Agriculture and food security are among the major casualties of climate change in India. Strategies such as adopting necessary mitigation measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions along with widespread awareness on this issue, are needed.
Shanmukha M. Dyamakkanavar is a progressive chilli farmer following organic cultivation methods. His knowledge is based on experience inherited from his father and the technical support from various agencies promoting organic cultivation. Here is his experience of growing Byadagi Chillies, popular in his area using organic cultivation methods.
Farm Radio International recently held a script-writing competition on the topic of adapting to climate change. Working together with different partners, the fifteen winners
Forecasting weather conditions helps farmers to adjust and manage their cropping activities. It becomes all the more important with the changes in climatic conditions gaining significance. While scientific forecasting is being done in different ways, the author has based his forecasting on the planetary positions.
Mountain communities have been adapting to changing environment for a long time. Traditional farming methods depending on recycling of available natural resources is the key to sustainable production systems. Local marketing systems have also played a vital role in reducing the emissions and food miles.
While rising temperatures and changes in weather conditions is affecting agriculture and is a matter of serious concern, farmers in Himachal Pradesh have converted it into an opportunity. Apple farmers affected by climate change have shifted to crops like kiwi and pomegranate. Farmers who were earlier not able to grow apples are happy growing apples now, in few other districts.
Tribal communities are a rich source of traditional knowledge. Initiatives that respect their knowledge while taking them through the process of development could be enriching to all the partners involved. Here is a case of a partnership which has been mutually enriching.
About 60% area of Kandhamal district in Orissa is covered under forest. It is inhabited mostly by scheduled tribes (kondha) and scheduled caste people.The livestock population is quite high, but the health care for livestock is very meager. Hardly any veterinary aid reaches the remote tribal villages. However, farmers have their own methods of curing livestock diseases. Dec 2007
Traditional farming practices have been developed by agrarian societies in particular ecological setting. Sustainability in these systems has been derived after a long tenure through trial and error with crops and practices. Most of the practices of traditional farmers for disease management in developing countries consist of cultural control. Some of the traditional practices of practical importance adopted by the farmers of semiarid and arid Rajasthan which include districts of Barmer, Jodhpur, Pali and Jaipur are discussed in this paper. Dec 2007
