Les Impacts du Changement Climatique sur la Santé Mentale des Communautés Tribales au Jharkhand

Brief description of the community

Jharkhand, situated in eastern India was established in 2000 and emerged from the southern part of Bihar, marking the culmination of a protracted struggle led primarily by the Adivasis, or the indigenous communities and tribes in the state. Encompassing the Chota Nagpur plateau, present-day Jharkhand comprises 24 districts, 260 blocks, and 32,620 villages. Despite possessing over 40% of the country's mineral resources, the state grapples with a resource curse, with 39.1% of its population living below the poverty line, and 19.6% of children under five suffering from malnutrition. Additionally, stunting and anaemia are endemic across Jharkhand, as is Tuberculosis, a disease of malnutrition and food insecurity that preys especially on those who also exert themselves in hard physical labour.

Jharkhand also contends with socio-economic challenges, particularly concerning its 32 diverse tribal communities like the Santhals, Munda, and Oraons. Historically marginalised, these communities faced exploitation during British colonial rule and persisting economic hurdles post-independence. Until the recent past, the threat of violence from militant forces prevailed stifling developmental endeavours in the region. However, with a semblance of peace prevailing, there emerges a new narrative. It is foreseeable that the once densely forested landscapes of Jharkhand may undergo a transformation, transitioning into yet another agrarian region of India. With continuous population growth, communities have cleared lands for farming and sustenance. This evolution, however, comes at a cost, as extensive deforestation looms on the horizon to pave the way for agricultural expansion. At the same time, a unique system of land tenure obtains in much of tribal Jharkhand – land may be stewarded by individual families for agriculture and habitation, but it is not owned outright, nor can it be sold to outsiders. This means that most modern forms of capital aggregation are blocked for tribe members – they can never sell out their landholdings and use those funds for education, business investment or to buy an urban dwelling. Indirectly, this also means that they cannot adopt modern forms of life while continuing to live in tribal regions, and this is why we see high levels of youth migration out of Jharkhand, for both genders.

We also observe a certain loss of hope, and a loss of identity among many tribal groups. The loss of the forest, uncertain land tenure and uncertainty regarding how to be a modern tribal youth all contribute to this malaise, which manifests in the form of alcoholism, substance abuse and even gender-based violence.