How immiseration emerges as limits to adaptation

This study develops a concept of immiseration, defined as protracted depletion of agency, removing adaptive capacity in the face of risks, such as climate change. Life-histories of differentially (re)settled recipients of Zimbabwe’s A1 land reform are analysed, blending sustainable livelihoods and political ecology approaches. The study reveals highly variable adaptive outcomes, even within a small region. Climate change adaptation research predominantly assumes that agents adapt to a range of risks, including climate and non-climate-related. This study shows how immiseration emerges over time, entrapping households in adaptation failure for reasons including socio-economic challenges, cultural disparities, aging, food insecurity, diminishing physical assets, failing social networks, and social fragmentation of local society. Some barely cope, while others adapt. However, there is an emerging group of people who don’t adapt and face persistent welfare losses and declining resilience. This challenges the assumption of adaptive capacity as being a universal feature of households and groups. This study identifies and documents immiseration in Driefontein wetland, Gutu and Chirumhanzu Districts in Zimbabwe, and argues that this social process may emerge and endure as limits to adaptation to climate change impacts and risks.