Custodians of natural resources are the tribals, but they are the most deprived. Critically examine how climate change will impact their survival in future. (20 Marks) Anthropology Optional Paper CSE 2024
Custodians of natural resources are the tribals, but they are the most deprived. Critically examine how climate change will impact their survival in future.
(20 Marks) Anthropology Optional Paper CSE 2024
Introduction
Tribal communities in India and other regions of the world have historically protected natural resources by living environmentally conscious, sustainable lifestyles. Their primary sources of food and livelihood are the land, water, and forests. Despite playing a critical role in the protection of biodiversity, tribal groups often face marginalization and lack of access to essential services. Climate change presents a challenge to these marginalized communities, making it more difficult for them to live and uphold their traditional ways of life because of its devastating consequences on the environment and society. For more details, visit Custodians of natural resources are the tribals
Main Body
Dependence on Natural Resources:
Forests and Biodiversity: For food, medicine, fuel, and shelter, tribal cultures rely on forests. The preservation of biodiversity has benefited from their traditional wisdom. But their livelihoods are directly threatened by shifting ecosystems and deforestation brought on by climate change.
Agriculture and Water Resources: Many tribes practice subsistence farming and depend on predictable weather patterns. Erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and floods, all consequences of climate change, disrupt agricultural cycles, leading to food insecurity.
Fishing Communities: Coastal and riverine tribal communities rely on fishing for sustenance. Rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and overfishing due to climate change put these communities at risk, depleting fish stocks and increasing competition for resources.
Impact of Climate Change on Tribal Survival:
Loss of Livelihoods: Traditional means of subsistence like hunting, fishing, and shifting cultivation (jhum) are disrupted by climate change, which results in economic hardship. Tribes are forced to look for alternate livelihoods due to reduced access to natural resources; they are frequently found in metropolitan areas where they experience even more marginalization.
Displacement and Land Alienation: Rising sea levels, desertification, and deforestation may lead to displacement of tribal communities from their ancestral lands. This displacement is often compounded by developmental projects and land acquisitions, pushing tribes into more vulnerable situations.
Health Impacts: Climate change also affects the health of tribal communities. Increased incidence of vector-borne diseases like malaria, waterborne diseases due to floods, and malnutrition caused by food insecurity disproportionately affect tribes due to their limited access to healthcare services.
Cultural Erosion: The disruption of tribal ecosystems and displacement often results in the erosion of traditional knowledge and cultural practices, as these are closely tied to their natural surroundings. This loss of cultural identity further marginalizes these communities.
Challenges in Adaptation:
Lack of Representation: Tribal communities are often excluded from policy-making processes related to climate change, leading to the neglect of their needs and perspectives in climate adaptation strategies. Their traditional knowledge of resource management remains underutilized in formal climate policy frameworks.
Economic Marginalization: Tribals are economically marginalized and have limited access to resources that can help them adapt to climate change. Insufficient infrastructure, lack of access to education, and poverty compound their vulnerability.
Development vs. Conservation: Large-scale development projects, such as mining and dam construction, often prioritize economic growth over environmental conservation and tribal rights. These projects degrade ecosystems that are vital for tribal survival, contributing to further environmental degradation.
Potential for Tribal Communities in Climate Adaptation:
Traditional Knowledge as a Resource: Tribal knowledge systems, especially concerning sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and water management, can provide valuable insights into climate adaptation strategies. Integrating this knowledge into modern climate resilience frameworks could benefit both tribes and the broader fight against climate change.
Community-Led Conservation: Empowering tribal communities through community-based natural resource management can help preserve ecosystems while improving their socio-economic conditions. Successful models, such as joint forest management (JFM), demonstrate the potential for tribals to play a pivotal role in conservation and adaptation.
Policy Interventions Needed:
Inclusion in Climate Policies: Tribal communities must be included in national and global climate change policies. Providing platforms for tribal participation in decision-making can ensure that their concerns are addressed in adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Sustainable Livelihood Programs: Governments need to implement sustainable livelihood programs that align with traditional tribal practices while offering resilience against climate change. Financial support, access to markets, and climate-resilient infrastructure are key to ensuring economic stability for these communities.
Legal Protections for Land and Resources: Strengthening legal protections for tribal land and natural resources is critical to ensuring that these communities are not displaced or deprived of their traditional livelihoods. Acts such as the Forest Rights Act, 2006 should be effectively implemented to safeguard tribal rights.
Conclusion
Tribes have historically safeguarded natural resources, but as a result of its effects on their way of life, wellbeing, and sense of cultural identity, climate change is becoming a greater threat to their survival. To ensure their future existence, it is imperative that more extensive strategies for climate adaptation incorporate tribal knowledge and customs. More comprehensive legislation that protect tribal people’ land rights, promote sustainable development, and involve them in the decision-making process are also necessary to strengthen them against the growing threats posed by climate change. Giving tribal groups the chance to actively engage in conservation and climate resilience will benefit both their survival and global efforts to halt environmental degradation.
