From Vulnerability Assessments to Low/No Regret Resilience Planning in Rural Contexts

Abstract

Being resilient is a continuous endeavor and building resilience in a climate varying context presents challenges for adaptation planning. Some of these challenges, besides others, are transiting from vulnerability assessments to a contextual adaptation plan and shifting from capacity building to developing an “adaptive capacity” to undertake “low/no regret” interventions on a continued basis.

Development programs have mainly followed a top-down approach which draws on plans and models prepared by research institutions or development practitioners. The engagement of local communities has largely been limited, which misses out on their contextual experience, knowledge, as well as aspirations, while making them dependent on external agencies. Moreover, “ownership” for sustainability is limited to the project period. This chapter draws on lessons learnt from natural resources management projects in three Indian states – which includes designing projects, making mid-course modifications, and conducting project evaluations. It provides guidelines for developing a climate resilience plan for the agrarian community in rain-fed regions, that is contextual (biophysical and socioeconomical), with low/no regret interventions, that engages communities, proposes appropriate capacities to be developed, and which can be implemented at scale.