Contribution of mangroves ecosystems to coastal communities' resilience towards climate change: a case study in southern Cote d'Ivoire

Abstract

Local communities’ perception on how ecosystems such as mangroves contribute to their resilience to climate change is essential to effectively engage them in adaptation and mitigation actions. This study assessed the perceptions of coastal communities on climate change, and the contribution of mangroves in their resilience to climate change in the southern Côte d’Ivoire. Individual interviews (n = 120) were conducted in four coastal villages, selected based on their proximity to mangroves. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test simple correspondence analysis. Informants’ knowledge on climate change was low. However, the scarcity of rainfall (62%), increased temperature (heat) (32%), and the high frequency of high winds (6%) have been cited as indicators of changes in the climate. More than half of respondents (63.3%) agreed that mangroves help people adapt to climate change because they produce more fish, shield people from poverty, and lessen flooding, storms, and erosion in their communities. This study has demonstrated a substantial relationship between the level of mangrove significance knowledge and the profession practiced in terms of whether it is affected by climate change. People with higher levels of education and members of particular professions frequently know more about climate change. The profession is a key driver in the knowledge of the contribution of mangroves in protecting fish fauna against climate change. Mangroves reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to the effects of climate change through their ecosystem services which include fish productivity (which provides income to fishermen and fish sellers as well as alternative income to farmers), protection against flooding and erosion, and more. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to conserve this ecosystem at all costs.