Climate Resilient Agriculture Experiences from NICRA Implementation in North Bank Plains Zone of Assam

Abstract

Climate change impacts on agriculture are being witnessed all over the world, but countries like India are more vulnerable in view of the huge population dependent on agriculture, excessive pressure on natural resources and poor coping mechanisms. The warming trend in India over the past 100 years has indicated an increase of 0.60°C. The projected impacts are likely to further aggravate field fluctuations of many crops thus impacting food security. There are already evidences of negative impacts on yield of wheat and paddy in parts of India due to increased temperature, water stress and reduction in number of rainy days. Increased abnormalities in amount and distribution of rainfall has also been observed in North Bank Plains Zone (NBPZ) of Assam along with increase in numbers of wet spell driven flash floods and seasonal droughts in recent years. Planned adaption is essential to increase the resilience of agricultural production to climate change. Several improved agricultural practices evolved over time for diverse agroecological regions in India have potential to enhance climate change adaptation, if deployed prudently. Management practices that increase agricultural production under adverse climatic conditions also tend to support climate change adaptation because they increase resilience and reduce yield variability under variable climate and extreme events. Keeping this in view, National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture was implemented under All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture, Biswanath Chariali centre on 2011in two selected villages of North Lakhimpur, Chamua and Ganakdoloni. The main aim of the project is to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate variability through strategic research and technology demonstration. In this bulletin the authors have penned down the experiences gained from implementation of NICRA in NBPZ of Assam. It is hoped that the bulletin will be able to serve the purposes towards achieving its objectives and act as a benchmark study for the entire area. It is expected that the information contained in this bulletin will be exploited by the scientist of different disciplines and extension officials for making rational recommendation. The authors will remain ever grateful to Project Coordinator, (AICRPDA), CRIDA, Hyderabad and Director of Research (Agri), AAU for their guidance, encouragement and sincere support. The authors extend thankfulness to the fellow Scientists, Research Associates and other technical staff for their cooperation and help. The authors express their thankfulness to Sharada Offset, Biswanath Chariali for printing the report.