Dialogue for adaptation: combining field measurements and farmers’ narratives to understand coastal resilience

Abstract

The low-lying agricultural coasts of the Normandy shoreline are increasingly exposed to hydrogeological hazards, particularly groundwater rise and saline intrusion, phenomena already underway and likely to intensify in frequency and magnitude due to climate change and sea-level rise. Using the concept of systemic vulnerability, we analyze these hazards through four interconnected components: risks, challenges, governance, and perceptions. Our methodology relies on a dual approach that combines field measurements (continuous monitoring and periodic campaigns) with semi-structured interviews conducted with farmers. This articulation lies at the heart of our research: understanding how scientific tools and local narratives can complement, validate, or even challenge each other. Interviews help to contextualize instrumental observations, identify local adaptation strategies, and assess risk perceptions. Conversely, field data serve to objectify these perceptions and reveal potential biases. This interdisciplinary and integrated approach aims to provide a deeper understanding of territorial vulnerability and to inform the development of context-appropriate solutions to strengthen the resilience of coastal agricultural areas in the face of climate change. This work is carried out as part of a PhD thesis on the impact of sea-level rise on coastal agriculture in Normandy.