Ecosystem-Based Adaptation with Bamboo-Based Livelihood Diversification: A Case Study in India’s Eastern Himalayas

Climate Change is a pressing issue globally. It affects all the earth’s entities, threatening its own continuance. One’s ability to absorb climate shocks is often linked to the socio-economic status of the individual. People in developed nations are less sensitive, and the sensitivity increases with poverty and the absence of livelihood diversification options. The current chapter is a case study in two hill districts of Manipur, India’s North East, Eastern Himalayas. The state is moderately vulnerable to climate change, but alarmingly, the studied area shows relatively high vulnerability and is identified among India’s least developed and economically deprived districts. Extreme events directly impacting livelihood include cyclonic storms, landslides, slips, flash floods, hailstorms, etc. This chapter elaborates on the various livelihood diversification options from bamboo-based economic activities as safety nets for enhanced resilience. The abundance of bamboo in the natural forests and the conversion of Jhum (slash-and-burn agriculture) lands to commercial bamboo plantations have opened up new horizons to fight impoverishment. The bamboo-based activities include growers, shoot collectors, artisans, fermenters, and vendors; the observed values are 27.92%, 20%, 15.8%, 5.42%, and 1.25%, respectively.