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

14. Thank You