|
 Context:
Livelihoods in KBK and
inlands of Orissa are
under accelerated
risks. Hunger,
Starvation, child sale
and women trafficking
are a common occurrence
districts with rampant
social, mental and
physical abuse in
western Orissa. Risk
and vulnerability is
getting compounded due
to devastating natural,
social, physical,
economical and
environmental capital
in western Orissa. This
has become very worsen
and moving towards
vulnerability because
of manmade and natural
factors. This is the
home too more
chronically food
insecure peoples that
any other region in the
state of Orissa. It is
estimated that around
two-third of the
households of the
village are food
in-secured for nine
months as a result
people do migrate for
immediate employment
and economic gain
finding no other means.
This trend has also
brought very easily
many more dreadful
diseases like TB,
HIV/AIDS, followed by
nutritional and health
hazards.
The districts of
western Orissa
particularly Bolangir
in generally of late
has come to prominence
in world’s attention
because of recurring
visits of drought and
severe droughts during
past few decades
(1934-35, 1935-36,
1938-39, 1954-55 and
1965-66,)(Cobden-Ramsay
in ‘Feudatory State of
Orissa’). Occurrence of
droughts in Western
Orissa has been
increasing since
1950-60. During the
decadal period from
1951-60 there were two
drought years and it
was also the case
between 1961-70. During
1971- 80 the drought
occurred five times, in
the following decade
six times in western
Orissa and Bolangir in
particular. In the
current decade saw
normal period with only
two drought years one
in 1996-97 and other in
2000-2001&2002-2003.
The intensity and
frequency of drought
appears to be
increasing every year.
It is reported that
Bolangir region has
been slowly
moving towards
desertification
(Dr. KL Pujari) where
57% of the villages
were affected in 1899
and 94% in the year
1996& 97% in 2002.
Around 1761 villages in
14 CD blocks in the
district comprising of
92% of the total
population were
affected by the drought
in the year 2000. The
drought also resulted
in the loss of more
than 90% of crops
accounting for more
than 3.9 lakh acres of
cultivable land. In
Bolangir, 154 out of
241 Gram Panchayats
were affected by the
drought.
The historical drought transect (from 1950 to 2002)
indicates the recurring
drought situation in
the state:
Year Frequency of drought occurred
1950-60 Twice
1960-70
Twice
1970-80
five times
1980-90
six times
1990-2001
Thrice
1990-2002
Entire
state declared as
drought
In the year of 2002
entire state was
declared drought and
situation was beyond
imagine
Rationale
Magnitude of Risk &
vulnerability is at
deep rooted. The under
laying causes of
poverty is only
enhanced Risk and
Vulnerability and
reduction sustained
promotion of
livelihoods that is
beyond natural
hazards. The urgent
need for reduction on
Risks and vulnerability
at micro level includes
Survival risk
(covers food, water,
health, nutrition and
basic needs), Social
risk (covers
community cohesiveness,
ethical and cultural
relationships with
better education,
sanitation),
Economical Risk
(covers production,
marketing, credit and
linkages),
Environmental Risk
(covers climate change
and temperature rise,
deforestation and
desertification) that
is prevalent in western
Orissa and inlands of
Orissa to generate a
assured livelihoods.
This innovative concept
that will largely
emphasize on to work
with inclusions of
social and financial
exclusions within
the community in order
to address social and
economic empowerment
with an enterprising
move. This would enable
people’s institutions
to evolve its own
mechanism for
sustenance and
sustainability. It also
focuses enhancement of
capability and
cohesiveness thru an
enabling institutions
in supporting to
increase livelihood
empowerment leading to
arrest distress
migration.
Besides, this is
another conglomeration
effort to bridge the
gap in the current
development programs
promoted by American
India Foundation New
Delhi and other
community led program
done in yester years.
This Project intends to
initiate a process to
carry forward backward
and forward initiatives
to generate farm and
non-farm based
livelihood options,
grow produces at
household level, and
access to purchase and
enhance bargaining
power leading to
empowerment process.
High percentages of
unbounded up lands,
exposed rocks, erratic
rainfall, undulated
terrain, fragmented
ecology followed by
frequency of drought
has severely affected
the economic conditions
in Orissa, especially
in the districts of
Western Orissa since
last few decades. Poor
strategic policies,
less positive political
will has fuelled to
desertification and
marginalization
manifold affected
adversely life and
livelihood of western
Orissa. Vulnerable
Eco-system, devastated
livelihood, ravaged
resource base,
deteriorated quality of
life, malnourished
environment, lack of
confidence and capacity
of well-being for
entitlement and access
to resource base has
created immense
imbalance in ecological
phenomenon and
embarrassing seasonal
behavior caused
impoverishment of
vulnerable sections.
Loss of
bio-diversity without
giving thought to
conservation has
widened the Natural and
Social gap that has
largely affects
community cohesiveness
too. . |
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