Risk and vulnerability due to climate change and adaptation initiatives for agricultural resilience in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, central India

Abstract

Present study assessed farmers’ perception on risk and vulnerability due to climate change and adaptive initiations to achieve resilience in agriculture by conducting survey of ten selected villages in Panna district of Bundelkhand region in the year 2011. The findings revealed that the farmers had clear cut perception of changing climatic scenarios and realized wide scale impact on agriculture and allied activities. The deviation in weather pattern, monsoon rain, wind and dust storm, and increase in unusual weather extremes has put agricultural production system at risk. Change in phenology of crops manifested by deviation in flowering time and intensity, fruit-bearing pattern, shape, size and quality of grain clearly indicated risk to biodiversity. Similarly, livestock productivity was perceived to be at risk due to change in weather and climate. The farmers of study area have taken some adaptation initiatives for minimizing risk in farming activities, livestock production and coping with extreme weather events. Modification in sowing time of crops and cropping sequence and adoption of agroforestry land use by planting trees on field boundaries and home-yard were main adaptation strategies to achieve resilience in agriculture.