Community Level Vulnerability to Climate Change: A Comparative Case Study between Selected Naga Tribes in India

Aim: To assess the community level vulnerability of two dominant Naga tribes, viz. the Angami and the Ao due to climate extremes and variability.

Study Design: Exploratory research design.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Mokokchung and Kohima district of Nagaland, the abode of the Ao and the Angami respectively. One community/village under each district, dominated by one of the said tribes was purposively selected. The study was conducted in the year 2013-14.

Methodology: 90 tribal households (10% of total) on proportionate random sampling basis were selected for the study. The livelihood vulnerability was assessed from exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the community and these were assessed using the methodology advocated by IPCC (2007) and aggregated as Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI).

Results: It was seen that the relative exposure of the Ao community was 0.24 and of the Angami community was 0.42; whereas average sensitivity value of the Ao was 0.43 and that of the Angamis was 0.34. The aggregated adaptive capacity of both the communities was same (both having adaptive capacity value=0.70) which was also statistically at par at p= .05. As a result, both the Angami and the Ao were considerably vulnerable (LVI= ‒0.156 and ‒0.120 for the Angami and the Ao respectively).

Conclusion: The Angami and the Ao Naga tribes falls under subsistence level of vulnerability and any minor change in strength of exposure or sensitivity or weakness in adaptive capacity may force the community to be vulnerable.