Farmers' Perceptions towards Climate Change and its Adaptation Strategies in Himachal Pradesh


Published On: 2021-03-23 16:49:54

Price: ₹ 500



Author: Shilpa Rani and R.S. Prasher

Author Address: Department of Social Sciences, College of Forestry, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173230 and College of Horticulture and Forestry (YSPUHF), Neri, - (Himachal Pradesh) Hamirpur-177001 (H.P.)

Keywords: Adaptation strategies, climate change, crop diversification, government policies

JEL Codes: A14, A23, A31, C83.


Abstract

The study was undertaken to understand the farmers' point of view about climate change and its impacts on agriculture and various  adaptation strategies to deal with climate change in the Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. The results revealed the majority of  farmers (85.83 percent) believed that the long-term changes in the mean temperature and increase in the number of hot days were  some of the major climatic changes over the last 30 years (85.83 percent), and also, there was an introduction of new crops (Cereals,  vegetables, fruits, etc.) in their area (42.50 percent). The majority of them were using High Yielding Variety seeds (93.33 percent)  and improved crop varieties (54.17 percent), and most of them had also adopted crop diversification (45.00 percent) as an adaptive  measure towards climate change. The lack of credit facilities, irregularity of extension services, high cost of adoption, etc., was the  major problems in adopting various strategies to cope with climate change. Need-based water supply, government policies to  support the farmers during natural calamities, efforts to create awareness among the people about climate change, its impacts and its  adaptive measures were some of the important suggestions given by the farmers to deal with climate change. The eco-friendly and  more economically cheaper measures should be employed by installing favourable modern agricultural technologies favourable to  the study area.  


Description

Indian Journal of Economics and Development
Volume 17 No. 1, 2021, 77-85
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35716/IJED/20168
Indexed in Clarivate Analytics (ESCI) of WoS


Indexed in Clarivate Analytics (ESCI) of WoS
Scopus: Title Accepted
NAAS Score: 5.15