Exploring the relationship between local institutions in SAT India and adaptation to climate variability

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between local institutions and adaptation to climate variability in four semi-arid villages in India. Based on a qualitative survey, it draws attention to the constraints that farming households face, the role of institutions, and the implications for their capacities to adapt. Using an institutional framework, the study examines the role of local institutions in facilitating community adaptation to perceived climate variability. It was found that at the institutional and community level farmers rely on government schemes that provide social safety nets and the private sector such as moneylenders as sources of adaptation options regarding access to credit. Serious constraints emerged, 2 however, in terms of adaptation to what may be a more challenging future. These constraints were further explored by means of grounded theory. The lack of collective feeling and action has hindered bargaining for better market prices and the development of alternate livelihood options. The need for better financial inclusion and access to more formal systems of finance is necessary to increase the overall adaptive capacity of households. During crisis situations or climatic shocks, the absence of these systems means the sale of household assets and resources especially among small and landless groups of farmers. Overall, rural households perceive that public, civic and private institutions play a significant role in shielding them against the adverse effects of climate variability. The perceived importance of different institutions is however different across different categories of farmers, women and labourers.

Beyond dichotomies: Gender and intersecting inequalities in climate change studies

“…The gender and level of education of the head of household are closely correlated, and are cited as a possible explanation for differences in vulnerability (Deressa et al 2009 Below et al 2012). Other studies argue that a lack of formal education and the social standing of female heads of household were found to limit access to credit (Below et al 2012; Banerjee et al 2013) and to increase therefore the female-headed households’ vulnerability. In some studies, female-headed households experience greater vulnerability because, in contrast to most male-headed households, they usually lack reliable, non-farm income (Eriksen et al 2005; Antwi-Agyei et al 2012).…”

“…In some cases, gender-relevant qualitative information gathered through participatory workshops was not included in the papers’ conclusions. Most recommendations were aimed at the community or household level, and called for: greater assistance for female-headed households; targeted climate adaptation policies and programmes to enhance asset building and increase the capacity of vulnerable households to engage in more resilient non-farm activities (Antwi-Agyei et al 2012); and greater financial inclusion and access to formal systems of finance (Banerjee et al 2013). Many studies also recommended the improvement of education systems to provide equal opportunities for women, and the strengthening of social capital, agricultural extension, microcredit services, and access to information (Below et al 2012; Kisauzi et al 2012).…”

Assessing differential vulnerability of communities in the agrarian context in two districts of Maharashtra, India

“…Concerning access to credit, government crop loans, other specialized schemes financed through nationalized and regional banks were available and accessible to meet the credit needs of farmers. While formal and informal credit facilities were available for all the farmer categories, the large and medium farmers accessed more credit from the banks while the small and marginal farmers relied on the informal credit system (Banerjee, Kamanda, Bantilan, & Singh, 2013); as farmers with larger acreage of land and assured irrigation facilities were perceived positively by lenders while disbursing loans (Pal & Laha, 2014). In both study sites, large and medium farmers (mostly upper caste groups) accessed most of the loans, incidents of non-repayment by some farmers, due to crop loss coupled with crop loan waivers by the government, rendered banks unable to sanction loans to small and marginal farmers.…”

How can weather affect crop area diversity? Panel data evidence from Andhra Pradesh, a rice growing state of India

“…At a district scale, land allocation decisions, in any season, are spread over several weeks to avoid risk related with moisture availability. In rain shadow regions 4 of the state, farmers have had to re-sow the seed because of the delay in the onset of the rainfall followed by dry spells (Banerjee et al, 2013). While access to irrigation reduces crop failure risk, it negatively affects agricultural profi tability.…”

“…Increasing supply of agricultural infrastructure and institutional support to ensure effective input supply, market expansion and diversifi cation expands a farmer's choice set and eases constraints on adaptation to climate change (Kates et al, 2012;Banerjee et al, 2013;Jain et al, 2015). A society's adaptation efforts are closely linked with the economic growth and basic development indicators such as income, education and quality of institutions (Bowen et al, 2012).…”