Climate Change-Induced Drought Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Semi-Arid Pastoral and Agricultural Watersheds

Periodic drought is a major challenge in drought-prone areas of South Asia. A sample survey of farmers (n = 400) from South Asia was conducted to study the farmers’ perception about drought impacts on their socio-economic status, agro-biodiversity, and adaptation besides public institutions’ drought mitigation measures. The results revealed reduced surface and groundwater availability, soil degradation, partial or complete crop failure, increased agricultural fallows and wastelands, biodiversity loss, decrease in agricultural yields, pasture lands, and livestock in drought-impacted South Asia. About 16–26% of the farmers perceived a reduction in the agricultural area and production of commercial crops and millets in drought-prone areas, while changes in the cropping of pulses, oilseeds, horticultural, and fodder crops were minimal. About 57–92% of respondents showed a reduction in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and fish. Unemployment, migration, reduced farm income, and malnutrition were major socio-economic impacts among respondents (38–46%). Despite sufficient public support as a mitigation strategy, the farmers had poor participation (8–65%) for agri-information and adaptation (7–36%) against drought impacts. Hence, researchers, extension agents, and policymakers must develop efficient ‘participatory-mode’ drought adaptation and mitigation policies in watershed-based semi-arid pastoral and agricultural regions of South Asia and similar agro-ecologies across the globe.

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The game changing role of traditional ecological knowledge based Agri amendment systems in nutrient dynamics in the stress prone semi arid tropics

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88801-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Seema B. Sharma ◽

G. A. Thivakaran ◽

Mahesh G. Thakkar

Keyword(s):

Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽

Nutrient Dynamics ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Western India ◽

Ecological Knowledge ◽

Crop Failure ◽

Poor Growth ◽

Crop Nutrients ◽

The Impact ◽

Semi Arid

AbstractThe major crop nutrients determine the nutritional content and vigor of crops. The deficiency or occurrence below minimal level of any of the nutrients are often seen as a cause of poor growth or complete crop failure. The present study was an attempt to understand the impact of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) (A1)vis-à-vis conventional chemical intensive (A2)agriculture amendment systems in altering/modifying the nutrient dynamics of the soil with respect to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) levels in the pre, mid and post-harvest phases of crop in six cropping seasons spread across four years. The study area was a geo-ecologically unique terrain of Kachchh, Western India, a typical representative of allied arid and semi-arid tropics that are prone to various natural threats and stressors like drought, salinity and erratic rainfall pattern that affect the agri-management activities. Seasonal amendment data, clearly depicts that TEK based systems were efficient in soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual over seasons, an important trait required in challenging settings of tropical aridisols. The major primary (N, P, K) and secondary (S, Ca, Mg) nutrients were at par or higher than integrated chemical intensive systems. TEK based amendments ensured proper and timely management of nutrients in the soil. This inherent value addition offered by indigenous manure applications is an important step in climate change mitigation measures and overall agricultural sustainability.

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Agroforestry to Achieve Global Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Targets: Are South Asian Countries Sufficiently Prepared?

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12030303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 303

Author(s):

Shalini Dhyani ◽

Indu K Murthy ◽

Rakesh Kadaverugu ◽

Rajarshi Dasgupta ◽

Manoj Kumar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Asia ◽

South Asian ◽

Climate Adaptation ◽

Global Climate ◽

Well Being ◽

Agroforestry Systems ◽

Climate Mitigation ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Implementation Phase ◽

Adaptation And Mitigation

Traditional agroforestry systems across South Asia have historically supported millions of smallholding farmers. Since, 2007 agroforestry has received attention in global climate discussions for its carbon sink potential. Agroforestry plays a defining role in offsetting greenhouse gases, providing sustainable livelihoods, localizing Sustainable Development Goals and achieving biodiversity targets. The review explores evidence of agroforestry systems for human well-being along with its climate adaptation and mitigation potential for South Asia. In particular, we explore key enabling and constraining conditions for mainstreaming agroforestry systems to use them to fulfill global climate mitigation targets. Nationally determined contributions submitted by South Asian countries to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change acknowledge agroforestry systems. In 2016, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s Resolution on Agroforestry brought consensus on developing national agroforestry policies by all regional countries and became a strong enabling condition to ensure effectiveness of using agroforestry for climate targets. Lack of uniform methodologies for creation of databases to monitor tree and soil carbon stocks was found to be a key limitation for the purpose. Water scarcity, lack of interactive governance, rights of farmers and ownership issues along with insufficient financial support to rural farmers for agroforestry were other constraining conditions that should be appropriately addressed by the regional countries to develop their preparedness for achieving national climate ambitions. Our review indicates the need to shift from planning to the implementation phase following strong examples shared from India and Nepal, including carbon neutrality scenarios, incentives and sustainable local livelihood to enhance preparedness.

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Terrestrial Vertebrate Biodiversity Loss under Future Global Land Use Change Scenarios

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082764 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2764 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Abhishek Chaudhary ◽

Arne Mooers

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Land Use Change ◽

Low Income ◽

National Development ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Climate Mitigation ◽

Meat Production ◽

Diversity Loss ◽

Global Biodiversity

Efficient forward-looking mitigation measures are needed to halt the global biodiversity decline. These require spatially explicit scenarios of expected changes in multiple indicators of biodiversity under future socio-economic and environmental conditions. Here, we link six future (2050 and 2100) global gridded maps (0.25° × 0.25° resolution) available from the land use harmonization (LUH) database, representing alternative concentration pathways (RCP) and shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs), with the countryside species–area relationship model to project the future land use change driven rates of species extinctions and phylogenetic diversity loss (in million years) for mammals, birds, and amphibians in each of the 804 terrestrial ecoregions and 176 countries and compare them with the current (1900–2015) and past (850–1900) rates of biodiversity loss. Future land-use changes are projected to commit an additional 209–818 endemic species and 1190–4402 million years of evolutionary history to extinction by 2100 depending upon the scenario. These estimates are driven by land use change only and would likely be higher once the direct effects of climate change on species are included. Among the three taxa, highest diversity loss is projected for amphibians. We found that the most aggressive climate mitigation scenario (RCP2.6 SSP-1), representing a world shifting towards a radically more sustainable path, including increasing crop yields, reduced meat production, and reduced tropical deforestation coupled with high trade, projects the lowest land use change driven global biodiversity loss. The results show that hotspots of future biodiversity loss differ depending upon the scenario, taxon, and metric considered. Future extinctions could potentially be reduced if habitat preservation is incorporated into national development plans, especially for biodiverse, low-income countries such as Indonesia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Philippines, and The Democratic Republic of Congo that are otherwise projected to suffer a high number of land use change driven extinctions under all scenarios.

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SISTEM USAHATANI TANAMAN DAN TERNAK SAPI DI LAHAN KERING KALIMANTAN SELATAN (STUDI KASUS DI DESA BANUA TENGAH DAN SUMBER MAKMUR, KECAMATAN TAKISUNG KABUPATEN TANAH LAUT)

SEPA Jurnal Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian dan Agribisnis ◽

10.20961/sepa.v11i2.14178 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 200

Author(s):

Eni Siti Rohaeni

Keyword(s):

Sweet Corn ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Farm Income ◽

Rice Farming ◽

Crop Failure ◽

Paddy Cultivation ◽

The Village ◽

Upland South ◽

Survey Approach

Farming is done in general farmers polyculture with the aim to increase revenues and avoid crop failure. Farming is carried out consisting of several commodities both crops and livestock. Generally farming is done is still not provide sufficient revenues Living Needs. This study aims to determine the system of crop and cattle farming in upland South Kalimantan, and to determine whether the income generated from farming to meet to the needs of decent living. This research is a case study in the village of Central Banua and Sumber Makmur, Takisung district, Tanah Laut regency. This study was conducted in 2012. Research was conducted by way of a survey approach Focus Group Discussion conducted with the involvement of several community leaders /key figures to describe the profile , potential and problems in the region or village level. The analysis used is analysis of revenue, contribution revenue, and contribution to the farm income Living Needs (KHL). The results showed that the dominant farming by farmers in the study site, namely rice, sweet corn and cattle. Mean scale paddy cultivation to 0.62 ha, 0.68 ha of sweet corn and cattle 5.15 Animal Unit. Farming is done generating the value of R/C is more than one viable means for cultivated. The revenue contribution of rice 24.52 %, 50.83 % sweet corn and cows 24.65 % . Contribution income from rice farming, sweet corn and beef cattle on Living Needs of 50.94 %.

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The role of subsidies in managing the operating risk of agricultural enterprises

Agricultural Economics (Zemědělská ekonomika) ◽

10.17221/17/2009-agricecon ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 55 (No. 4) ◽

pp. 169-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. Špička ◽

J. Boudný ◽

B. Janotová

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Cow Milk ◽

Management Tool ◽

Farm Income ◽

Management Tools ◽

Operating Risk ◽

Livestock Productivity

The paper examines the relationship between the farmers’ operating risk and current subsidies. Focused at the commodity level, the analysis is based on a sample survey of costs and yields of two crops (winter wheat and rapeseed) and two livestock commodities (cow milk and fattening cattle) carried out in 2005–2007 in the Czech Republic. The risk analysis relates to the growing conditions, crop yields and the livestock productivity. The future role of the subsidies as the risk management tool in the farming business, as well as the position of this instrument against the other risk management instruments is analysed. The break even analysis and the Monte Carlo simulation are used as analytical tools. The results indicate that the current subsidies have an impact on the stability of the farmers’ income. Partially or fully decoupled payments serve as a “financial pillow” increasing the level of the farmers’ income and extending the farmers’ decision-making possibilities. Furthermore, the current subsidies reduce the variability of the farmers’ income. The current subsidies are a suitable complement to other commonly used risk management tools primarily designed to reduce the farmers’ and farm income variability.

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Production System Diversification and Livelihood in the Drylands of North Central Mexico

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11102750 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2750

Author(s):

Benjamín Figueroa-Sandoval ◽

Martín A. Coronado-Minjarez ◽

Eduviges J. García-Herrera ◽

Artemio Ramírez-López ◽

Dora M. Sangerman-Jarquín ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Production Systems ◽

Farm Income ◽

Central Mexico ◽

North Central ◽

Livelihood Security ◽

The World ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

Drylands (arid and semi-arid regions) are important regions in the world; they have been disregarded and considered poor undeveloped regions due to their ecological limitations. Farmers in these regions tend towards diversification of production systems in order to achieve livelihood security, and this phenomenon has not been extensively studied. The objective of this study was to create a typology of the production systems present in the Mexican north central drylands, using variables related to production, socioeconomics, and social capital. 1044 interviews were conducted in the semi-arid region of north central Mexico. Analysis of the data allowed for the observation of nine types of production systems distributed in three groups: Subsistence, commercial, and off-farm income systems. The differences observed within these systems are due to generational gaps, gender differences, market orientation, and social capital. It can be concluded that the diversification of the dryland production systems allows for an understanding of why generic public policies have failed to mitigate poverty in these regions. The implications of the study refer to the reconfiguration of Mexican policies for the development of the drylands.

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Determinants of Households Vulnerability to Food Insecurity: Evidence from Southern Ethiopia

Journal of Land and Rural Studies ◽

10.1177/2321024920967843 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 35-61

Author(s):

Fassil Eshetu ◽

Adem Guye

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Household Head ◽

Safety Net ◽

Least Square ◽

Farm Income ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Small Scale ◽

The Mean ◽

The Government ◽

Semi Arid

This study examines the level and determinants of households’ vulnerability to food insecurity using feasible generalised least square method. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from a random sample of 574 households. Descriptive results indicated that the incidence, depth and severity of food insecurity were 68, 31 and 18 per cent, respectively, while mean vulnerability to food insecurity was 73.34 per cent. The mean level of vulnerability to food insecurity at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts were 77, 55 and 84 per cent, respectively. In addition, the mean kilocalorie deficiency gap in the study areas was 682 Kcal per adult equivalent per day, while the mean kilocalorie deficiency gaps which would be needed to lift households out of food insecurity were 462, 440 and 506 Kcal per adult equivalent per day at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts, respectively. Regression results revealed that the age of household head, family size, safety net programmes, distance from healthcare and death of household members significantly increase households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. But farm income, irrigation use and credit use significantly decrease households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. The government needs to provide credit, viable off-farm employment, small-scale irrigation services and road infrastructure to rural poor to reduce vulnerability to food insecurity. Population control and family planning would also increase resource and consumption per capita and will lead to lower vulnerability.

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Growth and Distribution Effects of Changes in Levels of Living in Rural India: A Decomposition Analysis

Indian Journal of Human Development ◽

10.1177/0973703020967904 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 407-423

Author(s):

Jayanta Sen

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Decomposition Analysis ◽

National Sample ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Growth Effect ◽

Farm Income ◽

Consumer Expenditure ◽

Indian States ◽

Expenditure Data ◽

Physical Infrastructure

This article deals with the changing pattern of levels of living in the rural regions of India during the period of 1993–1994 to 2011–2012 which also corresponds to the on-going economic reforms. These changes may be attributed either to the change in growth component or to the change in equity component or to both. The article therefore examines the effects of growth and distribution components on the variations in levels of living and their relative roles by a scheme of algebraic decomposition. It also investigates the influence of socio-economic factors on levels of living using econometric models. National Sample Survey Organisation consumer expenditure data for 15 major states of India are used for this analysis. Results show an improvement in levels of living (actual) in rural areas of all Indian states. Positive growth effect more than compensates the negative distribution effect and yield positive changes in some of the states. Further, this article argues that the main drivers of this positive change in the levels of living are development of rural physical infrastructure, attainment in education, farm income per capita, non-farm employment and livelihood diversification.

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