TITLE:
Forest Dwellers’ Perception on Climate Change and Their Adaptive Strategies to Withstand Impacts in Mizoram, North-East India
AUTHORS:
Uttam Kumar Sahoo, Soibam Lanabir Singh, Snehasudha S. Sahoo, Lal Nundanga, Lal Nuntluanga, Angom S. Devi, John Zothansiama
KEYWORDS:
Perceptions, Climate Change, Adaptation, Forest Policy, Northeast Indi
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.9 No.13,
December
13,
2018
ABSTRACT: We studied the perception of forest-dependent communities on climate change with its associated risk and their adaptation strategies in Mizoram, Northeast India. A total of 360 respondents (household heads) were randomly selected from 24 villages across the three different agro-climatic zones prevalent. The community perceived awareness of climate change phenomena in the region with a positive correlation between age, education and occupation of the respondents. The overall perception of climate change in temperature was medium (0.49), while low for change in precipitation (0.26) and seasonal durability (0.23). The community showed over-all low score of perception on risk of climate change (0.10) where risk on livelihood and socio-economic factors was higher than risk to environment or forest. Perception on impact of climate change was high for forest abi-otic ecological factors (0.66) and flora and fauna (0.62), while medium on livelihood of forest-dependent communities (0.44). The majority (more than 75%) of the respondents agreed that human beings are involved and responsible for climate change. Adoption of adaptive strategies to cope climate change ranged from 0.07 to 0.91, amongst which zero tillage, use of traditional knowledge, forest fire prevention, soil and water conservation techniques, agroforestry practices and social forestry are popular. However, rain water harvesting and investments for crop insurance were adopted on low scores clearly implied by the educational and socio-economic status of the farmers in the majority. The study brings out the knowledge and perceptions to climate change by forest-dependent communities and their adaptive strategies to cope had been assessed. The finding results seek the attention of researchers and policy makers to integrate technological and financial interventions in supporting farmer’s effort to cope with climate change with a long term objective for improving their livelihood and climate sensitive resources at the same time.