Climate Change and Rainfed Horticulture

Most countries of the world are prone to the effect of climate change, considering the indiscriminate population growth relying on agriculture and extreme stress on natural resources. Research on climate change revealed that increasing temperatures, incosistant rainfall pattern, and severe weather aberratation could drastically affect food production in the near future influencing agricultural GDP. The warming trend in India over the past 100 years was estimated to be 0.60°C. Recently, steady warming trend and unusual weather changes have been reported in India. Moreover, many regions such as Indo-Gangetic plains and coastal areas that are prone to frequent droughts and floods have been identified to be more vulnerable to climate change effects. Climate change impacts like drought, cold, heat, and floods have significant potential to affect the production of food crops like rice, wheat, and pulses and horticultural crops including fruits and vegetables, ultimately leading to shortages and higher prices. The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture made a strong recommendation to strengthen research on climate change to ensure food and nutritional security in the country.