Assessing the Impact of Flood Disaster on Livelihoods of Farmers: Case of Paynesville, Monrovia from 2019 – 2024

The primary goal of this study was to assess the impacts of flood disasters on farmers the livelihoods in Paynesville, Monrovia, over the period from 2019 to 2024. Specifically, the research aimed to examine the frequency and occurrence of flooding in the area between 2019 and 2024, analyze the livelihood conditions of farmers from 2018 to 2022, and determine whether a significant correlation exists between flood disaster management efforts and the wellbeing of farmers within the same timeframe. Descriptive and correlational research methods was employed. The study population consisted of residents and farmers across various communities within Paynesville, Monrovia. The total population of Paynesville is approximately 324,114 individuals. Out of this, a target population of 4,120 people including members of the city administration, community leaders, and farmers was identified. A sample size of 365 respondents was selected for the study. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires, interviews, and document reviews. The information gathered was analyzed through multiple regression techniques. The analysis revealed a strong impact of flood events on farmers’ livelihoods during the 2018–2022 period. This is reflected in a high R2 value of 0.76, indicating that 76% of the difference in farmers’ livelihood outcomes can be explained by flood actions. The robustness models further validated through the F-value, which yielded a value of 277.344 and a p-value less than 0.001, indicating a statistically significant result. The results clearly demonstrate that the livelihoods of farmers in Paynesville have been adversely affected by flooding. Among the most significant indicators was the loss of crops, with a standardized coefficient (β) of 0.430 and a p-value less than 0.001, showing strong and statistically significant impact. These findings point to considerable economic difficulties for farmers due to frequent crop losses. Furthermore, the finding confirmed strong and significant association between flood occurrences and livelihood challenges faced by farmers. Both the flood frequency and crop damage variables showed high levels of statistical significance (p < 0.001). The study highlights the crucial need for effective flood disaster supervision methods in Paynesville. This includes the development, implementation and preparedness plans, primary notice systems, and risk mitigation strategies to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods. The research contributes valuable knowledge to the fields of disaster risk reduction, resilience building, and climate change adaptation. The findings will guide policymakers and development practitioners in designing interventions that protect at-risk communities and enhance their ability to cope with environmental threats. Recommendations from the study include enhancing current early warning systems to ensure timely and reliable alerts about potential flooding. This will support better community awareness and organized evacuation. Additionally, the implementation of an all-inclusive flood risk assessments and continuous monitoring should be prioritized to identify high-risk zones, enabling more focused and effective responses and resource allocation.