<![CDATA[Rising soil salinity and tidal inundation in coastal agricultural land in northern Java are threatening rice production and rural livelihoods. This study assessed the vulnerability of salinity-affected coastal agricultural land in Kendal and Pemalang, Central Java, Indonesia, and developed a hybrid adaptation pathway to address salinity-induced degradation. A mixed-methods design combined household surveys of 150 farming households, 80 semi-structured interviews, and field observations. Vulnerability was assessed using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index and interpreted in terms of the IPCC dimensions of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The composite LVI indicated that Pemalang was more vulnerable than Kendal, with values of 0.520 and 0.458, respectively. The two regencies had broadly similar exposure, although Pemalang had higher sensitivity and lower adaptive capacity, stronger land–water management constraints, weaker institutional support, and limited household resources. Salinity and tidal inundation reduced farm performance by lowering yields, increasing production costs, delaying cropping calendars, and reducing cultivable land. Spatial evidence showed that 316.78 ha of salinity-affected land in Kendal and 355 ha of agricultural land in Ulujami Sub-district, Pemalang, were no longer cultivable. Weak financial and human capital remained major constraints in both regencies. The study proposes a hybrid adaptation pathway combining short-term agronomic measures, medium-term land–water management, and long-term infrastructural and institutional strengthening.]]>
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