ISSN 0973 – 6921 ; E – ISSN 2319 – 5983 J. Environ. Res. Develop. Journal of Environmental Research And Development Vol.11 No. 01, July-September 2016 196 PARTICIPATORY VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS OF WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AS A BASIS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTA -TION STRATEGIES IN KERALA, INDIA Raghavan Sathyan A.* 1 , Aenis T. 2 and Breuer L. 1,3 1. Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for Bio Systems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, Giessen (GERMANY) 2. Extension and Communication Group, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (GERMANY) 3. Centre for International Development and Environmental Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen (GERMANY) Received May 20, 2016 Accepted August 16, 2016 ABSTRACT This paper analyses vulnerability towards climate change on community level in Kerala, India. The aim is to develop a climate vulnerability index in a participatory way. A case study was conducted in a watershed, which was implemented by Grama Panchayat (i.e. bottom level self- government institution). The data is collected through household surveys, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The composite index comprises of three dimensions of vulnerability adaptive capacity, sensitivity, exposure and its ten major components : socio- demographic profile, socio-economic assets, agricultural, livelihood, social networks, health, food, water, climate variability and natural disasters. The results show that despite the programme aims at livelihood support and natural resource management, average vulnerability indices on livelihood strategies and social networks contributes the most to the overall vulnerability index. The vulnerability due to adaptive capacity indicators/subcomponents holds the highest value among the three dimensions of climate vulnerability. The results demand urgent need for location specific micro level planning of the watershed programmes with emphasis on activities to address water scarcity, soil and water conservation, farm diversification, production enhancement and livelihood alternatives for better coping strategies and resilience. This method can be used to compare the climate vulnerability of different watershed communities implemented by various agencies for better policy implication. Key Words : Adaptive capacity, Climate Variability Index (CVI), Participatory vulnerability analysis, Sensitivity, Watershed management INTRODUCTION Global temperature increases of several degree Celsius in the late 21 st century, with increasing food demand and large risks to food security, reduced renewable surface water and groundwater resources in most dry subtropical regions will be intensifying the competition for water 1 . However, adequate emission reductions are impossible in the near future, so it is an indispensable necessity of the communities to adapt to climate change and variability especially in the developing nations. People living in the developing countries are closer to the margin of tolerance to changing precipitation patterns, increased climate variability and extreme weather events than those are living in developed countries and thus more vulnerable to their effects 2 . According to the Maplecroft 3 Climate Change Vulnerability Index, which evaluates the sensitivity of populations, the physical exposure of countries, and the governmental capacity to adapt to climate change over the next 30 years, India stands second among the growth economies under extreme risk category. The Centre for Climate Energy *Author for correspondence