The impact of climate change and variability is most severe in places where the communities are reliant on natural resources for their livelihoods that are degraded due to anthropogenic pressures and relatively high contact to climate hazards. Indigenous communities particularly have a low adaptive capacity and face the constraints in developing adaptation strategies due to limited information, poor access to services, and inequitable access to productive assets. Few studies have reported on the status of climate change in rural and remote hill landscapes of Assam with little known about adaptation strategies in use.
The study is based in Kohora River Basin of Kaziranga- Karbi Anglong Landscape, Assam and it examines the impact of climate change and variability on Karbi indigenous community, how their livelihoods and wellbeing are differentially impacted and what are the responses. Using the Community-based Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment approach (CBVCA) framework, major climate hazards and their effects on livelihood resources were analysed. Furthermore, their responses were analysed under 5 major themes- 1. traditional indigenous knowledge, 2. livelihood diversity, 3. physical and social infrastructure, 4. food and water security, 5. government and organizations support.
Results show that climate variability have significantly challenged the livelihoods of a community, experiencing resource degradation, food scarcity, lack of basic services, and increasing social inequalities. The changing climate is an additional burden to the Karbi Community who are already living in poverty, are vulnerable and excluded with predictions of additional risks to livelihoods and further inequity in the future. This paper suggests that combining different knowledge systems (i.e., traditional or indigenous and scientific knowledge) is potentially one of the best ways to successful adaptation.
Mots clés : Climate Change|Indigenous Traditional Knowledge|Livelihoods|Adaptation strategies|Vulnerability
A105163RB