Skip to main content

Gujarat population falling under highly vulnerable category shows upward trend

By Rajiv Shah 
Vulnerability to climate change in Gujarat remains a worrying policy issue for the state. A new study has found that there has been a sharp rise in the highly vulnerable areas in Gujarat over the last two decades. 
A recent research work, which has still not caught public eye, “Analysis of Vulnerability Indices in Various Agro-Climatic Zones of Gujarat”, published in Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics (January-March 2013), should send alarming signals to the state policy makers, seeking to address disaster management issues in Gujarat. Prepared by a Junagarh Agricultural University scholar Deepa B Hiremath in association with a senior faculty, RL Shiyani, the study has found that, over the last two decades, not only has the number of districts under “highly vulnerable” category has gone from three (Panchmahals, Surat and Ahmedabad) to six (Surendrangar, Rajkot, Bharuch, Banaskantha Mehsana and Sabarkantha). Worse, Ahmedabad is now one of the two districts categorized as “very highly vulnerable” districts – the other district being Amreli. In early 1990s also two districts were under the “very highly vulnerable” category – they were Jamnagar and Mehsana.
High/very high vulnerability in Gujarat

What should be particularly worrisome for the policy makers is, the area under the “highly and very highly vulnerable” category has gone up from 24.73 per cent in early 1990s to 33.79 per cent over the last two decades later. Similarly, population under the “highly and very highly vulnerable” category has gone up from 37.91 per cent to 38.86 per cent. The study takes into account four different variables for its analysis – demographic vulnerability (factored from density of population and literacy rate), climate vulnerability (factored variance in rainfall and variance in south-western monsoon), agricultural vulnerability (factored from productivity of major crops, cropping intensity, area under cultivation and livestock population), and occupational vulnerability (factored from total workers, agricultural workers, industrial workers, cultivators and non-workers). Strangely, the study has refused to discuss vulnerability caused by industrialization and resultant environmental damage.
The study says, “The data pertaining to various socio-economic indicators were collected and compiled from different sources, viz., Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Gandhinagar and Department of Agriculture and Co-operation, Gandhinagar; meteorological data were collected from the Meteorology Departments of Anand Agricultural University, Anand and Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.” Pointing towards its limitation, the study says that as “vulnerability to climate change is a comprehensive multidimensional process affected by a large number of related indicators”, it has not be possible for it “to include all the sub-indicators and so only indicators relevant to Gujarat state were selected in the construction of vulnerability indices… Here, the important and maximum possible available indicators were selected for the 1990s and 2000s decades.”
Even as excluding the impact of industrial growth on climate vulnerability, the study says, “Gujarat State is one of the fastest growing economies in our country. It is rapidly expanding its production and consumption activities.” This, it points out, is the major reason for the state to “contribute to climate change” and be “vulnerable to its impacts”. It underlines, “There is a pressing need to balance this development by simultaneously acting upon climate change and other issues which are putting tremendous pressure on the environment’s carrying capacity. The results of vulnerability indices analysis for the selected districts revealed that the variables pertaining to agricultural vulnerability were the major contributors in the overall vulnerability to climate change.”
District-wise situation in Gujarat

Based on an analysis of 14 major districts of Gujarat, the study recommends, “Since the agricultural sector was found to have the greatest bearing, there is a need to shift focus towards investments in adaptation research capacity: particularly, in the development of climate proof crops (drought resistant and heat tolerant varieties) that can cope with wide range of climatic conditions. An improvement in the agronomic practices of different crops such as revising planting dates, plant densities and crop sequences can help cope with the delayed rainy seasons, longer dry spells and earlier plant maturity. Also, technologies for minimizing soil disturbance such as reduced tillage, conservation agriculture and crop rotation must be adopted.” It adds, in order to enhance the resilience of the agriculture sector, “new strategies must be built around ‘green’ agricultural technologies, such as adaptive plant breeding, forecasting of pests, rainwater harvesting and fertilizer microdosing. So far as the livestock sector is concerned, measures relating to utilization of fodder banks, control of livestock population and improvement in the livestock productivity, organizing of cattle camps and conservation of fodder must be undertaken.”
The study says, “Next to the agricultural indicators, the occupational indicators were found to be the second largest contributors. Since the occupational indicators were the second largest contributors towards overall vulnerability, to reduce the climate change impact, the policy makers must focus on generating better employment opportunities including income diversification options for the people in the regions where the incidences of out-migration are high. The dependence on agriculture should to be reduced, by encouraging other non-farm sources of income. Since the worst sufferers of climate change impacts are the rural communities (who depend mainly on agriculture for their livelihoods), it is important to focus on the impacts of climate change on livelihoods, and re-establish the links among poverty, livelihood and environment.”
“However”, it believes, “focusing on the communities only is not enough, and so long as the community initiatives do not become part of the government policies, it is difficult to sustain the efforts. A unique way of vulnerability reduction is through enhancing the capacities of local people and communities. Livelihood security should be the first and the foremost priority, where the improvement of lifestyle is desired through income generation in different options: agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, animal husbandry.” In addition, the study says, “Apart from this, predicted impacts should be introduced into development planning in the future, including land use planning and necessary remedial measures should be included to reduce vulnerability in disaster reduction strategies. Thus, the state of Gujarat requires a development strategy that integrates climate change policies with sustainable development strategies to effectively combat climate change issues.”
The study says, “The agricultural and occupational indicators were the greatest contributors towards vulnerability, which accounted for 52.61 per cent and 32.07 per cent, respectively. Since the agricultural sector was found to have the greatest bearing towards the overall vulnerability to climate change, there is a need to shift focus towards investments in adaptation research capacity, particularly in the development of climate proof crops (drought resistant and heat tolerant varieties) as well as redeploying the existing improved crop varieties that can cope with a wide range of climatic conditions. An improvement in the agronomic practices of different crops such as revising planting dates, plant densities and crop sequences can help cope with the delayed rainy seasons, longer dry spells and earlier plant maturity.”
It adds, “Also, technologies for minimizing soil disturbance such as reduced tillage, conservation agriculture and crop rotation must be adopted. So far as the livestock sector is concerned, measures relating to utilization of fodder banks, control of livestock population and improvement in the livestock productivity, organizing of cattle camps and conservation of fodder must be undertaken. The district of Panchmahals exhibited least vulnerability, followed by Junagadh and Vadodara districts due to agricultural and occupational indicators.” Referring to Junagadh district, it says, “The reasons for such a positive scenario for Junagadh district can be ascribed to the higher productivity of major crops like groundnut and cotton, high cropping as well as irrigation intensity, vast areas of grazing and permanent pastures along with greater livestock population and greater forest cover in the district.”
Results reveal, the study claims, that the agricultural sector “was the principal contributor to the overall vulnerability to climate change which is in line with the studies which show that as a part of the problem, agriculture contributes nearly 14 per cent of the annual green house gas (GHG) emissions, compared with about 13 per cent by transportation (considered the principal culprit along with deforestation (19 per cent). The principal agricultural sources of GHG’s include methane emissions from irrigated rice fields and livestock, nitrous oxide emissions from fertilised fields, energy use for pumping irrigation supplies and soil and land management practices. However, it can be a part of the solution by mitigating GHG emissions through better crop management, carbon sequestration, soil and land use management and biomass production.”

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor  The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien