Perception, Yield Sensitivity and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change: Insights from Wheat Production in India

Climate change is a serious threat to Indian agriculture affecting crop production and livelihood. The study documents the perception of 500 farmers on climate change as well as awareness and extent of adaptation strategies followed at wheat farms captured by survey (2016-17) apart from tracking yield sensitivity by employing two-stage step-wise regression. Findings indicated that perception matched with the climatology. Investigation alerted that a majority (56.6%) have not changed wheat varieties despite climate change belief barring Haryana wherein, 54% seed replacement exists. Yield has increased over time with no significant change in straw yield, grain and straw quality. Mapping of sensitive stages in crop growth indicated that minimum temperature, relative humidity and rainfall were affecting yield at early stage, whereas, maximum temperature influence yield at maturity stage. The survey explicitly alarms that barring a few strategies like application of organic manures, new varieties, crop insurance and irrigation management, the awareness on rest of the adaptation practices is very low among the wheat producers. Further, every technology is embedded with socio-economic constraints in adoption. The study advocates for implementation of region-specific participatory climate-smart farming practices and/or adaptation strategies through targeted extension programs to manage the yield sensitivity against climate change. Acknowledgement : The authors duly thank the Agricultural Extension Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the financial grant under extramural and the Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal for rendering support and infrastructure facilities to carry out the research work (Project Code: 1007828)