Climatic risk resilience and adaptation among forest-based ethnic minorities in Vietnam: how does gender matter?

This study employs FAO's livelihood resilience framework to examine resilience and adaptation strategies to climatic risks among two upland ethnic minority communities in Tuong Duong district, Nghe An province, Vietnam. Over a 12-month period, data were collected through a survey of 136 households, expert consultations, four focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with ten key informants. The findings reveal that despite infrastructural advancements such as electricity access and road expansion, both communities exhibit low resilience scores, underscoring persistent socio-economic vulnerabilities. Households continue to face significant challenges, including poverty, low income, and insecure land tenure. The most economically disadvantaged households are particularly vulnerable, as their limited assets and low awareness of climate change further constrain their adaptive capacity. Additionally, gender disparities exacerbate these challenges, with women experiencing greater barriers to resilience due to restricted access to resources, smaller landholdings, and insufficient capital. These findings highlight the urgent need for policies that holistically address economic, social, and institutional vulnerabilities to strengthen community resilience. Sustainable adaptation requires a paradigm shift beyond infrastructure development to address systemic barriers, such as land tenure security and economic empowerment. Targeted interventions and multi-stakeholder collaboration are imperative to enhance the resilience of marginalised groups and foster long-term adaptive capacity in climate-vulnerable communities.