UNFCCC Inter-sessional Meeting Bangkok 2009 Asia Indigenous Peoples Workshops on Climate Change 02/09/09

Livelihood Security and Rights

Shifting Cultivation, REDD and Climate Change

Amba Jamir
TML-India ambajamir@gmail.com

Livelihood sources
From cropping phase From the fallow phase Forests and community lands and beyond

Shifting cultivation
Key production system - in both agriculture and forestry systems - for providing livelihood to many indigenous and tribal groups in the tropical and sub tropical highlands.

Livelihood assets
Human Capital Social Capital
Shifting cultivator

Natural capital

Physical Capital

Financial Capital

Human Capital

Knowledge systems Skills Capacity to work Capacity to adapt

back

Natural Capital
Land and produce Rivers and springs Wild foods & fibres - fallow Agrobiodiversity Trees and forest products Environmental services

back

Social capital
Kinship and patronage Community responsibility and representation Common access and benefit sharing mechanisms Social safety nets Trust, mutual support and values Beyond back

Physical capital
Tools and techology
Tools and equipment for production Traditional technology
Seed collection & storage Plant breeding Pest management Soil, water and nutrition management
back

Infrastructure

Financial capital
The weakest link Resource rich but cash poor Credit mechanisms Savings and pensions Wages and remittances back

Livelihood Security?

In a nutshell
Strong on Internal mechanisms Management systems (resources) Institutional arrangements (governance) Rural economy across seasons Weak on Finance External factors Tenure issues Policy

Challenges
Changes in/lack of tenurial rights
Fragmentation/loss of land holding Privatization & alienation of land Land holding transformation

Increased vulnerability
External factors and forces Exotic land use systems

Market Influence Poor policy environment

Institution, tenure and policy

Institutional arrangements
Inherent rights and access and benefit regimes Ability to cope and adapt Custodian and defender of values and beliefs

Tenure (ownership & management) Land-use changes Policy environments and initiatives

Opportunities
Jhum modifications with cash crops
both during cropping and fallow phase Cash crops / Low volume high value

Crop improvement through available gene pool Growing market for organic and niche products Potential for carbon sequestration and benefits Payment for ecosystem services Organic market Diversification and integration of other farming systems
Livestock Increase jhum cycle Improved jhum cycle

Vast scope for research and development

Land Use Planning

Tourism

Coping & Adaptation Mechanisms

Policy initiatives

Value addition Niche markets Forestry Domestication

Thank you

Photo: Amba Jamir