Meghalaya is a hill station located in the northeastern part of the country, surrounded by Assam in the north and Bangladesh in the south, inhabited by three main tribes: Khasis, Jaintias and Garos as well as other tribal communities. The state is known for its lush green hills, home to diverse species of flora and fauna which is presently facing a serious threat from climate change. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Meghalaya, mostly practiced in the rural areas. Furthermore, the state is famous for its scenic beauty, culture, food, folklore and music having a distinct system of tradition and custom of a matrilineal society.‘Climate change’ means a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.
Traditionally, the state receives abundant rainfall which is crucial for the agricultural sector. About 83 % of the total population of state depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Mawsynram (about 16 km West of Cherrapunji) in the southern slopes of Khasi hills district receives the heaviest rainfall (11690 mm) in the world.
Rapid industrialisation, deforestation and changing weather conditions have made the state vulnerable to climate change. The change in weather patterns has made it difficult for farmers to sow crops according to seasons. As the weather always play spoilt sport it is important to address the challenges and develop strategies that can protect Meghalaya’s agricultural sector and the livelihood of farmers.
As the locals always say, ‘Saw Aiom Shi Sngi’ which means ‘Four Seasons in a Day’ has been the most occurring wonders of nature having all the pros and cons at the same time. Rising temperature, erratic rainfall and extreme weather events are some of the impacts of climate change that are increasing agricultural risks in the state. On the bright side, local farmers can cultivate several cash crops due to weather patterns but on the contrary, farmers cannot rely their cultivation only on weather conditions which in turn affect the productivity yielding.
Nature’s Wrath
The context of climate change is not a local issue but rather a global burning topic. In the recent years, the state has been experiencing a considerable rise in temperature, especially during summer which led to some cultivated areas all drying up due to the dry weather. The change in rainfall pattern and extreme weather conditions adds to the looming water crisis in the state.
According to (ISFR) 2021, Meghalaya lost 73 sq. km of forest cover in just two years – from 2019 to 2021. The loss in forest cover may be attributed to shifting cultivation, felling of trees, natural calamities, anthropogenic pressure and developmental activities.
Agriculture in the state can also be understood from another perspective where productivity yielding can be very low if monsoon season tends to fluctuate caused by global warming after all. The question arises, what caused global warming? The answer leads down to ignorant human activities either on a smaller or larger scale. When a question is asked to the local farmers, why would they produce in smaller quantities?The best response coming from such units is ‘Self Sufficiency’, just enough surplus to maintain until the next harvest. For instance, due to the high price of vegetables in the market resulting from unsuitable weather conditions, distance and transportation cost, most of them are obliged to produce only for sustaining their household unit.
At the grassroot level, the livelihood of the locals is sustained by agriculture, while others are locally engaged in tertiary sectors such as services, auto-workshop, and a few in small businesses. If majority of the populace are dependent on agriculture for sustenance and climate change is a factor for it, then the challenges stand unopposed. Now, several questions may arise along the way.
Farmers’ Woes
The inability of farmers to adapt to technological advancements, lack of support and training mechanisms from the concerned institutions, absence of on-ground research and direct engagement with agriculturists, lack of infrastructure including irrigation facilities and agricultural equipment have hindered their progress in the agriculture field. Soil erosion due to heavy rainfall also makes it difficult for farmers to sow crops effectively.
The Meghalaya Climate Action Policy
Climate Action Budget: It is for the first time that the state government introduced a Climate Action Budget. Its objective includes allocating financial resources to promote climate action, to fund climate-related initiatives such as improving energy efficiency, investing renewable energy, helping communities in protecting the natural ecosystem. (See Infographic for examples of community led initiatives). To ensure that public spending is aligned with climate objectives, identifying opportunities for cost savings and innovation in green industries, the total budget allocated to climate action for Meghalaya has increased from INR 2,456.23 crores in 2022-23 to INR 3,411.93 crore in 2023-24 (budget estimates) constituting 15.36% of the total state budget for the FY 2023-24.
The state’s economic activities are more aligned towards agriculture and allied activities leading to low emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). The state is prioritising climate change mitigation related activities at Rs 28.14 crore and climate change adaptation related activities at INR 157.85 crore for the Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Department.
Community-driven Initiatives:
The state government has come up with community-led initiatives to help farmers develop strategies and create a collective effort for them to practice environment-friendly methods that will not hinder their efforts for sustainable livelihoods.
- Community-based Forest Management and Livelihood Improvement in Meghalaya aims to restore and conserve natural resources within the villages by sustainable forest management and livelihood improvement.
- The Meghalaya Community Led Landscape Management Project seeks to leverage on the strength of the community to develop sustainable Natural Resource Management system that will lead to the restoration of degraded landscape of the state, build climate resilience and generate opportunities for livelihoods. CLLMP is entirely “Community-Driven” which means that planning and decisions to take up as well as implement interventions are done by the communities themselves. (See Infographic)
- Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha- LAMP)
Megha-LAMP seeks to build inclusive supply chains for agriculture, horticulture and forest produce. It also aims to develop credit and market linkages through farmer-based institutions called Village Cooperative Societies.
The state government also introduced the Meghdoot app in 2023. It is a collaborative effort between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and IMD. It integrates weather forecasts and crop advisories, empowering farmers to make informed decisions and mitigate risks associated with agricultural activities. It is currently available in Khasi and English languages.
The Way Forward
Tackling climate change will be an uphill task for Meghalaya but with the state’s policy initiatives, it can adopt traditional and innovative approaches to help farmers safeguard their livelihood. Meghalaya can take its example from Sikkim which implements The Sikkim Model of Sustainable Development aimed at promoting organic farming with zero use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This policy can become impactful if implemented in the state as it has a huge potential of organic farming practices especially in rural villages.
Creating awareness about various schemes and programmes can equip farmers with better knowledge and skills to address the challenges. The fight against climate change requires collaboration between the government, communities and different stakeholders so that agricultural sector flourishes and creating a sustainable future for Meghalaya.
Author Bio : Heather Cecilia Phanwar is a fellow of the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship (MLRF) of the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business in collaboration with the Meghalaya Institute of Governance (MIG). Previously, Heather worked as a journalist with The Shillong Times and The Meghalayan. She is also a freelance translator (English to Khasi and vice versa). She holds a Master’s degree in Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University.
Author Bio : Lily Kharthangmaw is a fellow of the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship (MLRF) of the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business in collaboration with the Meghalaya Institute of Governance (MIG). Previously, Lily was an Assistant Professor in Alpha College of Arts & Commerce, Nongpoh. She also interned at the U.S Consulate General, Chennai, and provided research assistance at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore. Lily holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Loyola College, Chennai.
DISCLAIMER : The views expressed in this blog/article are author’s personal.