1. Community perception and adaptation to
changing weather patterns in Pauri,
Uttarakhand: a case study of village Tamlag
Yeeshu Shukla
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Mumbai
2. Significance
Global Warming-Impacts on mountain systems
The changes in climate variability have led to a rapid
retreat of mountain glacier systems which are considered
the lifeline
Long term impacts for biodiversity, people and livelihoods
as well as regional food security
Very little knowledge available on local impacts and coping
mechanisms
3. Objectives
To understand and learn about the existing vulnerabilities in
times of growing climate threats.
To understand and learn about the adaptation
Govt. response in terms of existing schemes and their
adequacy
4. Methodology and tools
26 Household interviews
20% women headed households
FGDs with separate group of men and women
FGD with the staff of a local development support
agency
Interviews with govt. officials- Forest and Agriculture
Interview with senior scientist at GB Pant Himalayan
Development Institute
Participatory mapping, Participant observation,
Transect walk, Daily time use analysis
5. Findings
Changes in weather patterns:
Extreme climatic events
Shift in the cycle of rains and negligible winter rains
Rising temperature: some indicators
•Change in the varieties of fruit trees in the area.
•Gradual replacement by low altitude varieties
•Emergence of mosquitoes and termites
6. Findings
Impact of weather changes
Agriculture:
Major crops being produced- Wheat, Paddy, Manduwa, Barely,
Jhangura, different pulses like Gahat, Urad, Soyabean, Matar
Adverse impact of less snowfall particularly on wheat
Incessant increase in diseases in crops and growth of wild
weeds
Failure of winter crops
7. Findings
Impact of weather changes
Forest and water:
7 water sources (Gadheras/springs) in and around the village and in
recent years 4 of them have dried up
Increase in un-irrigated land in the village with a significant drop in
the production of crops
Gharat (water mill) stopped working due to the depletion in the
quantity of water
Significant decrease of broad leaf varieties (good for water recharge
and resistant to forest fires) of trees like Quercus (Baanj),
Rhododendron (buransh), Kafal, Utees and Bhamora
Varieties of wild vegetables/medicinal herbs like Taidu, Geethi, Chana,
Ghanya are becoming extinct in forests
Change in cycle- Rhododendron flower and kafal (local wild fruit)
8. Findings
Impact of weather changes
Increasing burden on women and marginalised
Depletion of forest- women have to walk around 3-4 kms to collect
fodder for their livestock
Increase in their work hours by 5-6 hours on the days of fodder
collection
Dalit families -landless labourers or have non-irrigated marginal
landholdings.
Located far from the forest and water due to conventional settlement
pattern
9. Findings
Adaptation by the people
Agriculture
Traditionally 5 different varieties of paddy were cultivated
Replacement of varieties requiring more water
Red wheat (requires less water) instead of White wheat in non
irrigated land
Increase the area under cash crop
Change in the varieties of pulses
10. Findings
Coping mechanisms and adaptation by the people
Livestock
Replacing Buffaloes with Cows
Stalled feeding requirements
Quantity of fodder
Irrigation
Creation of Khal (small pond) can be termed as an local
technique for water harvesting
Shelter
Change in material
Wood being replaced by metal and concrete
11. Findings
Governments programs and Disaster Risk Reduction
Dependency level on different source of income
52% on Agriculture
23% on Service
GOI- NABARD village development plan
Sustainable livelihood opportunities within the village area
Forest department
74 hectare (20% of total land) of van panchayat land
Annual fuel wood requirement (ton) 548.72
Green fodder is a major problem in winter season and results
in low yield of milk in cow/buffalos
Forest department encourages plantation through PRIs in the
region
12. Findings
Governments programs and Disaster Risk Reduction
New initiatives like forming teams under van panchayat
Recent increase in forest fires is one indicator of the change
Agriculture department
Program called ATMA which aims to provide the technical
knowhow to the people
Activities such as soil testing, developing nursery,
procurement of seeds
Expertise of Garhwal Agriculture University for training people
Benefits from the program are highly uneven
13. Discussion
Most of the adaptation that is taking place in the village is
autonomous and not planned adaptation.
Need for planned adaptation measures which are termed as
conscious policy options or response strategies
Adaptation and disaster risk reduction is not understood as
development and governance issue
Villagers work on a day- to- day priorities rather than for the longer
term
•Assessing and understanding current livelihood systems,
indigenous knowledge, adaptive capacities and vulnerabilities
•Identifying and promoting options to adapt to climate variability in
collaboration with local agricultural research institutes and
governments