People living in the proximity of Mahanadi basin fights the tide of climate change every year. The level of vulnerability is very high for the community living at the edge of the river.

Life for the rural community is often marred by difficulties, and there are many constraints limiting their economic potential to fight back. Challenges include uncertain weather conditions affecting harvests, insecure land ownership limiting farmers’ potential to invest, restricted access to farm inputs, market and food insecurity etc.

Many of these constrain like weather conditions are beyond their control but their livelihood risks can be reduced by adopting resilient livelihood practices to reduce disaster risk.

Enhancing Resilient livelihoods to Reduce Disaster Risk was initiated by Caritas India to support the vulnerable communities of Assam and Odisha. The program aims to assess the level of vulnerability of rural people to floods in terms of their food security and livelihood challenges.

It was suggested that farmers can grow flood-resistant rice variety which can tolerate 14-17 days water stagnation during floods by Dr. Pallab De, Thematic Manager, Natural Resource Management of Caritas India. He was reviewing the progress of Balasore Social Service Society and Anchlika Jana Seva Anusthan, Bolangir working in Odisha.

Advocating for the conservation of traditional and indigenous seeds, he said that farmers can collectively start seed bank to store and conserve the seeds in the face of any threat. He also recommended grain pro as the post-harvest management for the production, he said that it is an effective solution which can help the community to avert large damages to their production.

Crop insurance is one of the option suggested by Dr. Pallab to address some of these constraints by facilitating access to means of production and changing behaviour by reducing uncertainty. Discussion with National Insurance Company Ltd.is initiated in this regard.

Dr. Pallab suggested to create linkages with ATMA, Khadi and Village Industry Corporation to access Government schemes like MNREGA and Kisan Credit Card to avail farmer entitlements and timely access to affordable credit.

To support the off-farm activities, the community was encouraged to start pickle making, goatry and poultry. It was suggested that only the most vulnerable from the 32 target villages will be selected to support the off-farm activities.

The bottom line of the program is to reduce the loss by protecting and strengthening the livelihood either through on-farm or off-farm livelihood activities to support them during any eventualities. To address the issue community were encouraged to adopt resilient and sustainable agricultural practices, increase off farm livelihood and ensure entitlements and services related to livelihood from Government Dept to reduce their vulnerability to the negative impact of the disaster.