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Dealing with climate
change
Background: Challenges: Semi arid regions being particularly less resilient to the non favourable climatic conditions, lead to more negative impacts. Bundelkhand has faced severe drought years in the recent past (five drought years in last seven years). Last year it was not the hydrological drought but delayed monsoon that resulted in the failed Kharif season in most part of the Bundelkhand region. Increasing frequency of the drought in the region is causing farmers to take extreme steps. Even though farmers are facing these challenges, we haven’t yet realized that these droughts are not incidental but reflecting the trend of reducing rainfall and erratic character and these are going to be more common incidents in future. Thus there is dire need not only to identify strategies to fight climate change but also to make the vulnerable sections aware of climate change and make them ready to adopt the strategies for adapting to climate change. Mitigation and Adaptation: There are several factors and sectors which are responsible for Green house gas emissions and thus climate change. Agriculture sector remains most unmanaged till date due to i) non point source emission of GHGs, ii) need and priority of higher productions to feed the ever growing population. As mentioned above, agriculture sector is also most susceptible to climate change leading to a vicious cycle. Inefficient agricultural practices cause more GHG emissions, which accelerates the CC, resulting in lower production. To compensate, farmers tend to expend more resources whenever and wherever is available in terms of fertilizer, water etc. - the main factors for inefficiencies in the farm sector. Effects of Climate Change and Solutions: In Bundelkhand region, calculations of the climate reflect that after 25 years, rainfall is expected to reduce by 20% and the productivity of the existing crops 15%. Thus the expected facts after 20-25 years would be: • Reduced rainfall, thus:– Less availability of surface water– Deepened ground water level– Low returns of rain fed agriculture• Smaller landholdings• High input costs in agriculture• Lower profitability per unit of land• Higher risks of crop failuresAbove estimations on reduced productions are based on the existing crops and practices. Our adaptation strategies need to focus on the methods which can nullify or reduce the effects of the unreliable climatic conditions. Such as: • Adopting low water requiring/ drought resisting crops/crop varieties.• By reducing the water losses in agriculture and by irrigating the crops/plants not the land• Using improved practices to save the applied water like mulching• Reducing the input costs by appropriate application of inputs• Adopting and promoting alternative models for duel/multiple use of land like different forms of agro forestry or multi cropping• By having fall back options like alternate income sources/crop insurance etc.Where there is a Will there is a Way Approach adopted to take up and fight climate change is two fold, i) Identifying the technical options and interventions required, ii) making community aware and helping them to take lead to fight climate change. Identification of interventions Drought resistant varieties are available with different stakeholders. However adoption is not taken up as farmers are not aware about these varieties and their characteristics. Such varieties have been promoted as important options that can provide reliable production levels even in extreme conditions. There are various methods and ways available for reducing the water losses in irrigation. Sprinkler and drip methods can reduce the water application significantly. Similarly, mulching can reduce the water loss from the soil. For flood irrigation, contour cultivation, and making of check basins or borders depending on the land slope and soil type can increase water use efficiencies significantly. Information on these options is being made available to the farmers through different stakeholders including the research organizations. It has also been observed that
the quantity of seed we use per acre of land is much higher than
required for optimum production. This, not only increase the input costs
but also reduce the productivity by creating unnecessary competition
within the crop itself. Appropriate use of manure and fertilizers,
minimal tillage - are practices which reduce the input costs and enhance
the profitability of the particular crops.
Agro-horticulture and other forms of Agro-forestry can be one the household and also its distribution across the year. For the purpose of reducing the risks of crop failure, government is also promoting efficient irrigation systems like drip and sprinkler for agro-horticulture use. Government has also various other schemes to protect or at least protect partially from the risks of crop failure due to one of several reasons. National Agriculture Research Scheme (NAIS) is one of them. We can get our crop insured under this scheme and in case of crop damage due to any o the enlisted reasons, we can get the benefits of the schemes. It is also worth knowing at this point of time that quite a few of the options available are accessible for the groups. Let’s join together to access the information and take the challenges posed by climate change. Creating Institutional Systems for Adaptation Adaptation is the community and social initiative, which needs community actions. For sustainable farming society initiative, three tier institutional systems has been formed, at village level farmers groups consists of active farmers. The objectives of the farmers clubs is to keep up interactions and ensure access to knowledge and resource bases in terms of the meetings with scientists and extension workers, ensuring appropriate seed varieties and technologies etc. At second tier, representatives of the farmers groups have formed clusters of farmer groups. Top level tier is the federation level institution which takes the responsibility for resource building for all three levels of the institutions and establishing backward and forward linkages with markets. In fact these institutions are playing their role effectively and have shown the capacity. Several activities have been taken up by them. These three tier system is part of the Farmers adaptation cluster. During the first year of operations, the Farmers Adaptation Cluster, has established linkages with different institutions like Water Technology Centre, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, KVK, NRCAF, etc. and had arranged exposure visits for its member farmers, introduced high yielding varieties and appropriate practices affecting the yield enhancement by 35 to 40%. It has also recorded the reduction in required inputs due to information and appropriate technology propagation. It can be said that the approach for creating the institutions involving the target group and disseminating the appropriate practices and technologies is an appropriate response to climate change suiting both the adaptation and mitigation strategies. q Sonal Kulshreshtha
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