Climate Change, Adaptation and Adaptive Governance in Water Sector in South Asia

South Asia is the home of almost one-fourth of world population. Economies of the countries of South Asia are highly dependent on agriculture. More than 80 per cent of withdrawn water is used in the agriculture sector. Failure of monsoon heavily affects agriculture sector. For example, in 2003, due to late arrival of monsoon and reduced water supplies, overall economic growth of India reduced to 4 % from the previous three years average of 8%. Floods also affect economies by reducing crop yield, infrastructure damage and leave a footprint in the livelihoods of the poor people in the society. Field survey results from an Asia-Pacific Network (APN) funded project found that people demonstrated partial resilience by adapting to recurrent onslaught of natural hazards and disasters but a large section of people unable to cope with. Institutional capacities and their governance of hazards are inadequate. Studies carried out on the implications of climate change on water indicate increased frequency of both floods and droughts in South Asia. Therefore, economic and social damage in South Asia may increase in future. The hardships of people could be reduced by increasing their adaptive capacities through institutional supports at various levels. This paper discusses the current status of adaptation and coping mechanisms in water sector in South Asia, future implications of climate change and how institutional adaptive governance will reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity. Mechanisms include climate focus development, mainstreaming of climate change into development planning and institutional reform