Riverbank Erosion and vulnerability – A study on the char dwellers of Assam, India

Abstract

The paper tries to analyze the impacts of erosion on the livelihood and vulnerability statusof the char dwellers of Assam, India. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, choosing one district from each of Assam's agro-climatic zones across the Brahmaputra valley as a representative of the state's char regions. As a qualitative tool, the study uses the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) technique and as quantitative tool the study uses Vulnerability as Uninsured Exposure to Risk (VER) econometric model.394 char households were surveyed through a semi-structured schedule. For each village selected for the study, a combined social-resource map was created using the PRA method in order to determine the severity of the erosion issue in the char regions. The VER model is used to empirically examine the relationship between char land erosion and the well-being of char inhabitants. The study reveals that erosion of the char land has serious, detrimental impacts on the livelihood and economic well-being of the char residents and thereby make the char dwellers vulnerable. The study makes recommendations of both structural and non-structural adaptation practices to minimize the effects of erosion on char dwellers livelihood.