Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Program Interventions on the Lives and Livelihoods of Hill Women of the Indian Himalayas
Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Program Interventions on the Lives and Livelihoods of Hill Women of the Indian Himalayas
Author : Seema Ravandale, Santarpana Choudhury, Dr Rajashree Joshi and Dr Dinesh Prasad
As the effects of climate change take root, the patterns of lives and livelihoods of agrarian
communities in different parts of the globe are getting altered. This is even more evident
in cases of smallholder farming communities situated in areas particularly vulnerable to
climate risks, like the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
In such fragile ecosystems, the effects of climate change tend to get magnifi ed owing to
the complex socio-economic-ecological patterns of life. The state of Uttarakhand displays
features characteristically associated with climate change in the IHR and its spillover on
the socio-economic life of the people. Driven by a money-order economy wherein men
migrate outwards in search of better livelihood opportunities, women play a central role
in their families and fi elds. But degrading natural resources imply growing drudgery and
hardship for these women
Taking cognizance of the vulnerabilities of these hill communities, the Adaptation Fund
Board launched a project in 2015-16 for fi ve years in ten villages of Champawat district,
Uttarakhand. Named ‘Climate Smart Actions and Strategies for Sustainable Livelihood
of Agriculture Dependent Hill Communities’, the project was implemented in the target
region by BAIF Development Research Foundation, reaching up to 800 vulnerable
households, among which 500 were women-headed households.
To read full or to save a copy click on the Download link below: