How Climate-Smart Agriculture Can Transform the Livelihoods of Lanjia Saora Youth?

Abstract

The Lanjia Saora, one of India's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) have extensive indigenous knowledge and a strong association with natural resources. Yet they face threats to sustainable development from climate change, falling agricultural productivity, access to good quality education, livelihood options, and socio-economic marginalisation. This paper collates the findings from the literature survey and highlights the livelihood systems, farming practices, career aspirations, and climate adaptation strategies of Lanjia Saora youth, particularly the importance of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to make livelihoods more resilient. It explains how to combine the traditional knowledge with the use of the technologies which are in the current use to adapt the tribal youth to the ever-changing climatic condition, enhancing their adaptability capacity through skills training, skill generation and entrepreneurship development programmes, and digital extension services. It also reviews the role played by various government initiatives, institutional support and agricultural extension in inclusive rural development in the context of PVTGs. The results suggest that investment in climate-smart agriculture, strengthening vocational education, digital literacy and extension services, and promoting community-based resource management can go a long way toward enhancing livelihood security, while sustaining traditional ecological knowledge. It suggests that location-specific policies be designed to incorporate aspirations of the tribes and sustainable innovations of agriculture to bring inclusive growth under the Vision Viksit Bharat 2047. The study offers a wealth of information for researchers, extension and policy professionals dedicated to helping tribal youth become empowered through climate-smart and sustainable agricultural development.