Adverse climatic conditions affect our agriculture: farmers

By  

Globe

Sambalpur, Dec 11 (Odisha.in) 90 percent farmers in the state say that their last five years' production has been less than the peak production level due to the impact of the climate change.

The farmers tell this during a people perception survey conducted by Water Initiatives Orissa on climate change impacts on Orissa.

The survey its convenor Ranjan Panda said conducted on about 2000 people from different section of society clearly cites this trend to decreasing land productivity and adverse climatic conditions like delay in monsoon or erratic rainfall.

The findings came out of the first phase year long survey started on harvest festival Nuakhai (September 16). The survey has been initiated to gauge the impacts of climate change in Orissa, particularly on water and agriculture sector.

About 90 percent of the respondents in our current survey were farmers, farm laborers, landless agriculture or natural resource depended rural people.

Almost all respondents have reported growing hot days and reducing rainfall. About 30 percent of respondents have indicated changes in local bio-diversity.

About 20 percent respondents have cited how traditional methods of forecasting climate and weather is failing these days due to behavioural deviations in birds, animals, plants and environment. Many people have cited extinction of local bio-diversity (pests, insects, plants etc).

The report has established the fears that Orissa is a climate change hot spot. The WIO will continue to focus the vulnerability of Orissa to climate changes. Building up from this first phase survey and findings, the campaign will continue till the 14 th UNFCC conference next year.

"By the next climate change conference in 2008, we hope to come out with a comprehensive status paper which will be first of its kind of report indicating various climate change issues in Orissa.

That paper will blend local perceptions with scientific studies & analyses and will come out with clear indicators of how Orissa is truly a hot spot of climate change, what are the threat levels and which are the vulnerable areas and groups.

 The report will also try to suggest adaptation and mitigation measures," Panda said.

Odisha.in

E-MAIL This To Friend

Printable Version

Please note that in order to Submit your comment you would need to Enter The CaSe SenSItIve Security Image CODE in the Box above the code. If you do not see a thank you message after posting, it only means that your comment was not posted so please recheck the security code and Submit again. Comment Form would disappear upon successful posting.