Impact and Assessment of Climate Change on Agricultural Production in India: A Geographical Perspective

Abstract

Climate change is an imminent global challenge that poses significant threats to our planet’s ecosystems, human societies, and overall well-being. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns (UN) 2023 has shown all too clearly that climate change is here, and human activities have been the main driver of climate change. At the core of climate change is Global Warming which has triggered the melting of glaciers, sea level rise, weather fluctuation, erratic rainfall, and an increase in temperature patterns over the next century is predicted. The main objectives of this research paper is to examine the various causes of climate change in India and what is the impact of climate change on agricultural production in different parts of the country. The entire study is based on secondary sources of data. The result of the study shows that agricultural sector, which is already having difficulties as a result of the growing need for food, is being negatively impacted by climate change. In India, agriculture is very important because it is the foundation of the country's economy and provides a living for most of the population. 17.4% of India's GDP, or its gross domestic product, is derived from agriculture (Economic Survey, 2015–16). Drought, heat waves, storms, flooding, delayed monsoons, and variations in seasonal temperatures are some of the elements that negatively affect agricultural operations, such as planting, tending, and harvesting crops like Zaid, Rabi, and Kharif. These factors affect India's agricultural productivity as well as livestock farming. The study also reveals that Climate change has resulted in altered cropping patterns and decreased output of crops such as sugarcane, ground nuts, and paddy in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Some Indian states, including Bihar, Maharashtra, and Kerala, have demonstrated climate variability by experiencing drought-like conditions in certain areas and flood-prone areas in others. Also, it results in the failure of crops, which drives farmers in some states to take their own lives due to crippling debt. On top of that, there is a risk to food security, a change in the quality of nutrition, a modification in pest and disease, but—above all—it is making life harder for the people having poor socio-economic status.