Impact, Adaptation Strategies and Vulnerability of Indian Agriculture Towards the Climate Change

Abstract

Change in climate is one of the most important worldwide environmental challenges, with implication for production of food, supply of water, health, energy resources, etc. Proper scientific understanding with coordinated action at global level is required for addressing the climate change. Climatic system of the earth has apparently changed on both regional as well as global scales since the pre-industrial era. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) declared that the daily mean temperature (globally) may be increased between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the twenty-first century. Historically, the responsibility for greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions’ increase lies largely with the developed world, though the developing nations are likely to be the major cause of a growing proportion of future emissions of GHGs. Agriculture sector is not only sensitive to climate change but also one of the key drivers for climate change. The sensitivity of climate towards agriculture is uncertain, as there is regional variation of climatic factors like rainfall, temperature (maximum and minimum), crop stands and different cropping system, soils properties and management practices. Overall, in the winter season (rabi), rise in the average temperature is likely to be much higher than in the monsoon season (kharif). Agriculture is one of the sectors where impact of climate change will be significant, and it will affect every part of agriculture including crops, fisheries, livestock, etc. Hence, it is necessary to identify the possible impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity and its allied sectors in order to recommend adaptation and mitigation strategies. Developing countries is reducing the vulnerability of their natural and socio-economic systems to the projected climate change that is the issue of the highest importance for developing countries. Developing countries will face the challenge of promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change, bearing the cost of such an effort, and its implications for social and economic development. We conclude by making interim recommendations on the practical strategies needed to develop a more resilient and dynamic world agriculture in the twenty-first century.