Fighting Floods with Forests: How Assam Communities Are Leading Way

As annual monsoon floods continue to inundate large swathes of Assam, displacing thousands and damaging cropland, one organisation is proving that nature-based solutions may be more effective than concrete embankments. The Balipara Foundation, an NGO based in Assam, working towards forest conservation and community development, has emerged as a quiet but powerful force in the fight against climate-induced disasters across the Eastern Himalaya.

At the heart of the Foundation’s flood resilience model is a shift away from conventional, high-cost infrastructure towards eco-restoration, indigenous knowledge, and low-cost technologies. From installing bamboo porcupines to stabilise riverbanks to cultivating flood-resistant agroforestry systems, Balipara Foundation’s approach is rooted in the land, and in the people who depend on it.

In Majuli district’s flood-prone Kartik Chapori, a small island settlement amidst the Brahmaputra, community members have been trained to build and install bamboo porcupines, locally-sourced, low-cost structures that reduce riverbank erosion by slowing down water currents. According to the Foundation, these nature-based defences have helped protect vast stretches of land in the area.

“Concrete engineering structures often fail to adapt to the shifting dynamics of riverbanks and floodplains,” says Dhruba Jyoti Talukdar, a field coordinator from the Foundation. “These bamboo units are easy to build, cheap to maintain, and incredibly effective, especially when the community owns the process.”

Coupled with this, flood-resilient agroforestry initiatives have been implemented across nearly twenty-eight hectares in Kartik Chapori. The land is now home to native species such as the raintree, Indian olive, guava, and bamboo rhizomes, plants known for their adaptability in waterlogged conditions. These crops offer food security and market value.

In 2025, when severe flooding hit parts of Majuli and Sonitpur district, the Foundation launched an emergency relief operation reaching over 1,000 households across 11 villages. Relief kits included dry rations, hygiene products, clean water supplies, and tarpaulin sheets for temporary shelter. Special attention was given to nutritional needs for children and health risks arising from poor sanitation.

The programme, while modest in scale, demonstrated the Foundation’s community-first approach, offering immediate support while laying groundwork for longer-term ecological resilience.

Founded in 2007, the Balipara Foundation’s wider mission is grounded in “Naturenomics™”, a model that integrates ecology, economy, and community development. Since its inception, the Foundation has rewilded over 11,708 hectares of land across the Eastern Himalaya, planted 14.5 million saplings, and created livelihood opportunities for more than 34,000 people.

Their efforts also include conserving over 5 million seeds from 41 native species in community-managed seed banks. These conservation practices not only protect biodiversity but also ensure that restoration remains adaptive to future climatic shifts.

Through their flagship programme, the Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum, the organisation has engaged stakeholders from over 25 countries, bringing together policymakers, scientists and indigenous leaders to design inclusive frameworks for ecological growth.

Balipara Foundation’s restoration model of placing communities at the centre of conservation has led to the creation of eco-enterprises, nursery training programmes, and participatory land mapping. Initiatives such as bee-box fencing to mitigate human-elephant conflict and agroforestry systems combining food and timber crops are tailored to the region’s ecological and cultural contexts.

The Foundation collaborates closely with local panchayats, state forest departments, youth committees, local NGOs and global networks to align its goals with region-specific climate strategies and international biodiversity frameworks.

“Whether it's disaster relief or forest restoration, our approach is always co-designed with the community,” says a spokesperson. “This ensures local relevance, long-term stewardship, and real impact.”

Balipara Foundation’s long-term vision is ambitious. By 2028, it aims to restore 21,000 hectares with 21 million trees, impacting 65,000 individuals through green livelihood generation and creating natural capital worth an estimated ₹145 crore. The organisation also plans to deepen its focus on seed banking, silviculture, and climate-smart forestry.

With annual flooding expected to intensify due to erratic rainfall and glacial melt from the Eastern Himalayas, the need for integrated, ecosystem-based solutions is more urgent than ever.

In a region where embankments often break and policies lag behind, Balipara Foundation’s community-led model is quietly redefining resilience by letting nature take its course.

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