CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON TRIBAL LIVELIHOODS, HUMAN SUFFERING, AND MIGRATION IN WESTERN ODISHA

Abstract

Tribal communities primarily depend on agriculture and natural ecosystems for their livelihood, and substances are vulnerable to climate change. Tribals are more susceptible to climate change because of their greater reliance on natural resources. The paper attempted to understand the effect of climate change on livelihood resource bases of the tribal community and the human suffering and migration of tribal communities and suggested adaptive measures to cope with climate change challenges. Information was gathered from 200 tribal families across four districts of western Odisha using the interview method and focus group discussion, whose livelihood primarily depends on land, water, and forest resources. We have calculated the nature and degree of the relation of the Climate Change Index (σ), Livelihood Resource Base Index (η), Human Suffering Index (λ) and Migration Index (β). The study reveals that Climate Change stress is higher at the community level, whereas its impact on livelihood resources, human suffering, and migration is higher at the household level. It inferred that climate change has significantly (p<0.01) impacted the livelihood resource bases of the tribal community and human suffering and migration of tribal communities. The study proposes that government entities, policymakers, and programme implementers, including civil society organisations, should prioritise the effective management of livelihood resources. This includes designing climate-responsive livelihood strategies, promoting livelihood diversification, and enhancing the adaptive capacity of tribal communities to cope with the impacts of climate change. The study also suggests collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including government agencies, policymakers, programme implementers, and community organisations, for sustainable use of livelihood resources. The efforts involve climate-responsive livelihoods, encouraging livelihood diversification, and implementing household-level climate change adaptation strategies. Such actions must aim to alleviate the detrimental impacts of climate change on tribals.