Background

Winrock International India (WII) was a partner on this collaborative program led by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with support from SIDA. A number of organisations from India, China, Nepal and Pakistan were involved in this venture.

Objective

The objective of this project was to assess the vulnerability of selected communities, their lives, livelihoods and infrastructure to flash floods, including GLOFs, and to document any risk management adopted in these communities. Further, the scope of the project was to contribute to improved understanding of the consequences of climate change for the livelihoods of the mountain people and downstream communities, particularly regarding access to water resources and vulnerability to water-induced hazards. It was also intended to inform policy and decision makers about the current status and trends related to glaciers, snow and ice fields, glacial lakes and wetlands in the greater Himalayas.

Approach

WII implemented this project in the lower Kosi basin in Bihar with an aim to understand how people in the Kosi basin respond to water stress and hazards in the context of climate variability and change. Especially, the services included: a scoping study, field survey & selection of villages, community interaction, report writing, and communication & dissemination.