Communities build resilient livelihoods as climate disasters worsen

NEW DELHI (Indian Catholic News) — Caritas India is promoting disaster-resilient livelihoods that help vulnerable communities withstand climate shocks, protect food security and recover more quickly by combining traditional knowledge with disaster risk reduction and sustainable farming practices.

The Catholic humanitarian organization says strengthening livelihoods before disasters strike is essential as climate change intensifies floods, droughts and other hazards that disproportionately affect poor rural households across India. Its knowledge publication outlines approaches that have helped farming, fishing and weaving communities reduce risks while increasing incomes.

Caritas India says resilient livelihood programs integrate disaster risk reduction into conventional livelihood strategies to reduce underlying risks while improving households’ ability to cope with future shocks.

From disaster response to disaster preparedness

The organization says disasters threaten household food security by destroying crops, livestock and fisheries while disrupting markets and increasing food prices.

According to the publication, Caritas India seeks “to protect livelihoods from immediate and long-term shocks and build the capacity of the food production system to absorb and recover from disaster events.” It says its programs focus especially on vulnerable groups including farmers, fisher folk, weavers and agricultural labourers while supporting the objectives of the global Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The report argues that strengthening livelihoods through disaster risk reduction reduces vulnerability and enables communities to recover more effectively after crises.

It adds that “The core idea behind resilience is to help the community recover and bounce back better to exogenous shocks by adopting appropriate technologies and practices and building on their adaptive capacity.”

Caritas India organizes its work around three pillars: livelihood protection, livelihood promotion and livelihood recovery.

Local innovations reduce risks and increase incomes

The publication highlights examples from several Indian states where communities have adopted practical measures to reduce disaster risks.

In Bihar state, village disaster committees identified a dangerous breach in an embankment during floods and mobilized residents overnight to repair it using locally available materials, preventing potentially severe flooding.

The report also describes how flood-tolerant rice varieties helped farmers reduce crop losses. Farmer Uday Kant Rai reported that the new variety produced more tillers than conventional rice and earned him an additional 5,000 rupees (US$ 53) after surviving prolonged flooding.

In Odisha state, community advocacy helped restore two nonfunctioning irrigation systems that enabled farmers to irrigate about 40 hectares after years of crop losses caused by drought and unreliable rainfall.

Other initiatives promoted mushroom cultivation, integrated farming systems and diversified household incomes. In Assam state, farmer Monalisa Payeng expanded from rice cultivation into vegetables, livestock and weaving, increasing her household income by about 50% within a year, according to the publication.

Recovery designed to build back better

Caritas India says recovery efforts should not simply restore livelihoods but improve them to withstand future disasters.

Among the examples cited is the introduction of portable weaving looms for women in flood-prone Assam. Because traditional looms are submerged during annual floods, the lighter portable versions allow women to continue weaving and earning throughout the flood season.

The publication says the innovation enabled women such as Renumai Misong to substantially increase their income while helping families build savings for education and emergency expenses.

Looking ahead, Caritas India calls for stronger ecosystem-based approaches that combine environmental management, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. The report recommends greater awareness of ecosystem services, stronger community organizations and increased collaboration among development and environmental practitioners.

It concludes that rebuilding livelihoods after disasters should go beyond replacing lost assets by creating stronger, more resilient income opportunities capable of withstanding future climate shocks.

Read the Caritas report.