Communities in semi-arid regions, including farmers and livestock holders, are more likely to suffer from environmental stresses due to climate change volatility. Therefore, understanding the diverse pathways to community resilience and adaptability is imperative. This study explores the pathways of household adaptiveness to climate risks on Sumba Island, a semi-arid region in Eastern Indonesia characterised by smallholder livestock farming and frequent climate-induced disasters. It investigates the strategies employed by rural households to cope with climate-related events and defines household adaptability as the capacity to prepare for and respond to shocks through actions such as accumulating savings and diversifying livelihood portfolios in anticipation of climate crises. The research hypothesises that prior disaster experience, place attachment, social capital, participation, and social protection are key predictors of household adaptiveness. Using structural equation modelling analysis conducted with SmartPLS software, the study analyses data collected from a survey of 300 households across ten villages located in coastal, inland, and suburban areas of East Sumba. Findings suggest that prior disaster experience and social protection are stronger predictors than other variables, serving as direct pathways to household adaptiveness to climate change risks. The study implies that effective adaptive social protection policies can foster community engagement and enhance household adaptability and resilience in disaster-prone regions.