Under its initiative to tackle climate-related challenges in the northeastern region and promote sustainable development through active community involvement, the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong, Meghalaya, has approved a minor research project at Nagaland University (NU) that focuses on tribal communities and their indigenous knowledge systems regarding climate change.

The project is led by Dr. Ashutosh Tripathi, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Science at NU’s Lumami campus who is the project investigator (PI) of this project, informed a press release from the University. The research team, comprising of co-PI Prof. Ashutosh Tripathi, Nohochem Sangtam and a team of research scholars, visited Tuensang village on April 4, 2025.

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Their initial fieldwork took place in Tuensang village, where they engaged with the Chang tribal community through focused group discussions and key informant interviews with local residents.

The PI Dr. Tripathi thanked NEC and Nagaland University for their support and stated that this project will delve into the perceptions of climate change among tribal communities in Nagaland. He informed that the research project is intended to facilitate comprehensive studies that will explore how these communities understand and respond to the impacts of climate change, thereby contributing valuable insights into local environmental challenges and resilience strategies. Dr. Tripathi also thanked the village council for supporting him in conducting this visit