Abstract

More frequent and severe extreme climate events have caused both economic and non-economic losses to local communities in disaster-prone areas due to climate change. This study examines the economic loss and damage to agriculture caused by an unseasonal flood in October 2021 in Rajapur Municipality, located along the Karnali River. The lower Karnali basin is highly prone to flooding, and Rajapur, situated between two arms of the river, has a long history of such events. Using household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and secondary literature, the study assessed flood-related losses among small, medium, and large farmers based on key indicators from the Building Information Platform Against Disaster (BIPAD), including agricultural land, paddy production, stored grains, livestock, and farm machinery. The October 2021 flood, which occurred just before harvest, caused significant economic losses. Small farmers incurred a loss of $21,709.77, medium farmers faced a loss of $50,225.24, and large farmers experienced a loss of $32,393.49, resulting in a total production loss of $104,328.10. Small and medium farmers suffered greater impacts on their livelihoods, income, and food security than large farmers. Coping mechanisms included purchasing rice, consuming wheat instead of rice, taking loans, working as labourers, abandoning education, and cultivating spring-season rice. While adaptation measures, such as early warning systems and embankments, have helped prevent human casualties, mitigating agricultural losses remains a challenge as floodwaters continue to devastate farmlands, underscoring the need for improved flood management strategies to safeguard agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.