HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 17: The Assam government is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the village/community level research projects to be carried out by the first batch of postgraduate students who have received the Chief Minister’s Climate Resilient Village Fellowship. These projects will provide valuable insights into the preparedness of village communities in facing the impacts of climate change and adapting to the changing local scenarios.
The orientation workshop for the fellows was inaugurated by Laya Madduri, secretary of the Science, Technology, and Climate Change department of the Assam government. She highlighted the importance of adaptation mechanisms to address the severe impacts of climate change and encouraged the fellows to work diligently on their projects. Madduri urged them to interact extensively with the community, understand their experiences with climate change, and provide accurate findings that can contribute to the development of a comprehensive state-level climate change adaptation plan.
The orientation workshop, coordinated by the Assam Science, Technology, and Environment Council (ASTEC) in collaboration with Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation organization, aimed to orient the fellows to conduct field studies using participatory learning methods. The fellows had the opportunity to stay with the local community in home stays supported by Aaranyak, gaining insights into their way of life and livelihood.
Dr Chandra Baruah, head of the Environment division at ASTEC, shared that 47 fellows have been selected in the first batch and will receive continuous guidance from mentors and the Fellowship Core Committee. The fellows’ work will be reviewed after one month to assess progress.
The orientation workshop also featured presentations by experts, including Dr Jayanta Kumar Sarma from Aaranyak, who discussed vulnerability and risk assessment linked to weather and climate. Dr M Firoz Ahmed from Aaranyak expressed confidence that the Fellowship Programme would have a far-reaching impact.
During interactions with the fellows, the Fellowship Core Committee members and mentors emphasised the importance of remaining focused and sincere in achieving the objectives of the programme. They stressed the collection of factual data to ensure the high value and credibility of the fellows’ work.
P L N Raju and his team from the Assam State Space Application Centre (ASSAC) provided insights into the application of remote sensing and GIS in village studies, vulnerability assessment, and risk analysis related to climate change.
The orientation workshop received a traditional Karbi-style welcome coordinated by Swapan Nath, a teacher from Chandra Sing Rongpi High School.
The Assam government’s Climate Resilient Village Fellowship programme aims to develop a skilled workforce and foster research on climate change adaptation at the grassroots level. The findings from these projects will play a crucial role in formulating effective strategies to address climate change challenges in the state.
