Mumbai, Maharashtra
As per the study
of the Institute for Sustainable Communities done across three regions of
Maharashtra, a mismatch in rainfall and temperature patterns are likely to
affect the productivity of agro produce like soybean, cotton, wheat and gram.
The Institute
for Sustainable Communities (ISC) conducted a study titled ‘Climate Change
Impacts on Maharashtra Agriculture’, examining the week-wise 30-year averages
of historical rainfall and temperature data (covering 1989-2018) and predicted
the same (covering 2021-2050) for eight districts across Khandesh, Marathwada
and Vidarbha regions of the state.
According to the
study, Maharashtra faces an increasing risk from climate change which is likely
to impact the production of four major crops – soybean, cotton, wheat and gram,
grown in the state.
The late onset
of monsoon and intermittent dry and wet spells impacted the germination of
soybean and cotton. The excess rainfall during the mid-Kharif season led to an
increase in fungal diseases, weeds and pests. This might impact the production
of pods in soybean and boll formation in cotton.
Additionally, waterlogged soils and humid conditions will promote
rot, leading to a loss of soil nutrients and fertilisers from the soil. The
overall impact of excessive rainfall during the fruit formation and maturity
stage for both the Kharif crops (soybean and cotton) will affect the yield and
quality of the produce.
The predicted
challenge for wheat cultivation is high temperatures at the time of grain
ripening and grain filling. Grain weight goes down with a rise in temperature.
Gram cultivation will see a sudden increase in temperatures during pod filling,
causing pods to fill less.
The impact of
high temperatures, rainfall and humidity will make outdoor work difficult for
the farmers. Additionally, increased incidences of heat stress and humidity
will have a bearing on farming operations like weeding and harvesting.
Source – Institute for Sustainable Communities Press Release
Image
Source: Unsplash
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