Adapting but Not Escaping: Community Adaptation Amid Persistent Vulnerability to Riverbank Erosion in Majuli, India

Purpose: This study examines community adaptation strategies to riverbank erosion and their perceived effectiveness in erosion-prone areas of Majuli Island, Assam, India. Design/methodology/approach: Primary data were collected from 250 households across five erosion-prone sites—Salmara Site-I, Salmara Site-II, Ahataguri, Bhakat Chapori, and Kamalabari—using a structured questionnaire, supplemented by key-informant interviews with village heads. Findings: Riverbank erosion affected 73.2% of households, mainly through agricultural land loss (47.0%), house damage (32.2%), and displacement (20.8%). Households adopted structural measures, including raised plinths, stilt houses, sandbags, bamboo porcupines, and vegetation-based stabilization; livelihood measures, including income diversification, wage labour, fishing, seasonal migration, and crop diversification; and spatial measures, including relocation, land abandonment, and settlement shifting. Structural adaptations were perceived as most effective (44.8%), followed by livelihood (33.3%) and spatial adaptations (21.9%). Adaptation remains largely self-financed and constrained by financial limitations, continued erosion, shortage of relocation land, inadequate institutional support, and limited technical knowledge. Originality: The study provides household-level evidence on the nature, effectiveness, and constraints of community-led adaptation to riverbank erosion in Majuli, highlighting priorities for strengthening long-term resilience. Research limitations/implications: The findings are based on perceptions of affected households and may not capture all adaptation practices across the island. Practical implications: Strengthening durable riverbank protection, financial and rehabilitation support, livelihood diversification, and institutional involvement is essential for enhancing community resilience.