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An Overview Of Our Solution

Who is this solution impacting?

Ecosystem

Freshwater

Oceans/Coasts

Community Type

Suburban

Rural

Address

260, Public Office Road
Velippalayam, Nagapattinam 611 001
India

Email

avvaikk@me.com

Population impacted

343 families, total population of around 2000 people

Size

Total land area is 770 acres; 470 acres is cultivable land and 300 acres is waste land. At the initiative's start 170 acres was used for agriculture. The village is 3km off the sea,1.5km off the Manjalaru river and 1km off the Maruthamtallam canal.

Major Occupations

Agriculture is the main occupation. Other work includes masons, carpenters and potters. Low agricultural productivity and employment required 20% of the villagers to sell their land to shrimp farms and power plant companies and many work as wage laborers

Local resources the community depends on, and for what purpose

The community depends on the availability of agricultural fields and water for irrigation and drinking. A canal runs directly through the village and leads water to the fields. Drinking water is supplied via hand pumps, overhead tanks and taps...

Local threats to resources

Salt water intrusion aggravated by rising sea levels and high tide, heavy storms and flooding with sea water have been the major threats to local eco-systems and the community?s livelihoods. Supply with municipal piped water is very limited and irregular.

Climate Hazards

The community is most concerned about include: During a vulnerability and needs assessment conducted in the community in summer 2011 villagers documented the following past climate and extreme weather experiences in Kumarakudi: Increased sea water intrusion, more frequent and more extreme heavy storms and cyclones (major cyclones hit the village in 1972 and then again in 1993, 1999, 2006 and 2011), particularly heavy rainfall and floods (severe floods occurred 1993, 1999 2005, 2009 and 2011), greater incidences of periods of extreme heat, and more extreme rainfall patterns (very low rainfall in dry season, very heavy rains in rainy season). This is in line with more general observations of climate change in India and Tamil Nadu, which highlighted increases in average mean temperatures with a growing dynamic since the 1970s, gradually increasing frequency of very hot days and reduced rainfall outside the rainy seasons especially at India?s east and West coast, an increase of extreme rainfall events over the last decades, a gradual rise of the sea level of around 1.3mm annually and a reduced frequency, but growing intensity of cyclones. For the future a temperature rise of 2-4ï¿½C until the year 2100 is expected for India, with periods of extreme to become more frequent also in the Eastern coastal states. Against the India wide trend, average rainfall during monsoon seasons is projected to decrease in Tamil Nadu. Coupled with projected increases in mean temperatures, heat periods and drought, stress on water resources will become even stronger in the future. The reduced frequency, but growing intensity is projected for the coast of Tamil Nadu also in the future (sources considered for general past and expected changes: amongst others India?s first and second National Communication to the UNFCCC, India Meteorological Department, IPCC 4th Assessment Report).

Level of sensitivity

The community?s level of sensitivity to these climate hazards is very high. The village?s ecosystems and infrastructure (buildings, roads, electricity and communication infrastructure etc.) have been little resistant and only weakly protected against climate hazards. A river bund and field bunds existed also before the adaptation project described below, but were low and, being built from sand, were little resistant to wind and flood water. Past storms and cyclones, heavy rains and flood water have destroyed green areas or turned them into fallow, led to land erosion and to destruction of agricultural fields. In the recent past the community has experienced major crop losses because salt water intruded from the Sunder river inlet in the rainy season and from the sea during cyclone season. The December 2011 cyclone ?Thane? pushed the storm surge into the paddy crop and led to total crop loss in over 50 acres. Cyclones and floods have also severely damaged agricultural equipment, road and electricity connections, and ponds have suffered from saltwater intrusion. Furthermore, longer and more intense periods of extreme heat and low rainfall have led to the drying of wetlands and cultivable fields, further reducing the habitat for flora and fauna, the availability of fertile land for agricultural and horticulture, and of land providing feed to cattle. Kumarakudi?s location at the end of the area?s irrigation channel renders the community particularly sensitive as the water is often blocked and used by stakeholders further up the channel. Furthermore, seasonal shifts in rainfall patterns are affecting the multicrop growth cycle implemented by the farmers. The salinization of land areas, ground water and surface water ? incurred by saltwater intrusion from sea level rise, storm surges, as well as lack of rainfall in dry seasons ? has affected the local ecosystem and the community particularly strongly. Fertile land areas turned into fallow, reducing biodiversity and availability of cultivable land. The community has faced severe scarcity of drinking water, as the ground water is the major source of potable water. In just a few areas the village gets fresh water through hand pumps. In most areas water is saline even at 100 feet below surface. Salinization of canals and ponds due to storm surges has led to severe scarcities in water for irrigation and animal feed. Supply with municipal piped water cannot fill the gap in fresh water, as supply is limited and irregular: 1 family gets only 10-20 litres of water once every 15 days. The described climate hazards have had negative impacts on animal and human health in the community, and in case of cyclones and severe floods also cost villagers? and animals? lives. The community has struggled with poor health due to scarcity of drinking water and with waterborne diseases due to contamination of groundwater after floods. Stagnated water after floods has created favourable conditions for mosquito breeding, which accelerated transmission of diseases. The villagers have experienced raising costs for medical care due to climate change impacts; access to medical aid has at the same time become more difficult during or after extreme weather events which damaged local road infrastructure and transport systems. Costs for animal health care have risen and many farmers have lost cattle due to injuries and diseases. As agriculture and livestock are the main livelihoods for the villagers, the described impacts of climate change not only threaten the local ecosystem, but also to the villagers? sustenance. The severe damages to these livelihoods have led numerous villagers to sell their land and livestock at minimal rates, change skills and migrate to nearby towns for day labour. Land areas have been sold to shrimp farms, which, however, rendered these lands ultimately saline. Without efforts for climate change adaptation (CCA) the potential loss or damage to the local ecosystem and livelihoods will be even more severe.

Level of adaptive capacity

Before the interventions described below the adaptive capacity of the community to the impacts of climate change was low, although it slightly improved through measures for disaster risk reduction (DRR) after the 2004 Tsunami. The financial resources for adaptation are very limited and the village lacked important infrastructure to cope with climate change challenges. A river bund existed, but being of limited height and constructed from sand it provided only insufficient protection for ecosystems and livelihoods. After the 2004 tsunami, the villagers received some external financial and in-kind support as part of relief efforts by the state government, NGOs and national government programmes, the state government set up cyclone shelters for the village and the village?s ponds were renovated. Before the interventions described below villagers had hardly any knowledge about the role of climate change in local environmental hazards, and neither of options to deal with climate hazards and their impacts on livelihoods. A disaster risk management committee and task force formally existed; yet, when the initiative below was started the committee was not functioning. Some villagers diversified their income opportunities after the 2004 tsunami and the aggravating salinization of agricultural land by learning new trades such as masonry, wiring or pond deepening; large part of the population however, continues to rely on agriculture as primary source of livelihood.

The solution was designed to improve the community?s hazard risk management and improve food security by combining implementation of a technology measure with institution building, development of a sound O&M process, and capacity development on CCA, DRR and O&M at community level. As an adaptation pilot project in Kumarakudi a 1km long coastal bund was built and a shutter was constructed where the irrigation canals meet the river. The bund encompasses all agricultural fields of the village. Building on existing dunes, which however provided insufficient protection, a 3 metres high and 8 metres wide bund was from stiff clay, hard red earth and gravely. Undergrowth was planted on the slopes to prevent erosion, while at the same time providing new habitat for flora and fauna. Additionally, a shutter was placed on the north-western confluence of the fields? irrigation canal and the Manjal River to control flows in- and outflows of water. The coastal bund and shutter construction protect the village?s ecosystem and agricultural fields from saltwater intrusion and damages during storm surges and backwater flooding. It will allow the groundwater to regenerate over the monsoon season. A CTF was formed which in charge of implementing the pilot project and managing the O&M process, and it promotes additional adaptation measures in the village. The community has decided that the farmers, the village development committee and the Panchayat are responsible of the O&M of the bund and shutter and have defined their respective roles and timelines. The capacities of the CTF, the Panchayat Raj Institutions, self-help groups, youth, association members and direct beneficiaries to support and contribute to adaptation decision making and implementation were strengthened through meetings and orientation sessions, tailored training in the village on CCA/CCM/DRR and training on pilot project implementation, operation and maintenance (O&M). Local committees and authorities have been supported through workshops and bilateral support in integrating the results of the V&NA and of potential adaptation measures in local development strategies and planning documents, including the Village Disaster Management Plan (VDMP) and the District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP).

Ecological Costs

The solution does not create ecological costs.

Ecological Benefit

- Increased biodiversity in revived green areas and agricultural fields and a replenishing of freshwater sources in the community. - Protection of 200 acres of land from floods and salt water infiltration. - Expected doubling of harvest from 10 to 20 ba

Economic Indicators used to measure benefit

this is equivalent to a monetary benefit from harvest sales of approximately INR 1 million. The community expects the harvest to increase to 30 bags per acre in the coming years once the salinity levels will have dropped further.

Economic Cost

- Agriculture land protected from floods an salt water infiltration in hectar - Increase in harvest in comparison to the previous years in tons of harvest or money equivalent per year - Number of community members attending training workshops Number of community members attending meetings (CTF, village meetings with authorities etc.)

Economic Benefit

- Pilot project implementation cost: INR 991,630. AdaptCap share: INR 911,630. Community share: INR 80,000. - Cost for AdaptCap partners (implementation of trainings, site visits, meetings etc.): INR 20,220 - Pilot O&M cost: Average monthly O&M cost: Rs 4,833. The village disaster committee, farmers and farmers associations will cover around 50% of the expenses through regular contributions; the Panchayat will covere expenses for cleaning of drainage channel. Expenses for greater repairs will be covered by the Village Panchayat under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

Ecological Indicators used to measure benefit

- Expected increase in harvest worth INR 1-2 million in food products annually. - New income opportunities for villagers including women in construction as well as O&M of the bund and shutter (e.g., bund planting and weeding, control walks, bund repairs etc.) - Avoided costs through reduced need for: relief and reconstruction measures; biodiversity loos; purchase of freshwater / drinking water from external sources for irrigation and household use; medical care; need for costly day labour migration

What were/are the challenges your community faced in implementing this solution?

- Agriculture land protected from floods an salt water infiltration in hectare - Increase in harvest in comparison to the previous years in tons of harvest or money equivalent per year

Describe the community-based process used to develop the solution including tools and processes used

The solution was developed through participatory vulnerability and needs assessment (V&NA) conducted in the community in summer 2011. The V&NA and the subsequent implementation of the solution described below took place in the framework of the project AdaptCap ? Strengthening Adaptation Capacities and Minimizing Risks of Vulnerable Coastal Communities. Started in December 2010 and financed by the European Commission, AdaptCap is implemented in Tamil Nadu as a partnership between AVVAI Village Welfare Society and the Indo-German Environment Partnership Programme of Deutsche Gesellschaft fï¿½r internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ-IGEP), supported by the international partners ICLEI ? Local Governments for Sustainability, South Asia and the Germany-based think tank and consultancy adelphi. AVVAI has a long-standing relationship with the Kumarakudi community, having supported DRR strategies and measures since the Tsunami hit the village in 2004 before AdaptCap started. The V&NA was implemented using methods and tools from participatory rural appraisal, enabling local community members to articulate and enhance their knowledge in all assessment and decision making steps. Special attention was paid to the needs of marginalized groups, especially women, e.g., through the involvement of the village?s women?s groups. As part of the V&NA process the community developed a social map illustrating the location of social institutions in the village, a resource map on the geographic distribution of the village?s resource base and a timeline on key events including climate events in the past. Through structured interviews, focus group discussions and transact walks through the village the community identified key climate hazards which had affected them in the past, as well as the impacts these hazards have had on the village?s ecosystems and livelihoods. In Kumarakudi the community identified salinization of groundwater as impact to be addressed as first priority, followed by salinization of surface water, salinization of land, scarcity of water for livestock and occupational problems. Subsequently community members developed and prioritised ideas on measures to address these impacts. Priority was given to the construction / strengthening of coastal belt / river bund; shutter construction; set up solar lighting in community hall, public places and temples; pond sand filter with solar energy; surface water treatment system and renovation of pond / tank / reservoir. Capacity building needs on CCA, DRR and climate change mitigation (CCM) were identified as well. A community task force (CTF) was formed to support the further process of developing concrete adaptation activities and a pilot project for the village. The CTF comprised of local farmers, women Self help Group members, elected representatives i.e. representatives of Panchayati raj institutions. The primary data was enriched through secondary data collected by the AdaptCap partners from local institutions and departments and through desk research. In an initial screening the partners narrowed the proposed measures down to three with the highest potential for reducing climate change impacts and developed technology factsheets on locally available / transferable solutions for the most promising initiatives. On this basis the CTF supported by AVVAI developed Expressions of Interest for the three most promising solutions, which were then assessed by the project partners in a transparent process against criteria for vulnerability reduction, local acceptance, feasibility and cost, as well as positive and negative side effects. The selected pilot technology (coastal and river bund strengthening and installation of a shutter) was further adapted to the local context in meetings, discussions and site visits with the CTF. To select suppliers for implementation, Terms of Reference and a shortlist of local suppliers were developed. An implementation strategy was developed with the community wherein the roles of the communities, contractor, local authorities and technical experts were clearly discussed and defined. A community resolution on the pilot project served to increase sustainability and ownership. Local authorities (Panchayat) and planning institutions (e.g., District Collectors) were involved in meetings, discussions, site visits and shared learning dialogues to strengthen local ownership and facilitate replication and mainstreaming of the pilot initiative. The results of the V&NA and potential adaptation measures were included in local planning documents including Village Disaster Management Plans and District Disaster Management Plans. The community implemented the pilot project described below together with local suppliers and supported the AdaptCap partners in 2012 and is implementing regular O&M since then.

Climate hazard of concern

Coastal flooding or storm surge

How does your solution reduce the exposure of and buffer/protect the ecosystem affected?

The coastal bund and shutter reduce the local ecosystem?s exposure to storm surges and backwater inflow, thus protecting flora and fauna near the shoreline against damages and salinization. Since the salt water intrusion due to high tide is a regular phenomenon, therefore there is a lot of stress on the local ecosystem and it has considerable reduced after the implementation of the coastal bund and shutter.

How has your solution increased the capacity of the ecosystem to adapt to potential climate changes?

As ecosystems can strengthen and revive now, they will be able to recover more quickly should saltwater intrusion occur in the future.

How does your solution reduce the exposure of and buffer/protect the communities affected?

The coastal bund and shutter reduce the community?s exposure to storm surges and backwater inflow, thus protecting agricultural fields, drinking water sources, livestock, housing and infrastructure from damages and salinization.

How does your solution reduce the sensitivity of the communities affected?

The V&NA, capacity development on CCA, DRR and CCM and the institution building at community level has made the community and local authorities more aware of what causes their sensitivity to climate change impacts and how to increase resilience. In fact, a pond renovation project, among the ideas on adaptation measures developed during the V&NA, has already been proposed and accepted for funding by Kumarakudi?s Panchayat president. The project will improve the cleanliness and structure of the fresh water pond for village drinking, bathing, washing, and irrigation. Villagers will be able to link the freshwater canal running from the pond into their newly protected agricultural fields. The project will contribute to further protecting local ecosystems, people?s livelihoods and contribute to climate-proofing the development of Kumarakudi.

How has your solution increased the capacity of local communities to adapt to potential climate changes?

The shutter allows the community to manage saltwater inflow if it is occurs: they are able to block saltwater intrusion from agricultural fields and channel water into drainage areas. Furthermore, through workshops and training the awareness and capacity of community members with regard to CCA has been strengthened considerably. The community now understands the impacts of climate change on their village, is aware of key issues which render them vulnerable and has implemented ideas like crop rotation and decreasing their dependency on paddy only, besides the pilot project to reduce villager?s vulnerability. The integration of climate hazards, expected impacts and adaptation options into the VDMP and the DDMP facilitates a proactive management of climate risks in the village and district in the future.

Can this solution be replicated elsewhere?

The major challenge for implementation actually were climate and weather challenges: the renovation of the bund had to be stopped and postponed several times due to heavy rains during project implementation. Thanks to the strong ownership of the project by the community as well as the comprehensive and agreed on O&M process, the risk that the pilot project will become dysfunctional is limited. The bund is constructed in a way as to withstand even major hurricanes. In the current O&M plan the costs for O&M are not yet fully covered: there is gap in financing of INR 10.000 annually; the community is currently looking into solutions to cover this gap. Funding for major repairs has been agreed with the Panchayat to be financed under the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (NREGS). Apart from the climate and weather challenges, the ownership of the community across all sections was also difficult due to local politics. The participatory and open processes and ensuring engagement of all sections to conduct vulnerability needs assessment and prioritisation of solutions helped to build the ownership.

Overview

Solution

Scale

AVVAI Village Welfare Society