Assessment framework for evakuating livebilty of tribal community

Abstract

Tribal communities around the world face inequities and exclusion in terms of educational, health, and living standards. They are recognized as early habitats and their human development performance is lower than subsequent populations. The National Family Health Survey found that the socio-economic condition of the tribe is very low. The tribal population constitutes 8% of the total scheduled tribe population of India. For numerous generations, the communities inhabiting this area have resided in a state of geographic seclusion, safeguarding their unique agricultural practices, limited access to essential services, and grappling with persistent socio-economic challenges. It is crucial to promptly conduct a comprehensive analysis of the region's farming resources, living conditions, means of sustenance, and evaluate their sustainability, particularly in the context of natural resource management and the prevailing socio-economic circumstances. The concept of liveability is becoming increasingly important as a measure of the quality of life in communities around the world. Tribal communitiesface unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to achieving a high levelof liveability. The culturally evolved and perceived knowledge about ecology is conceptualized as Traditional knowledge and skills in this study. Several studies highlight that Eco literacy, which is applied traditional knowledge, helps in determining livelihood strategies and enhances human well-being. However, there were limited studies that focused on the interrelationship among Traditional Skills (Environment), Basic services (Infrastructure, liveability indicator) and well-being. In this backdrop, the present study aimed to develop a theoretical framework for evaluating liveability of tribal communities and explore the interrelationship among Traditional Skills, Basic Services and well-being comprises of liveability thatensures livelihood resilience of tribal community. This study highlights the assess of evaluating liveability of tribal community of Jharkhand. Present study also intended to investigate the liveability indicator through existing condition with respect to community driven approach. Role and Assessment Framework for evaluating Liveability of Tribal Community: A Case of Jharkhand iii influence of various institutions, how government schemes have benefited the tribal to uplift livelihood and investigate the areas where improvement is required,what are the adoption strategies and policy to mitigate those problems were also the prior concerns of the study. To achieve these goals, a mixed-methods approach are used, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques in which a total of 200 sampling were selected from 10 village of 3 GP from three different District (Ranchi, Khunti and Lohardaga) of Jharkhand. Data were collected using Participatory Rural Appraisal, FGD and fieldobservation being the dominant methods. The collected data were analysedquantitatively and qualitatively. Descriptive and inferential statistics along with multinomial logit model have been employed to analyse the data. In this Study, webuilt and applied an indicator-based framework to characterize the liveability strategies of tribal community, local historical trends, to assess how these strategies contribute to their adaptive capacity. The framework utilized the Liveability Resilience Measurement (LRM) framework and the Doughnut model. By examining income-generating activities as livelihood strategies within farming households, the study assessed the influence of liveability indicators and their context in response to environmental changes. This analysis aimed to identify the adoption of strategies and their connection to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate change adaptation, vulnerability, and impacts. The study also utilized Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), employing the TOPSIS method to rank the liveability indicators across different study areas and prioritize indicators in need of attention. The effectiveness of the method was tested through correlation analysis and multinomial regression to analyse the relationship between liveability indicators and socio-demographic factors. The study explored and discussed the advantages and limitations of the framework. Additionally, it provided insights into how to engage with stakeholders to identify and strengthen factors that contribute to liveability resilience. Assessment Framework for evaluating Liveability of Tribal Community: A Case of Jharkhand iv The study found that health, social cohesion, financial support, employment, and public services were the most significant factors contributing to liveability. As a result, the framework has the potential to assist communities in safeguarding their livelihoods and livability assets, while also enabling governments to enhance social welfare. The framework can thus serve as a valuable tool for monitoring and improving the effectiveness of policies and practices aimed at building liveability resilience. Furthermore, the study recognized that the tribal community's perception of their connection to their environment is influenced by their perception of capital and the enabling environment, which are derived from their cultural values. The outcome of this study is the development of a theoretical framework for understanding the rural liveability based on real-world data. This framework can be used to monitor key factors comprising the social, environmental, health, cultural, and economic components of tribal communities. It provides a practical tool for assessing liveability in other tribal communities. The study highlights the importance of culturally evolved Traditional Skills in determining livelihood strategies and its role as an important element of the indigeneity and identity of tribal communities. The research proposes the theory of Triadic Interrelationship of liveability, which emphasizes the strong nexus among Traditional Skills, basic services, and wellbeing that contributes to the tribal community's liveability. The study's findings will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on liveability in tribal communities and provide insights into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by these communities in achieving a high quality of life. Moreover, this research will provide a policy or research framework for bridging the gap that will empower and enable tribal communities to define liveability and create a plan of action to attain these goals.