India is a subtropical country with 15 agro-climatic zones and primarily dependent on the south-west monsoon. Productivity of most of the rain-fed crops is meagre as compared to their irrigated cousins and hence traits of resilience and improved productivity are screened for under rain-fed crop improvement programs Whenever rains come, dormant seeds sprout, flower, seed and disperse their seeds in a short time. The word ‘ephemeral’ denotes all plants lasting a very short period of time and they inhabit rain-fed areas. Most of the endemic and cultivable land races of these regions are ephemerals. But at the same time, rain-fed areas provide nutrition security through millets, pulses and oilseeds. 
Rain-fed areas are ecologically fragile and hence vulnerable to climate change and they are also largely inhabited by poorer farmers. The only option we have is being prepared, adapt, and mitigate climate change. These facts present an existing vulnerability to ensuing climate change. Rain-fed areas produce nearly 90% of millets, 80% of oilseeds and pulses, 60% of cotton and support nearly 40% of our population and 60% of our livestock. With large parts in India under rainfed farming it is imperative to focus on the rainfed farming to ensure betterment of the agriculture sector in India. Maintaining and improving it further by adding nutrition security is sine qua non. India became food secure after considerable planning and efforts. With such an ‘expected uncertainty’ businesses can not be as usual. The report further infers that pluvial floods (caused by extreme monsoonal rains) will go up. It also interprets that the heat waves across India will increase thereby putting our agriculture and lives under considerable stress. 
It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land mentioned in the recent IPCC report. It talks about the issues of rainfed agriculture and also suggests a way forward. This editorial is based on the article Need to boost rainfed farming which was published in The Hindu BusinessLine on.
0 kommentar(er)
