Living in transient riverine environment: environmental stressors and opportunities in the braid bars of Brahmaputra River

Braided bars of large rivers represent a unique transient riverine environment where river dynamics interface the anthropogenic activities. The braided bars of tropical South-east Asia are colonizing ground for local settlers and migrants. The Brahmaputra River (BR) alone supports − 2.5 million people in its braided bars (locally known as char-chaporis), within India. These bars are susceptible to repercussions of climate change due to the precipitation-fluvial coupling. Therefore, an in-depth perusal of livelihood, stressors and agronomic practices in bar areas is crucial and time relevant as the world is focusing on adaptability and sustainability. However, there is a dearth of balanced peer reviewed work focusing on livelihood, stressors and agronomic practices in the char-chaporis of BR. To fill the extant gap, and provide a cardinal knowledge base for a transient riverine environment, this work delves into the livelihood possibilities, stressors and agronomic practices in char-chaporis of BR adhering to an ethnographic investigation. The findings elucidate how the populous have adjusted to their timing and the riverine process, adopting agronomic and socio-cultural practices in concordance with the physical environment. The dwellers deemed the transitory largesse as vital resources for cultivation, grazing, and settlement. Inherent uncertainties, risks and opportunities foster livelihood and multiple livelihood strategies. The adjustments in livelihood and agronomic practices attuned to their physical riverine environment underscores living and adapting to transient environment through knowledge and practices vetted over generations. Any perturbations due to climate change may potentially cause imbalance in adaptation, therefore calls for attention.