International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Kathmandu, Nepal

Integrating rural development, climate change and sustainable natural resources management in the Asia-Pacific Community perceptions of change, impact, responses and needs: lessons from the Himalayas

IFAD Annual Portfolio Review Workshop1-4 November, 2010, Nanning, China

Climate change….

What does it mean for the rural poor?

• Is climate change perceived by the rural communities?

• What do they perceive?• How is it affecting their

livelihoods?• How are they responding? • What support is required by

the poor?• From whom?

IFAD Grant 1113

Livelihoods and Ecosystem Services in the Himalayas: Enhancing Adaptation Capacity and Resilience of the Poor to Climate and Socioeconomic Changes

• Bhutan, India & Nepal• October, 2009 – September, 2012• IFAD Loan projects & other partners

Understanding the issues: The process

Developing research

instruments and methodology

Conduct assessments jointly

with IFAD project

Analysis, regional comparison and recommendation

formulation

Joint implementation of recommendations

Regional & Country consultations with stakeholders and

IFAD projects

(Progress review & Need assessments)

Enhanced adaptive capacities & resilience

Improved livelihoods and reduced poverty

Documentations: The canvas….(where and with whom)

Survey districtsBhutanPemagatshelTrashi Yangste

IndiaUttarakhandAlmoraBageshwarTehriNE IndiaW Garo HillsE Garo HillsRi BhoiKarbi AnglongUkhrul

Nepal(West)HumlaBajhangDailekh(Central & East)TanahuTerathum

Uttarakhand: 3

Nepal: 3+2

N E India: 5

Total: 15 districts (6 villages per district); 90 villages(criteria – elevation, accessibility, marginality)

Elevation range: 50-3500 M ASL

6 IFAD Projects: Bhutan: AMEPP India: Aajeevika, MRDS & NERCORMPNepal: WUPAP & LFLP

Bhutan: 2

Community perceptions on climate change, impacts and responses : Approach & methodology (How..)

Approach: Participatory Rural Appraisal • Based on ICIMOD Strategic Framework on Climate

Change Adaptation • Community based Vulnerability and Capacity

Assessment Framework

Methodology• PRA Toolkit

o Tool I – Seasonal Dependency (Support systems, Resource diversity & availability)

o Tool II – Seasonal Calendar (Seasonal activities)

o Tool III - Weather perceptions (Seasonality, duration, change)

o Tool IV – Hazard Ranking (Weather & weather induced)

o Tool V – Venn diagram (Institutional dependency) Participatory interpretation of PRA results :

Impacts, coping/adaptive mechanisms

Community perceptions: Weather change (in months)

Uttarakhand:

SnowfallOnset: 1 delayedCompletion: 1-2 earlyDuration: (-) 2-3

RainfallOnset: 2-3 delayedCompletion: 4 earlyDuration: (-) 3-4

Dry periodsOnset: (+) 2-3Completion: 1-2 prolongedDuration: (+) 3New periods: 3-4

Nepal:

SnowfallOnset: 1 delayedCompletion: 1 earlyDuration: (-) 2-3

RainfallOnset: 1-2 delayedCompletion: 3 earlyDuration: (-) 3-4

Dry periodsOnset: (+) 2-3Completion: 1-2 prolongedDuration: (+) 3New periods: 2-3

N E India:RainfallDryspell 5

BhutanSnowfallOnset: ½ delay (earlier in some)Completion: early in some villagesDuration: local changes

RainfallOnset: ½ early (in some villages)Completion: no changeDuration: no change

Dry periodsOnset: delayed in some villagesCompletion: No changeDuration: (-) ½

NE IndiaRainfallOnset: ½ -1 delayed (in some villages)Completion: ½ earlier Duration: (-) 1

Dry periodsOnset: ½ to 1 Completion: ½ to 1 prolongedDuration: (+) 1-2 New periods: 1-2

Community perceptions: Hazard ranking

Uttarakhand:

1.Dry spells (4.17)2.Temp (H) (3.92)

Weather-induced hazards1.Pests (3.8)2.Forest fires (3.8)(Landslides)

Nepal:

1. Dry spells (4.8)2. Storms (3.0)

Weather-induced hazards1.Pests (3.0)(Landslides)

NE India

1.Dry spells (4.3)2.Temp (H) (3.4)3.Storms (3.0)4.Hailstorms (3.0)

Weather-induced hazards1.Pests (4.0)(Flash floods, landslides)

Hazard ranking: scale of 1-5; 5= maximum impact; (Av. of all villages)

Community perceptions: Support systems(Resource base)

Uttarakhand Nepal NE India

TotalSystems (Average)

5 4.33 5.5

Food Av. systems 2.6 2.13 3.68

Av. Support (months)

11.22 11.23 12

Income Av. systems 1.4 2.15 3.02

Av. Support (months)

5.89 11.03 11.5

Annual average: annual average of all districts

Community perceptions: Major impacts

Uttarakhand:

Delayed and reduced snowfall:Impact on winter crops Increased pests (particularly white grub)New crop opportunities

Delayed rainfall, prolonged dry spells:Sowing delayed, yield effectedSeedlings wiltReduced forageIncreased pests

Early maturing of some crops; new cropping opportunity

Severe water scarcity (drinking & irrigation)

Nepal:

Delayed and reduced snowfall:Impact on winter crops – wheatIncreased pests (particularly white grub)Delayed rainfall, prolonged dry spells:Sowing delayed, yield effectedSeedlings wiltReduced forageIncreased pests

Early maturing of some crops; new cropping opportunity

Storms Vegetable and fruit plants effected

Food scarcity, water shortage

NE India

Delayed rainfall, increased hot temperatures, increased water scarcity:

Sowing, germination of crops effected; increased pests;yields reducing

Storms, Hailstorms horticulture crops (cash & vegetable crops) effected

Food and income effected

Annual average: annual average of all districts

Av. annual Uttarakhand Nepal NE India

Food (Total) Months available 11.22 10.9 12

No of resources 3.42 3.12 10.19

Foodgrains (all) Months available 5.59 7.54 6.25

No of resources 2 7 3

Income Months available 6.28 11.37 11.38

No of resources 1.43 3.45 9.21

Wage opportunities

Months available 6.94 7.71 9.5

No of options 1 1.26 1.15

Community perceptions: Resource availability (resource base)

Community responses: Coping & adaptive mechanisms

Uttarakhand:

• Cropping delayed (15 days – 1 month)

• Covering sown seeds with litter, FYM

• Polyhouses for vegetables (Aajeevika)

• Alternative crops (coping):Rice – pulses, soya, sesame, coarse grains (mandua/ragi) or madira (fodder)Mandua – madira or ginger, soya, urad (pulse) or potato

• Crop replacements (adaptive)

Wheat – ginger, tumeric, mustardMaize – cauliflower, peas, soya, vegetable climbersCereals – potatoGroundnut – gingerCereals – horticultureAloe vera (Aajeevika)

• New opportunities (due to warmer weather):

Groundnut, beansPeas, cauliflower (after potato harvest – additional income)

Nepal:

• Cropping delayed (1 month)

• Wet maize seeds prior to sowing; deep sow seeds

• Dry seed beds (rice) – wet seeds, germinate, transplant

• Crop rotation – Horsegram/ blackgram/ sesame

• Mixed cropping – maize, beans; millet, blackgram

• Alternative crops (coping):Millet – maize, upland rice, black gram, chino, mustard, Philunge (beans) Wheat, barley - buckwheatBuckwheat – turnip, mustard, green leafy vegetables, • Crop replacements (adaptive)Wheat, barley – potatoApple - potatoGroundnut – blackgram & horsegramMaize – bananaRice – maize/ginger

• Varietal replacementsWheat: Daudkhani by JhuseRice: Chhiti/Jwali by Laidiya/Rui/AnjanaMarso, Darnali by Munyasonali/Jhyali

NE India• Cropping delayed

• Seeds dibbled (deep sown); seeds soaked, broadcast

• Early harvest (to avoid storms/hailstorm)

• Cropping season shift (summer to winter)• Systems shift – WRC to shifting

cultivation

• Bamboo matting mesh to avoid siltation of fields due to flash floods

• Use of Pomelo (citrus) peals, Samsneng, Magvit, bamboo shoot extract, So-ik, jarman and l-upo against pests;

• hang crab carcass against rice bug

• Use of dwarf or early maturing varieties (against hailstorms);

• Banana intercropping with areca and litchi

• Alternative cropsSesame, soyabeans, rice beans, cowpea

• Alternative varieties:Rice -Sapa, Methungia, Amosa, Chuibok, Soksu, NakaMillet – AlikaShort duration and dwarf varieties grown to avoid loss from hailstorms

Community responses: Adaptive mechanisms

Uttarakhand:

Livestock:Reduced numbers (fodder, forage shortage)Large ruminants to small animals (goats)

Occupational shifts:

Farming to carpentry, masonryWage earning (roadside eateries, wage labour)

Migration: Seasonal migration or long-term

Water-harvestingOak regeneration, catchment protection

Institutional arrangementsWater sharingLabour sharing arrangements

Nepal:

Livestock:Reduced numbers (fodder, forage shortage)Large ruminants to small animals (goats)

Occupational shifts:

Farming to carpet weaving, carpentryWage earningSeasonal migration (lean months – to India)Long-term – Gulf, SE Asia or Korea

NE India

Livestock:Preference for smaller ruminants (goats), poultry

Farming to sand mining (rivers)Farming to weaving

Seasonal wage earning in mines, plantations, road building

Wage earning from MREGA

Community perceptions: Institutional dependency

Uttarakhand:

NeighboursRelatives

Pradhan (Elected Headman)Gram Sabha/Panchayat

SHGs

PDSAtta Chakki (village mill)

AajeevikaSwajal

Block officePHC/hospitalBank

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Agriculture Centres)

Nepal:

Mothers groups LFUGs (project groups)Village Women Development CommitteeCFUG (Community Forest User Groups)

MoneylenderShopkeeper

Vaidya (Traditional ayurvedic practioner)

Agro-vet centres

DADO/DLSODDCDFONGOsINGOsWFP/PAF/USAID

NE India

NeighboursRelativesClanYouth groups (Sengsamlang)Women’s groups (Sengkynthei)Traditional Village Institutions (Dorbar, Sardar, Nokma, Mahari)

Church

SHGsNaRMG (NERCORMP)MRDS

Village Employment CouncilArea Employment CouncilTraditional Institutions (Syiems, Nokma Council)Market/Traders

Agriculture, Horticulture & Vet. Dept.PWDHealthDistrict CommissionerMDC

Changes : Responding to immediate and long-term needs

• Water stress and impacts: – Knowledge transfer and capacity building for soil nutrient & water

management – Stress tolerant crop varieties – strengthening TPs & blending with modern

science; PARs of stress tolerant varieties; Seed Banks & Exchange– Enhance access to knowledge and technical outreach: cross exchange

between practitioners, community led outreach

• Strengthening NRM: water harvesting, recharge and catchment management

• Need for enhancing income generating options – Risk assessment of existing value chains for climate induced risk reduction– Capitalise on emerging opportunities – value chain development– Off-farm opportunities – expand and develop

• Improve financial services, especially risk insurance • Skill development in off-farm sectors

Changes: Some long-term implications

Food security:– Reduced yields, particularly of staples (WRCs)– Replacement of foodgrains by commodity/cash crops (conversion of areas under

foodgrains to non foodgrain crops/activities)– Increased arable land left fallow (inadequate labour/returns)– Labour shift – agriculture to non-farm, migration– Reduction of livestock numbers– Shift from larger livestock to smaller ruminants (implications for milk, milk

products: income thereof)– Inadequate draught animals for ploughing

• Shift from farming to non-farming sectors• Increased feminisation of agriculture• Implications for foodgrain, milk and milk products availability – food

security..?

Thank you