IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FARMERS’ CHILDREN IN INDIA

Climate change has become one of the most discussed and researched subjects in recent years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) has stated that most developing countries, like India, are at risk to climate variability in the future because majority of the population depend on natural resources for livelihood. Agriculture, being one of the predominant sectors in Indian economy, will face severe challenges due to climate change. This research analyzes and examines two important aspects: first, how climate change impacts the lives of farmers’ children in rural areas of Gujarat and Jharkhand states in India which have been experiencing recurrent droughts in the recent past. Second, if children’s lives are affected due to decreased livelihoods of their parents, then the question is to what extent this process deprives their rights and whether or not a child centred approach would bring about a potential response in terms of effective action towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. The research revealed three key findings failed livelihood (agriculture), low food productivity and migration, all of which has impacted the survival rights of the child. In order to address this, national policy such as India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change should also include the voices of children to bring out better adaptation and mitigation strategies by encouraging the participatory rights of the child. This is important in second generational agricultural studies, because children’s perception towards climate change has negatively influenced them in taking up farming as an occupation.