Paper short abstract:

The overarching framework in analysis of adaptive capacity (AC), defines links between exposure, sensitivity, AC and vulnerability. Process of building up AC to tackle the effects of climate variability on agricultural income, with focus on contribution of land and water resources is addressed here.

Paper long abstract:

The overarching framework in analysis of adaptive capacity (AC), defines the links between exposure, sensitivity, AC and vulnerability. Broadly, exposure is defined with respect to change in climatic conditions (gradual as well as sporadic changes), sensitivity is the probability of such variations in climatic conditions, and AC engages with the ability of a system to cope with climatic change. While impact of climatic change has many manifestations, this study in particular looks at the effect of climate change on rainfed agricultural communities located in the semi-arid regions of tropical India. Nearly half of the population of India depends on agriculture as the primary means of livelihood and two-thirds of them depend on seasonal rainfall to grow their crops. Climate variability and change in average climatic conditions have caused agricultural income here to be more vulnerable. This paper aims to understand the process of building up AC to tackle the effects of climate variability on agricultural income. Focus is placed on the contribution of land and water resources in this regard. Two sites where watershed development projects were implemented in the 1990s and are referred to as successful watershed development projects in the secondary literature are studied. Notably, this successful intervention in both the sites were brought about by two different development agencies, however, both were major stakeholders in state level decisions on policies and planning. Primary data collected along with secondary data analysis is resorted to for this purpose.