Livelihood-Differentiated Climate Adaptations: Assessing Perceived Effectiveness Among Rural Households in Tripura, India

Uniform climate adaptation programmes routinely overlook structural differences in rural livelihood systems, thereby misaligning interventions with community-specific needs. This study examined the perceived effectiveness of ten consolidated climate adaptation strategies among 195 rural households across six income-source-based livelihood categories in Amarpur block (Gomati district) and Kadamtala block (North Tripura district), Tripura, India. Grounded in the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, the study treats income source as the operational proxy for livelihood type, recognising that households organise their adaptive responses around the assets and risks associated with their predominant income-generating activities. Primary data were gathered through structured household-level interviews and focus group discussions conducted between 2021 and 2023 in high-climate-affected villages. The Garrett Ranking Technique converted respondent-assigned ranks into standardised interval scores for cross-group comparison. Crop and production-based adaptation strategy ranked highest overall (Mean Garrett Score = 62.10), followed by farm-level water adaptation strategy (56.77) and community-based water management strategy (50.46). Kruskal-Wallis H tests confirmed statistically significant inter-group differences for all ten consolidated strategies (H range: 144.42–179.08; df = 5; p < 0.001). Spearman rank correlation revealed strong alignment between crop farming and plantation households (r = +0.964, p < 0.001), whereas migration-dependent households exhibited near-inverse priorities relative to agricultural groups (r = −0.903, p < 0.001). Early warning and climate preparedness systems registered the lowest aggregate score (Mean GS = 25.19) across all livelihood categories, signalling critical institutional deficits in climate information delivery. These findings underscore the necessity for livelihood-specific policy frameworks that move beyond blanket interventions in northeastern India.