Farm Household Scenario in Climatically Vulnerable Region in Odisha

Present study has assessed the farm household condition in two climatically vulnerable districts of Odisha. Balasore and Khurda districts are vulnerable to cyclone & flood and drought & heat-wave, respectively. Farm families of Khurda district have a better socio-personal and socio-economic profile as compared to Balasore district; however, farmers of Balasore district are having better exposure to cosmopolite information sources than Khurda district thus carry better knowledge level on climate change. The lives of inhabitants are most at risk from cyclone and flood than from drought and heat wave. Poor are the worst affected. Not only they are worst hit, but also their capacity to recover from a disaster is relatively low. Any extreme situation traps the poor in a situation to sell off productive assets that become difficult to retrieve and thereby reinforcing the poverty almost permanently.