1. Coping with climate induced natural disasters in coastal Orissa, India
B. C. Roy
Mruthyunjaya
S. Selvarajan
National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (ICAR)

2. Presentation Part I: Vulnerability of Orissa Agriculture Part II:
Coping with natural disasters

3. Why Orissa agriculture is highly vulnerable?
Erratic climate
Low irrigation coverage
Very high degree of dependence on a single crop (mainly rainfed kharif rice)
Large coastal area
Poor rural infrastructure
Lack of resources

5. Orissa is one of most severely food insecure states in India
Here, the net climate effect is negative also (Downing, 2002)

6. Season-wise contribution to total foodgrain production: 1960-2000
Very high dependence on kharif production in Orissa
Paddy alone accounts for 78% of gross cropped area in Orissa

7. ORISSA- The Disaster Capital of India
After 1999 super cyclone Men can survive on relief, but what about cattle?
“Deadly cocktail
of floods,cyclones,
and droughts”
Flood in Mahakalpara 2001

8. Coping with natural disasters
Large scale adaptation programmes by government are severely constrained due to resource scarcity. Therefore, efforts by those who feel the impacts are crucial.
How do rural households perceive and cope with CINDs?

9. Orissa
Kendrapara
Mahakalpara
Rajnagar
Jambu (50)
Mangalpur(50)
Gupti (50)
Sanwara(50)

10. Rural people’s perception
Events
Increased incidence?
(% response)
Drought
Frequency
Intensity 92 90
Floods 57 17
Cyclones 26 54

11. Preparedness against CIND events: Individual/community

12. Preparedness against CIND events: Institutional

13. Coping strategies Reducing expenditures: Modifying consumption
Livestock keeping: Composition & De-stocking
Drawing down inventories: Stocks & assets
Drawing upon CPRs: Forest, river & sea
Seeking alternate employment: Locality or Migration
Adjustment in crop practices: Change crop variety
Others: Co-operation, Postponing family festivals

14. Some lessons Vulnerability: Nexus between poverty and environment
Poor are more vulnerable. Further, their capacity to withstand any extreme event is very low.
Warning systems are almost timely and more or less accurate but the problem is of follow-up actions
Relief is vital. In spite of limitations, it saved many poor from further suffering.
Livestock is a neglected entity in relief programmes. So the case with seed, fodder and credit requirements.
The coping mechanisms adopted by the rural households provide them flexibility to reduce vulnerability
However, it is necessary that a system be developed for greater preparedness at all levels, i.e., government and civil society

15. Looking forward
A collaborative study: ‘Developing Decision Making Tools for Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change’
Objective: Help mainstream adaptation on climate change in national sustainable development planning
Target: The project will cover agriculture and allied sector
Time: Output will be ready within one year from now