各自的同行更脆弱。虽然收入对生计脆弱程度产生负面影响，但农业土地拥有有积极影响，因为它增加了洪水期间的耕作损失。