Climate Change and Disadvantaged Groups: A Case Study of Vulnerability, Adaptation and Resilience of Dalits in Kuttanad, Kerala

Climate change impacts certain geographical regions and social groups fiercely. The unequal distribution of adaptation capacities and resources are the major cause of this. The historical socio-economic backwardness is burgeoned by the swift and slow repercussions of natural hazards and human induced climate change. Climate change resilience and adaptation measures are largely depended upon the economic wellbeing and mobility. Kuttanad is a large area of wetland surrounded by waterbodies with the peculiar characteristic of paddy cultivation below sea level suffers flood annually. It leads to crop failure, occupational crisis, shelter loss, sanitation crisis, lack of drinking water. As a result, affected population relies on permanent and temporary migration, occupational shift, government aid. This study focuses on the vulnerability, adaptation and resilience of Scheduled Caste population in Kuttanad as they are mostly poor agricultural laborers with little material wellbeing. They are hit gravely by the heavy rain and subsequent flood. This article argues the impact of climate change distresses on socially and economically marginalized communities are as much strong as the impact of economic distress. It jeopardizes the survival itself. The major outcome of its impacts including migration is the result of lack of adaptive capabilities and resources. This is augmented by the lack of knowledge of vulnerability towards climate change distress by governing bodies. This paper suggests a bottom-up approach to facilitate resilience among marginalized communities to fight climate change.

This study followed qualitative methodology. Because the dimensions of climate change identified in this study; vulnerability, adaptive capabilities and resources and resilience need to be drawn from the experiences of people in their natural living settings. In-depth interviewing and semi-structured interview were relied as two methods to extract the words of respondents. Participants were selected on the basis of purposive sampling.

Key words- Climate Change, adaptation, vulnerability, Kuttanad, Dalits, resilience