With increased temperatures, melting glaciers, decreasing water supplies- the threat of climate change is becoming very real. The IPCC report on climate change has warned that these effects will only worsen, especially for developing and tropical countries, if action is not taken now. The Northeast region of India is highly vulnerable because of its location, its transboundary river basins, and socio-economic instabilities. The threat of climate change has only heightened these vulnerabilities through flood, drought, heatwaves,

soil erosion, loss of livelihood, and migration. Thus, challenging the very sustainability and security of the region. Every year, the northeast region is increasingly seeing fewer rainfalls, leading to a droughtlike situation in the states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh Manipr, Mizoram. With the farmers relying on the monsoon, this lessening of waters adversely affects agriculture; for instance, rice production in Assam has fallen by 15-20%. The majority of people in Assam rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Because of climate change and the lessening of agricultural production, the food prices in Assam are pushed up. In Assam, 35% of the population lives below the poverty line. A rise in prices and loss of livelihood force the people to migrate in search of new opportunities and means of livelihood. Often women bear the brunt of this situation, with them having to take up labor as housemaids or, in a worse situation, pushed into flesh trade. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report on ‘Climate Change and Land’ reports that about one third of the food that is produced is lost or wasted and by reducing this wastage we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as improve food security. Thus, killing two birds with one stone.

Highlights

• Climate Change is leading to lower agricultural yield in the Northeast region and hence is affecting the food security of the area.
• It is also leading to decreased incomes, loss of livelihoods and is forcing people to migrate in search of better opportunities.
• There are increased incidents of vector borne diseases as a result of climate change.
• Climate change has a direct negative impact on Women.