The world's climate is changing, and as a result, so is one of its most important parameters - rainfall. And when rainfall patterns change, its effect is directly felt on crop output. This July, total rainfall touched 840.0 mm as against the normal of 1104.1mm. This is a deficit of 21%. And according to M L Sahu, the director of the Meteorological department, rains will continue to be moderate or scattered in the days ahead.
Rainfall plays a huge role in the growth and production of food crops, both at the germination and fruit development stage. According to a farmer's club in Nachinola in Bardez, the scarcity of rain along with the heat has already begun to have an impact on the size of lady fingers cultivated in the area. The paucity is also proving challenging for areas under cultivation in the highlands. All of this translates to low yields, which in turn affects commodity prices everywhere.
Climate-smart agriculture is thus the need of the hour. Farmers need to adapt not only farm production practices but also their water management methods. Fall back on traditional methods such as reusing water from the home to irrigate kitchen gardens, groundwater recharge and rain water harvesting practices, and maybe even change their crops to suit prevailing conditions. Rainfall, as we know, is an uncontrollable phenomenon. In this new scenario, while there may be no one-stop solution, going back to traditional methods of coping seems best.
