Enhancing Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change in Arid and Semi-Arid Agriculture of India: Evidences from Indigenous practices: Developing International Public Goods from Development-oriented Projects.Working Paper Series no. 32.

Abstract

The primary focus of this paper is on farmers’ adaptation strategies against climatic variability
\nin arid and semi-arid regions of India. The farmers’ perceptions and coping practices are largely
\ngoverned by village level variables governed by the weather conditions. The paper is based on
\nthe synthesis of village, farm and plot level information collected through different studies in arid
\nand semi-arid regions of India over a period of nearly thirty years. The discussion is broadly
\ngrouped under:
\nA) Adaptation practices determined by (i) risk generating features of the communities’ natural
\nresource base; (ii) long and short term weather patterns; and (iii) extreme events such as
\nsevere droughts.
\nB) The farmers’ (experience-based) perceptions about climate (weather) variability and their
\npotential adaptation practices (including preparedness, covering both collectively and
\nindividually managed steps) are considered. These adaptation measures are classifi ed
\nas (a) fi rst (b) second and (c) third order adaptations, which cover different aspects of
\nagricultural systems affected by climatic variation.
\nTo facilitate effective adaptation to climate change (recognizing the uncertainties and information
\ngaps in the micro-level spatial contexts), the following important points are relevant:
\na) The collection,analysis and dissemination of reliable information on climate-response
\nrelated variables (including farmers’ perceptions) in a diverse micro-level spatial context;
\nb) The search for indicative adaptation options for the above inventory should focus on (i)
\nprevailing farmers’ practices in different areas with varying degree of vulnerability (eg, water
\nscarcity or aridity) and other environmental constraints; (ii) agricultural R&D and location
\nspecifi c usable scientifi c results; (iii) effective formal and informal institutions.
\nThe overarching suggestions incorporating the above points is to diagnose and understand
\nfarmers’ adaptation strategies against climate variability with a focus on the dynamics,
\ndiversity and fl exibility of adaptations, implying search for and promotion of approaches and
\noptions to harness the opportunities in the changing economic, technological and institutional
\nopportunities, which may even exceed the ones evolved by farmers in the subsistence-oriented,
\nlocally-focused contexts. The implementation of the above suggestions highlighting dynamism,
\ndiversity and fl exibility would need both enhancement and reorientation of the capacities of the
\nfarmers and rural communities, as well as that of the institutional arrangements and innovations
\nsupporting them.