‘We change with climate change’
"Jab gaon main pani hoga, khet main fasal hogi aur angan mein per hoge tab hi hoga humara Shubh Kal. Tabhi toh hum bachon ko school bhejh payenge, tabhi toh hum seher nahin jayenge, Rojgari, sukh, santi sab hume humri gaon mein milegi", Raja Ram of village Sitapur, Orchha, Madhya Pradesh.

In these simple words Raja Ram, a farmer in one of the most remote parts of the country, Bundelkhand describes what it mean to him when we talk about a better tomorrow. For a villager, whether a farmer, a mason, a woman or a youth, a better tomorrow means sustainable livelihoods and food/water security. And in the present scenario, it is becoming harder and harder in this semi-arid region of the country. One of the major reasons for the increasing vulnerabilities in this area is Climate Change.

Eighteen out of the last 30 years of recurring and long droughts, attributed by meteorologists to climate change, are playing havoc with the lives of 21 million poor and marginalised people of Bundelkhand region in Central India. Most households have sold assets and stories of hundreds of farmer’s suicide due to starvation and debts abound in the local and national media. Others are forced to migrate to towns in search of food and livelihoods. It is estimated that almost 6000 people are migrating from this region everyday.

India’s First National Communication to the UNFCCC and recent projections by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology clearly show climatic changes (increased mean temperatures and reduction in precipitation) in the area, both in the last 30 years, as well as in the next 60 years. Assessments by the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi have also shown that this will reduce yields of wheat, the prime staple crop, by up to 25 per cent. This is likely to further exaggerate the existing problems of food and livelihood insecurity, poor health and migration along with breaking of social support systems. Communities clearly have a weak capacity to manage climate threats, as also highlighted by vulnerability assessments conducted by Development Alternatives at different times.

Development Alternatives is working in the region for more than two decades and it has understood the need of the people, while realising the urgency of communicating the risks of climate change to the vulnerable communities.

However, communities are sceptical and unwilling to change without knowing the benefits. They are at the receiving end and do not have the capacity to absorb concepts, which have long-term benefits. They need quick results with multiple benefits.

Climate Change is already happening and will further happen in the coming decades. Agriculture, the main source of livelihood is at a great risk. There is an urgent need for action from all stakeholders to combat the rapid changes in livelihood, food, water and energy security.

Shubh Kal is a sustained initiative of Development Alternatives - to bring to the immediate attention of the entire community of Bundelkhand, the risks of climate change. The campaign aims at getting the community to understand climate risks and become aware of how it is impacting their development. The drive communicates the possible adaptation and mitigation measures by influencing them towards behaviour change, as well as for influencing policy makers at different levels to make these changes sustainable and replicable.

"A Better Tomorrow by having and exercising the ability to handle climate risks through adaptation and mitigation practices at the grassroots level."

Principles of the Shubh Kal Campaign

Reaching out to the vulnerable community and policy makers in an effective manner, the Shubh Kal Campaign was designed to work on certain communication principles;

1. Ownership

2. Change agents

3. Localised approach

4. Do-able proposals

5. Participatory approach

Ownership: The message of communication needs to be in line with "My Bundelkhand", "My People", "I need to do something to solve the issues".

Change Agents: As mentioned earlier there is a major population that has migrated to cities from the Bundelkhand region, known as the Bundeli people. Every person carries a desire to help his people and community. Such people have the potential to become ‘Change Agents’ for the cause.

Localised approach: The activities and messages need a local touch probably with local language/linguistically equipped charts or sessions. While they do understand Hindi, it is necessary to give the community something, which is readily accepted and absorbed.

Do-able proposals: In last six years this region has not seen adequate rainfall. For four consecutive years, the area suffered from drought. This has severely affected the livelihoods of the people, affected food security and the socio-economic stature of the region. The adaptation proposals had to be practical enough to be implemented properly and hence make a strong and believable impact on the rural community.

Participatory approach: Taking into consideration that it is the first of its kind project on risk awareness communication about Climate Change and sustainable alternatives, it was decided to let the community and stakeholders participate in the process of communication and exchange of information.

Shubh Kal was launched in 2008 as a pilot under the Advancing Capacity in Support Climate Change Adaptation (ACCCA) Project on Risk Communication for Adapting to Climate Change. The objective of this project was to create awareness about the risks of climate change and risks of not adapting to the sustainable alternatives. An analysis study on the situation was under taken for understanding the potential of climate change adaption in Bundelkhand. The study focused on three major findings about the community:

1. Very Low Risk Awareness in the community,

2. High Threshold Level to Adaptation among the people and

3. Communities not used to experimentation in alternatives for livelihood due to years of declining income.

The pilot focussed on orientation of policy makers and the vulnerable communities to improve their understanding on principal issues of climate change, the risk and possible adaptation measures in Bundelkhand. The Indian Institute of Meteorology was brought in to provide credible data on changing climate, including prospective scenarios. A leading social marketing agency, R K Swamy BBDO, helped in the planning the communication strategy.

The result of the situational assessment study encouraged DA to convey its message of adapting new climatic conditions with some innovative risk communication methods. The campaign took a holistic view of the situation. It was decided to address the issues one by one and with a strategic approach. It aimed at behaviour change among the community. For the policy makers, a leaflet was designed so that information regarding climate change could be shared with them. A folk theatre performance was given at the grass roots, supported by a chart, explaining climate change in a simpler manner. The interactive session at the end made the communication and process complete. The folk theatre was accepted and absorbed well by the community. The meetings or the interactive sessions at the end of the folk theatre performance made the communication a two way communication. It provided a platform for giving out tips by climate change experts and gather grievances of the community to enhance the communication of future events

A small core group comprising key persons of government departments, research institutes and civil society organisations was formed and they agreed on a course of action. They concluded that there was an urgent need of a campaign, which focussed on climate change issues. Thus the Shubh Kal campaign with a focus on climate change adaptation for behaviour change was launched.

Based on the learning and findings of the pilot, Shubh Kal was repackaged and re-launched under the SDC-SCSI project. Development Alternatives launched the second phase of the Shubh Kal campaign with some uniqueness in the new version. The implementation of adaptation work was supported communication activities by communicating the message, preparing the communities to take up the adaptation measures and influence local policy makers to support the adaptation and make them sustainable beyond the project. The stakeholders were conscious that while climate change cannot be prevented, the preparedness and readiness to deal with it could be brought about. The campaign was designed to focus on three clusters - farmers, women and artisans - and enable them to set up and manage green social enterprises.

Farmers, women and artisans knowingly, unknowingly are consuming more energy and water, creating more greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and in the process increasing their own vulnerability for future. Irrigation based on diesel pump and flood irrigation is inefficient agricultural practices, in terms of water and energy. Inefficient waste management of livestock leads to high emission of GHGs. The conventional construction techniques and materials are highly polluting, resource intensive and energy inefficient that is a major contributor to GHGs.

Using energy efficient techniques, adapting to better irrigation methods, efficient dung management techniques, natural resource management-based renewable energy, creation of a market for eco-building and strengthening artisan groups through eco-building skills, will provide opportunities for green livelihoods options and reduce GHGs.

It can prepare the target groups for drought conditions and hence less vulnerable to climate change.

The communication strategies adopted for the targeted clusters are:

• Development of different mass awareness drives for the three clusters

• Use of both traditional and development media with a participatory approach

• Instilling awareness and confidence in the people that they can deal with climate change

• Demonstrating how to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change

• Building capacities of people in the adaptation of mitigation activities

• Convergence of the above into mainstream activities through policy and market influence.· Consolidation of learnings as tools for replication

• Networking and packaging for policy influence

• Production and distribution of products and ideas

Shubh Kal won the Development Marketplace Award of World Bank in 2009 for catalysing large scale climate change adaptation through community radio; under the Innovation category.

The third phase of Shubh Kal is based on the edutainment method of creating awareness. The campaign will launch a Rural Reality Show on community radio for creating awareness and catalysing climate change adaptation in the rural area. A rural version of the popular reality show on television will be created for the Community Radio to communicate the adaptation messages and influence behaviour change.

The purpose is to simplify the messages of adaptation by demonstrating doable actions with the communities. This is expected to lower the resistance and generate a group of change agents amongst themselves to take the concepts forward. The uniqueness of this version is based on participatory model of communication for communicating development issues as sophisticated as climate change.

A package of various communication tools and methodologies is being used to mobilise the community. It is a mix of traditional media and contemporary mass media.

• Community Radio

• Village Resource Centres

• Narrowcasting of radio programmes

• Folk Theatre

• Local Newspapers

• Print media

• Dialogue

• Mobile exhibitions through mobile vans

• Outdoor campaigns

A healthy mix of mass communication tools and traditional medium has been applied to achieve the desired result of communicating the risk and urgency without creating fear of impending disaster to the communities. The aim is to lead them to change – change their behaviour. Information is being provided through mass media like radio, outdoor campaigns, print media. And this information is customised according to target audience for proper absorption by the communities. Many one to one meetings are being organised to communicate the messages and help them understand. The difference between any focus group discussion and these meetings are its base – that is its format and style. Communities understand the risk; through nautankis (folk plays), product display, radio programmes and narrowcasting. The messages are developed in such a way that the urgency and need to change behaviour is communicated, one step at a time. Because the method used is entertainment and the style is interpersonal, communications with the communities becomes easy. This helps to develop a two way communication and create recall value. The focus of the campaign is to communicate in the local dialect, talk about local problems and issues and thus give localised solutions, which are adaptable by households, groups and communities. The focus in on promotion and awareness of replicable measures. To communicate the messages in a more audience friendly manner a unique method of communication will be used, that is the famous Reality Show format. For the first time a Rural Reality Show will be organised on community radio to create awareness for climate change adaptation measures. The format will be entertainment, but the content focus will be climate change adaptation. The aim is to create change agents in the communities for sustainability of the adaptation measures.

Change takes time to happen, but the door has opened. There is hope for a bright lining behind the cloud and we are committed to bring a better tomorrow for the region. Together with the communities, we will achieve Shubh Kal. We will change with climate change and make our tomorrow propitious.

As Sita Devi of Orchha says "Kal ko shubh banana to humare haath main hain, pran to hume lena hain, jung toh hume larna hain. Humara kal jarur shubh hoga". It is up to us to make a better tomorrow. We have to take a pledge and fight the battle to make our tomorrow a Better Tomorrow.

(The journey will continue….) q