Beyond Migration: Livelihood Adaptation and (Im)mobility in Rural Brazil

Rural households confronted with environmental change employ a range of adaptation strategies to sustain their livelihoods, of which migration is only one possible response. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews on Poço Fundo, Minas Gerais, Brazil, this study identifies key adaptation strategies such as crop diversification, cooperative resource-sharing through institutional partnership and the adoption of climate-resilient farming techniques. Despite facing adverse climate impacts, including frosts and hailstorms that threaten coffee production, most producers expressed a strong connection to the land, driven by family ties, cultural attachment, economic constraints and limited alternative livelihood opportunities. Rather than reflecting an inability to move, immobility emerges as an active and viable adaptation strategy when supported by social networks and cooperative structures. These findings contribute to the broader climate-mobility discourse offering insights into how to strengthen local adaptation efforts, enhance rural resilience and sustain livelihoods in rural settings.