Indigenous Peoples' Climate Change Assessment
Fact Sheet Adivasi Traditional Territory, Andhra Pradesh

Name of the Communities:

Adivasi Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh

Geographical Location, Ecosystem/biome, Socioecological Data:

Sl.No Community Organisation Tribes Location/District Coordinates Ecosystem (for details, see below in table 2)
1 Chinnayya Seva Sangham Savara, Jatapu and Konda dora Srikakulam 18° 20’ – 19° 10’ N
83° 50’ – 84° 50’ E 		Eastern ghats
2 Manyam Girijana seva sangham Savara, Jatapu,  nuka dora, gadaba, konda kammara and Konda dora Vijayangaram 17° 15’ – 19° 15’ N
83° 00’ – 83° 45’ E 		Eastern ghats
3 Tholakari mahila Ahara badrata sangham Konda Dora, Bagata, Gadaba,Porja,Nuka Dora, Konda Kammara, and Khonds Araku valley,
Visakhapatnam 		18° 19’ 6'' N
82° 52’ E 		Eastern ghats
4 Girijana Deepika and Tholakari Adivasi womens forum Konda Reddy, Koya, Konda Kammari East Godavari 16° 30' – 18° 20' N
81° 30' – 82° 36' E		 Eastern ghats
5 Adivasi Chaitanya sangham Gonds and Kolams Adilabad 18° 40' – 19° 15' N
77° 46' – 80° 0' E 		Godavari troughs
Land System Sub - System Landform Geology Soils Rainfall Forest type Cropping system Major Livestock
Eastern ghats (North tribal areas) - Mountains and valleys
(300m – 1500m) 		Mixed metamorphics Red Loamy soil Wet
1000 – 1800mm 		Southern dry-mixed deciduous (some sal and semi-evergreen patches) Variety of Millets-Pulses, dryland rice
Dryland rainfed agri 		Cattle, goats, backyard poultry
Godavari troughs Adilabad uplands Deccan plateau
(300 – 600m) 		Limestone and Deccan trap Mixed red & black soils Wet – humid
900 – 1200mm 		Dry teak Millets, rice, cotton Cattle, goats, poultry

4.2 million Adivasis (1991 census) constituting 6.2% of the total Indian adivasi population live in Andhra Pradesh. This is about 6.3% of the total Andhra Pradesh population.  The hills and forests of the Eastern Ghats, Nallamalai and Godavari gorges have been traditional habitat to 60% of the total Adivasi population in the state.

Relevance for the assessment/livelihoods/food systems:

The distribution of Adivasi people in India closely overlaps with the distribution of forests and the rich resources. For Adivasis forests are a way of life: a space to celebrate; a space to practice shifting cultivation and settled agriculture; where they cultivate a variety of food crops; a space where they rear livestock, goats and poultry; a space where they practice community sharing, and where they obtain herbs to heal – all of this is part of the larger forestscape. Additionally, the area is rich in biodiversity. Arora (1988) described the Eastern Peninsular region, which includes Eastern Ghats, to be a centre of rich crop-diversity for a multitude of crops. The Eastern ghats is home to 96 species which are wild relatives of crops. However, marginalization, alienation and displacement from land, forest and traditional livelihood production systems have become common features in the lives of Adivasis.

Today it is equally important to understand and strategize with Indigenous communities on the issues of effects of climate change, due to various policies on their habitat, ecosystems, biodiversity, changes in soil, resource management and use on crops, on culture, social relations, and finally on Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

Current climate trends (threats, etc.):

Erratic rains: unseasonal rains; highly erratic monsoons; when it should rain it does not, when it should not rain it does.

It is affecting the cropping practices. Eg. in East Godavari they usually have 2 cycles of sowing crops:

  1. June – Sept called Tholakari, when they sow millets and dryland rice
  2. Oct – Jan called Aparalu, when they sow pulses

In past few years the NE monsoons which bring sufficient rains for Aparalu crops are highly irregular, does many times farmers loose their entire crop if the last crucial rain does not come. This is prompting many farmers to adapt and change – and practice mixing all crops together (millets and pulses), in the hope that something will survive.

Some medicinal plants usually found in lower reaches (altitude), have started to be found in higher reaches, indicating some change (increase) in temperature.

Unseasonal diseases are affecting poultry and livestock.

Government is promoting biodiesel plantations (jatropha and pongamia) in forests and peoples private agri lands, which may be turned into climate change projects.

Proposed Focus of the Assessment:

We propose to undertake research, debate and identify / shape the strategies with the participation of the indigenous community to address ways for mitigation and adaptability.

The assessment will seek:

  1. To involve the indigenous people and communities to study the impacts of climate change on them and their livelihoods.
  2. To critically examine the climate change policies and programmes that are being pushed at National and International levels to assess their effect on ecosystems and livelihoods of the indigenous people.
  3. To explore the adaptation and mitigation strategies of Indigenous people to respond to the changes that have been occurring. 
  4. To work at the micro level to enhance the participation of Indigenous people and communities for building resilience of ecosystems drawing upon their IK systems and cultural practices.
  5. To empower the indigenous people to implement their rights (using the legislations) to conserve and protect forest resources, natural and cultural heritage and regulate the uses for sustainable livelihoods.
  6. To enhance the participation of the people to voice their concerns for policy changes in climate change.