Abstract:
Coastal erosion is a major challenge along the coast of The Gambia besides the increasing pressure from climate
change. This poses tremendous influences on physical and the socio-economic vulnerability of the coastal
communities, in the form of negative impacts on lives and livelihoods. Therefore, there is a need to investigate
the vulnerability of households to the impacts of coastal erosion. As a result, this study focused on the assessment
and mapping of the social vulnerability of households to coastal erosion in Gunjur village. An interdisciplinary
and mixed-method approaches were used in the study. The MOVE system-thinking framework was used to
develop and select social vulnerability indicators. Geographic Information Systems technique was employed in
data integration and mapping of the vulnerability of households. The outcome of the study revealed that 90% of
the households were highly vulnerable to coastal erosion, however, women were perceived to be relatively more
vulnerable. The study found high levels of exposure and susceptibility of the households to coastal erosion, given
the limited adaptation capacity. It was found that 74% of the households do not have sustainable adaptation
strategies to the impacts of coastal erosion. Integrating coastal protection measures into climate change adaptation
and mitigation policy framework was a key recommendation towards reducing the impacts of human
factors on coastal erosion. Alternative sources of livelihoods and mind building are required to build the resilience
of households and enhance human security in the coastal communities of The Gambia.
