TOWARDS CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE

Abstract

Climate change impacts on agriculture are being witnessed all overthe world, but countrieslike India aremore vulnerable in view of the huge populaon dependent on agriculture, excessive pressure on natural resources and poor coping mechanisms. The warming trend in India over the past 100 years has indicated on increase of 0.60°C. The projected impacts are likely to further aggravate field fluctuaons of many crops thus impacng food security. There are already evidences of negave impacts on yield of wheat and paddy in parts of India due to increased temperature, waterstressandreduconinnumberofrainydays. Significant negave impacts have been projected with medium-term (2010-2039) climate change, eg. yield reducon by 4.5 to 9%, depending on the magnitude and distribuon of warming. Since agriculture makes up roughly 15% of India's GDP, a 4.5 to 9.0% negave impact on producon implies cost of climate change to be roughly at 1.5% of GDP per year. Enhancing agricultural producvity, therefore, is crical for ensuring food and nutrional security for all, parcularly the resource poor small and marginal farmers who would be affected most. In the absence of planned adaptaon, the consequences of long- term climate change could be severe on the livelihood security of the poor.