Role of Groundwater as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in Dry Zone Farming Systems, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Water-related uncertainties are a troubling concern for farming communities in the dry zone Sri Lanka. Farmers have to manage available water or seek alternative ways to fulfil the water requirements needed to maintain their livelihoods. Within this context, a comparative study was conducted in Horivila-Palugaswewa and Sivalakulama dry zone farming systems in order to discover the role of certain climate change adaptation strategies to cope under climate-related vulnerability. Key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys facilitated the data collection process. The data was analysed through the development of an Adaptation Strategy Index and the application of Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Test. The findings show that the use of alternative water sources in terms of agro-wells as the first-ranked adaptation strategy in both study sites. This finding was further confirmed with Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Test as the same strategy has taken the highest reliability in the test results also. Although number of adaptation strategies have been included in the Adaptation Strategy Index development, overall, the farmers tend to prioritize the use of alternative water sources (agro-wells) while neglecting methods of managing the available water sources. With a growing reliance on water from agro-wells, there is a clear need to focus towards groundwater management to ensure that over extraction does not become a major issue. This is particularly important as agro-wells have an increasingly enormous role in supporting farming communities in both study sites.