International workshop on “Vulnerability and

1. Addressing vulnerability to climate variability and change: strategies to enhance adaptive capacities International workshop on “Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: From Practice to Policy” 11-12 May 2006, New Delhi

2. Review of studies on coping measures to extreme events • APN agr/climate info •CIDA agr Community interaction •OFDA floods/droughts •WB agr/water •Natcom coastal/disasters Vulnerability indicators •APN glaciers •Ford SLR •Natcom agr/wat/for/health Scenario- based modelling •Indo-UK agr/wat/ for/health/coastal • APN agr/rice-wheat •WB agr Single stress – climate change Climate variability and change Multiple stresses

3. Macro-scale modeling approaches highlight vulnerable regions HadCM2 Country-level Climate Change Impacts onCereal Production Potential on Currently Cultivated Land 2080s

4. Climate change and economic changes in India: the impacts on agriculture • Basic theme: • climate change does not occur in isolation • globalization can alter vulnerability patterns – DOUBLE EXPOSURE • agriculture most important sector for India • Timeframe: February 2001 – March 2004 • Funders: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Norway • Partners: TERI, CICERO, IISD, Rutgers University

5. Adaptive capacity • Biophysical vulnerability • Soil degradation and cover • Groundwater availability • Social vulnerability • Agricultural workers and labourers • Literacy • Gender discrimination • Child mortality and fertility • Technological vulnerability • Irrigation • Infrastructure Climate change vulnerability Climate sensitivity (monsoon dependence and dryness) Trade sensitivity (port distance and import-sensitive crops) Globalization vulnerability Elements of vulnerability profiles • Village-level case studies – hh surveys + PRAs • coping capacity of communities to current adverse conditions • factors that enhance/constrain adaptive capacity of farmers

6. Jagatsingpur, Orissa • cyclones, river floods • high population density • acute poverty • proximity to port • Jhalawar, Rajasthan • drought prone • low irrigation coverage, literacy, infrastructure • Chitradurga, Karnataka • water scarcity • proximity to city • contract farming and exports • Raipur, Chattisgarh • rice belt of central India • crop diversification • low literacy, infrastructure • Anantapur, • Andhra Pradesh • semi-arid • response of groundnut farmers to import competition

7. Opportunities to diversify Mixed farming:Anghora Access to irrigation enhances coping options Much better availability of electricity, health facilities, and transport infrastructure (Kota markets) Rainfed farming: Lakhakheri Umat Semi/medium farmers – sale of stocks Landless labourers – seasonal migration Small/marginal farmers – temporary coping measures No long-term adaptive solutions

8. Broad objectives • Reviewing coping strategies being employed by communities in India and assessing issues and opportunities for adaptation • study focus on drought and flood affected regions • distinguish between reactive temporary mechanisms and measures for strengthening the adaptive capacities • links with developmental aspects will be explored • Assessing the effectiveness with which coping measures are being employed and the factors influencing their implementation • Identifying/ suggesting measures to enhance adaptive capacities • Incremental in nature than those currently being employed to cope during with such circumstances

9. Study regions • Preliminary discussions and consultations • Pennar in Andhra Pradesh, Mahanadi in Orissa, • Godavari in Maharashtra

10. AP Vulnerability Index Focus: Chittoor and Anantapur 1991: Anantapur – very high vul & Chittoor – high vul 2001: Shift to high vul in Anantapur

11. Micro-scale, case study based approaches highlight who is more vulnerable and extent of vulnerability

12. Example of matrix: level 1 Which coping options are used?

13. Example of matrix: level 2 Which factors influence the effectiveness of those coping options?

14. Adaptive capacity influenced by… • Physical factors • cropping pattern, crop diversification / shift to resistant varieties or tolerant crops • Socioeconomic factors • asset ownership – land, house, cattle, pumpsets, tractors, tillers, threshers • access to public goods & facilities – banking, education and health services • infrastructural support – irrigation, markets, proper communication network • alternative employment options

15. Coping Strategies • Reactive Coping • Change in cropping intensity • Credits/ loans • Shifting cattle and household • Proactive Coping • Diversification to non-vulnerable income sources (aquaculture, tolerant crop varieties….) • House adaptation - platforms • Insurance • Access to Government programs

16. Case study in Orissa: Preferred interventions in terms of priority as suggested by villagers

17. Case study in Maharashtra • Developments in the last 15 years • soil conservation initiatives introduced uphill by the village head • Includes digging trenches to control soil erosion and develop its fertility • most villagers not supportive of the fact initially • interest only in a very small group • Related to threat of water being utilised uphill further affecting its availability downhill • actual situation • High rates of run-off from the hillock surpassing the village, low recharge rates within the domain of that watershed Picture: World Bank Study S Bhadwal, 2005

18. A journey in the past • activities relating to construction & restoration of tanks taken up • process for building simultaneous large and small tanks for storage and recharge started • tanks located downhill one after the other in series Picture: S Bhadwal, 2005 Picture: S Bhadwal, 2005

19. Results to be seen..… • benefits in the form of reduced run-off, increased recharge rates, increase in water tables and recharge of open wells “visible” • community investments and other bilateral investments for soil conservation efforts and development of tanks started • situation today………of water tables lying at a depth of 40-50 feet, its availability for irrigation purposes • checking outward migration • generation of other income generating opportunities • And more to list…….

20. Further developments • Proper planning and execution of other plans/ programmes in the village • Setting up of an NGO within the village with villagers as members • Various village development activities promoted including education and health centres besides the other development work • In some cases technical expertise sought from the government bodies, especially the rural development department • Village regulates its own water usage in line with the crop plans • Villagers convinced not to grow sugarcane • Cropping patterns changed to onions, maize debarring sugarcane growth • Crops taken each year based on an annual revisit of the rainfall situation

21. Concluding • Strong and purposive leadership in the village has brought about a transformation……..enhancing the resilience of communities in being able to cope even during drought years • Examples can be quoted elsewhere in the country where such local level initiatives under strong leadership have been successful • Tarun Bhagat Sangh and • Initiatives by Shri Ana Hazare in Raley Gaon Sidhi • Strong need to understand the processes behind and pose as testimonials

22. From practices to policy • Varying degrees of vulnerability at the national, state, district, village and household level • Policy formulation to recognise the differentials • Also, learning's from community initiatives (eg., Maharashtra) and need for further successful government initiatives (eg., Maharashtra) to be adopted • Conditions for replication at different levels needs to be critically analysed • Synergise with different government policies for different purpose for better fortification of capacities (SGSY, Bharat Nirmaan, IWDP, DPAP etc….)

23. Thank you.http://www.teriin.orghttp://www.teriin.org/coping