Determinants and Spatio-Temporal Drivers of Agricultural Vulnerability to Climate Change at Block Level, Darjeeling Himalayan (Hill) Region, West Bengal, India

Abstract

The Darjeeling Himalayan region is diversified with multiple cropping patterns and mostly dependent on rain-fed irrigation, hence it is very sensitive to the changes in weather parameters. The untoward impacts due to climate change are obvious on agricultural production and specially the hilly parts of the Darjeeling Himalaya report the same intimation. Therefore, it is an utmost need to identify the menace developed by such changes in weather attributes and its possible adversities on agricultural practices, food security of the large extent of populace and in this juncture, this research work attempts to figure out the determinants and spatio-temporal drivers of agricultural vulnerability in view of climate change at block level within the Darjeeling Himalayan (hill) region. The Agricultural Vulnerability Assessment (AVA) is an exclusive method as it involves numerous ideas and data factors, though initially the Principal Component Analysis has been introduced in this study to understand the magnitude of indicators contributing to the agri-vulnerability. Outcomes of the AVA come up with the Agricultural Vulnerability Index scores that range between 0.723 and 0.445 and demonstrating that high agriculturally vulnerable blocks, i.e. Kalimpong I, Rangli Rangliot, Mirik and Kurseong are facing challenges in terms of high dependency on rainfed agriculture; high percentage marginal farmers; significant yield variability. Such drivers of vulnerability help to infer the gap areas of the concerned sector and possibly pointing towards adaptive measures like integrated farm management practices to build a climate resilient agricultural society by sustaining the ecological tranquillity of the Himalayan ecosystem.