Spatial Analysis of Environmental Vulnerability among Tribal Households in Garbada Taluka, Dahod District, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Tribal households in western India remain highly exposed to environmental and infrastructural challenges that influence their livelihood and food security. Assessing vulnerability at multiple scales is essential for targeted adaptation planning. This study aimed to develop a composite Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) for tribal households in Garbada Taluka, Dahod district, Gujarat, and to examine spatial disparities at both the village and household levels. Primary data from 645 households were analysed. Crop diversity was calculated using the Shannon Index, and a composite EVI was constructed from four indicators: landholding size, crop diversity, water sufficiency, and sanitation access. Households were classified into low, medium, and high vulnerability categories. Statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, correlations, regression) were combined with GIS-based spatial mapping to examine patterns across villages and within communities. Descriptive results showed that two-thirds of households fell into the medium vulnerability category, with smaller proportions classified as low or high. Regression analysis confirmed that landholding size was a significant predictor of household income. Spatial mapping identified Matwa, Zari Bujarg, and Garbada as high-vulnerability clusters, while villages such as Jesawada, Ambli, and Devda demonstrated relatively lower vulnerability. Household-level mapping revealed intra-village disparities, with highly vulnerable households present even in resilient villages. The dual-scale EVI analysis highlights both village-level hotspots and household-level variations in vulnerability. These findings have policy relevance for climate adaptation, agricultural diversification, and WASH interventions under tribal development schemes. Future research should integrate direct nutrition indicators with environmental vulnerability frameworks to strengthen the linkages with food and nutrition security.