Mapping of effectiveness of adaptation strategies in current climate regime in rural India using fuzzy cognitive mapping
Student name: Ms Sudeshna Maya Sen
Guide: Dr Arabinda Mishra
Year of completion: 2013
Host Organisation: Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr P. K. Singh
Abstract: Climate variability and climate related extreme events are a global phenomenon, which is
adversely impacting the balance of nature in multiple regions of the world. The degree of
vulnerability varies across sectors, countries and geographical regions. Countries like India are
highly vulnerable to climate change as climate sensitive economic sectors like agriculture forms
the backbone of our economy. Rural livelihood assets are negatively impacted by climate change
and this threatens livelihood security. The study at a district scale, through a trans-disciplinary
approach intends to assess adaptive capacity of the Balangir, Orissa to climate change. All
methods and tools used in the study relied heavily on perception based information collated from
group discussions with stakeholders whose livelihoods are intricately connected to the rural
sector. Based on a literature review, extensive field visits and fuzzy cognitive mapping an attempt
was made to identify major impacts of climate change and the subsequent adaptation strategies
undertaken in the region. Climate change-livelihood linkages were further explored and assessed
through a modified sustainable livelihood framework, using cognitive interpretation diagrams.
Furthermore, through scenario generation, an attempt was made to grade the effectiveness of
multiple adaptation strategies.
Keywords: climate change, rural livelihood assets, adaptation strategies, fuzzy cognitive
mapping (FCM), scenarios
