Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
can act as an aid to quantify the extent and nature
of the development change to develop sound and
sustainable land-use practices.
Deltaic regions like the Sundarbans, experi-
ence repeated occurrence of cyclonic storms
and depression and communication tools like
early warning systems need to be strengthened
to increase adaptive capacity. The WWF Cli-
mate adaptation Centre at Mousuni island in
the Sundarbans is an example of building local
knowledge for local communities. This is being
achieved by integrating academic, industry and
civil society involvement in helping to bring out
natural solutions and helping local communities
towards sustainable development against adverse
impact of climate stresses. Setting up of these
early warning systems is an excellent example
of addressing disaster risk reduction from a short
term and a long term perspective.
The use of high resolution remote sensing
technologies have also helped to get a better un-
derstanding of coastal zone dynamics and devel-
oping response mechanisms. A recent study using
high resolution digital elevation model data and
importing more than 80,000 GPS point data sets
(Loucks et al, 2010) in Bangladesh Sundarbans
suggests that an expected sea level rise of 28 cm
above 2000 levels is likely to severely impact the
remaining resident population of the Bengal tigers
in the Sundarbans ecosystem. Lack of remaining
tiger habitat as a consequence of sea level rise may
lead to decline of the species by as much as 96
percent with very few remaining breeding pairs
of the species in the delta.
resources at the disposal of the rural communities
coupled with high level of climate risks identified
is a threat to food security, livelihood and eco-
nomic prosperity of local communities. Scientific
institutions and civil society organisations have
therefore been trying to design appropriate cop-
ing strategies and mechanism aimed at building
a sound adaptation framework to meet some of
the threats.
While technology driven processes like low
cost water harvesting solutions have their benefits,
it is important to first understand the needs and
perception of the farming community on the im-
portance on climate change and its impacts on ag-
ricultural productivity as well as current adaptation
measures being taken up. Under the Government
of India's All India Coordinated Research project
on Agro meteorology, a recent survey found that
about 70-100% of farmers had prior knowledge
about climate change related issues. Enhancing
rural livelihoods option in rain fed regions in re-
mote and inaccessible terrain like the Himalayas
requires innovative technology interventions to
enable rural farming communities to address future
impacts of climate related stress. Institutions like
MS Swaminathan Research Foundation,Chennai,
India have pioneered the concept of a village
knowledge centre in several states across India.
These act as resource centres which provide in-
formation on local weather forecasting through
weather based agro meteorological observatory
services and crop management practices through
internet kiosks.
Local Knowledge Centres of Farmers
Agriculture
In the state of Andhra Pradesh,India village
based knowledge centres have been developed
where science based ICT tools have been used to
predict the variability of drought like conditions
and micro level preparedness against drought.
The International Crops Research Institute for
Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) with assistance
One of the major sectors which drives the economic
activity of a large developing nation like India is
agriculture. Much of India's agriculture economy
is monsoon dependent and rural poor and farmers
living in the rainfed regions are vulnerable to the
variability of the monsoon leading to either excess
