Usha Dewani

Shifting cultivation, locally called 'Jhum', is a widely practiced system of crop cultivation among the indigenous communities of Northeast India. While it is generally contested as a destructive method of farming, it is also argued that the system lends itself as much more than just a farming practice.

If you try to map where indigenous people live and where abundant biodiversity exists, you will notice a big overlap. It might seem like coincidence, but it isn't. Indigenous people have long shared and declared a strong connection to their traditional landscapes. They have had methods to protect, preserve and live harmoniously with nature.

Looking through that peephole where the future seems dark and bleak conjures up discomfort. We would all rather envision a better, happier tomorrow but anticipating a possible bleak future is crucial for communities to plan in the context of changes, says Dr. Petra Tschakert, Professor of Geography at Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Meghalaya, the wettest place in the world till date, has started facing the consequences of climate change. In the recent past, the state has seen pronounced variability in rainfall. This has given rise to myriad problems in the predominantly agricultural state.

They take your pain and give you what you need. They will absorb the excess showers that our cities can’t handle and replenish water underground when our taps run dry. Often underestimated, these shallow water bodies are also home to countless life forms and serve as winter destinations for distant migratory birds. Blame me for being philosophical but I equate wetlands to mothers.

Till a few decades ago, most people in India grew vegetables and fruits in their own gardens. Then something changed. We shifted from 'farming for food' to 'farming for money'. The start of the ‘green revolution’ meant that production increased but so did the farmer's dependency on chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides.

Not very far from Guwahati city but not too close either, perched on the gigantic Brahmaputra river, is the island of Umananda. It is the smallest inhabited river island in the world and is one with unusual stories beginning with even how it got its name. 

Two rivers – the Dibru and the Lohit - flow along together and meet a third - the Brahmaputra. This vast patch of land they give birth to is a treasure trove for wildlife and the Dibru Saikhowa National Park is located right there. To its south, exists a vast expanse of swamps and marshes interspersed with sandy islands.

Pure and beautiful, mountain springs confer lives. With change in climate conditions and rainfall patterns, rural habitations in Sikkim face drinking water shortages. Many of these springs are drying up or their discharge declining. But there is hope at the end of an endeavour, where science, government and community come together to revive springs of their local region.

The story of climate change has been hijacked by snow and ice.