Abstract
Marginalized resource-dependent groups (MRDGs) are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and weather extremes. However, research on MRDGs tends to analyze their vulnerability in a specific point in time, thereby neglecting the examination of changes that evolve over time spans that are similar to those on which climatic changes occur. This study adopts a long-term perspective, examining changes in the vulnerability of the marginalized and traditionally agro-pastoralist Bedouin residing in the semi-arid and drought-prone northern Negev region. Utilizing multiple data sources, the study compares the vulnerability of the Bedouin during two severe droughts separated by a 40-year period—the 1957–63 drought and the 1998–2000 drought. The changes in the impacts of the droughts on the Bedouin are identified and analyzed, as well as the main factors explaining these changes. The results indicate that the vulnerability of the Bedouin to droughts has declined considerably, largely due to integration in Israel’s market economy and improved access to water infrastructure. Large-scale economic transformations and changes in settlement and water supply patterns explain much of the reduction in vulnerability. However, the Bedouin have remained marginalized and are vulnerable to fluctuations in market conditions. Thus, while we find that the vulnerability of even the most vulnerable groups can decline over time, we also observe that their vulnerability may change its form from “climate vulnerability” to more general social vulnerability.
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Notes
Such migration may lead to conflicts with farmers in the Mediterranean zone (Tubi and Feitelson 2016). Hence, the incidents of such conflicts are also noted.
Extensive archival work was conducted also in the Yad-Ya’ari Archives, documenting many of the Kibbutzim (Jewish agricultural settlements) in the northern Negev and their interactions with the Bedouin during the 1957–63 drought, and the Israel Military Archives which document the military administration of the Negev.
Desalination in Israel began only in 2005 and did not exceed 10% of the national freshwater use until 2010 (Feitelson and Rosenthal 2012).
Official estimates for the 2007–09 drought are not readily available. However, we did not find any reports indicating livestock mortality or drought-induced livestock sales during this period.
The estimate of wage employees (83.4%) pertains to the employment status, while the estimate of Bedouin employed in agriculture and pastoralism (3%) relates to the type of occupation. Thus, the estimates do not add up to a 100%.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Michal Kidron for producing the figures.
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The first author gratefully acknowledges funding provided by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The funding body had no influence over the publication of this paper.
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Editor: Jamie Pittock.
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Tubi, A., Feitelson, E. Changing drought vulnerabilities of marginalized resource-dependent groups: a long-term perspective of Israel’s Negev Bedouin. Reg Environ Change 19, 477–487 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1420-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1420-9