Yangyel Lhaden
Communities in two protected areas will soon benefit from targeted climate adaptation projects funded by the Climate Crowd Initiative, a global programme under the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
An incense processing unit will be established for communities living within Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP), which includes Soe Gewog and Yaksa village. Draagchukha in Punakha will receive a 6.2-kilometre chain-link fence to mitigate human-wildlife conflict this year.
In addition, drinking water and irrigation restoration works will be carried out to address water shortages for communities living in and around Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary (JWS).
This support is provided to communities living within the two protected areas to help them adapt to a changing climate and reduce pressure on nature.
Climate Crowd, which operates in over 30 countries, takes a bottom-up approach by working directly with communities to collect data on climate impacts, analyse findings, and implement on-the-ground solutions that help both people and nature adapt to climate change impacts.
Unlike conventional climate adaptation projects that rely primarily on scientific models, Climate Crowd prioritises firsthand community experiences, gathering local perspectives on changes in natural resources and livelihoods.
“Climate Crowd takes a community-driven approach, where we interview long-time residents to understand firsthand how climate change has impacted them,” Sonam Dagay, WWF programme specialist said. “We then present the survey findings to the community, share national and global best practices, and let them decide what works best for them. They take ownership of the project and lead the adaptation efforts.”
JDNP and JWS were selected for the programme because of their ecological significance. JDNP is home to the elusive snow leopard while JWS serves as a key tiger habitat.
Last year, more than 100 people living in the parks were interviewed to assess the impacts of climate change on their livelihoods and surrounding ecosystems
In JDNP, 75 community members were interviewed during the key informant survey.
More than 60 percent reported a decline in the availability of wild food, particularly cordyceps and medicinal herbs, which serve as key income sources. Nineteen percent of respondents said their earnings had dropped as a result.
Over half of respondents (57 percent) reported a decrease in water availability because their water source has dried This has impacted availability of water for drinking and irrigation which further resulted in reduced pasture availability (35 percent) and crop yields (24 percent), and 16 percent responded the prevalence of human-wildlife conflict.
Sonam Dagay said that the community members wanted an incense processing unit so that they could add value to their product and earn an alternative income to supplement the losses from other sources. “All the intervention programmes are co-developed in consultation with community members and in a sustainable manner so that both people and nature co-exist harmoniously.”
A total of Nu 3.05 million has been allocated for the interventions in JDNP.
In JWS, 33 community members were interviewed to assess the impact of climate change.
More than 80 percent of the respondents reported reduced availability of freshwater, resulting in a reduction in crop yield. Respondents also reported an increase in wildlife raiding crops (36 percent) and pests (33 percent), further contributing to reduced crop outputs.
The main concern for people living within JWS was water, and they repeatedly expressed the need for reliable water sources.
Climate Crowd is investing Nu 2.9 million in collaboration with Samrang and Langchenphu gewogs, along with JWS office, to restore vital drinking water and irrigation systems. The project is expected to benefit over 1,173 residents living in and around the park.
According to Nikhil Advani, WWF-US’s Senior Director for Wildlife and Climate Resilience, the long-term goal of the Climate Crowd is to replicate successful ideas from the Climate Crowd initiative elsewhere in Bhutan and other countries. “The interventions are aimed at securing drinking and irrigation water, providing alternative means of livelihood and reducing human-wildlife conflicts in the communities.”
