A Composite Index for Socio-economic Vulnerability: Integrating Geospatial and Demographic Datafor Gram Panchayats in Bapatla District, India

Coastal areas are prone to different kinds of environmental and anthropogenic pressures, which make the evaluation of their vulnerability a crucial instrument for sustainable planning. This study focuses on the socio-economic vulnerability of the Bapatla district, a coastal district newly formed in Andhra Pradesh, India, that is densely populated, mainly depends on agriculture, and is being affected by climate-related hazards. The researchers used the Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing to gather data for demographic, ecosystem, and socio-economic indicators, to measure the composite vulnerability index. Ten factors relevant to population structure, education, livelihood, and resource pressure were normalised and merged to locate the spatial risk variations. The indings indicate that there are considerable differences within the district, as the villages Addanki, Korisapadu, and Janakavaram Panguluru demonstrate extreme vulnerability resulting from their low adaptive capacity, extensively used land, and environmental degradation. Conversely, places like Karamchedu and Repalle seem to be more resistant due to good infrastructure and a varied economic base. These indings point to the necessity of local adaptation measures and the execution of equitable policy instruments for socio-economic resilience in the coastal zones. Further, integrating GIS-based modelling for vulnerability assessment with community data is a powerful tool for uncovering the spatial dynamics of vulnerability that thereby making citizens’ engagement in planning and regional adaptation.