Climate Change and Food Security in India

Abstract

Indian agriculture is extremely vulnerable to weather and climate. In recent past there was substantial loss of crop in the country due to extreme weather and unusual weather conditions. Significant variations in the weather and climatic parameters, as projected in different Global Circulation Models Climate Change experiments, are expected to have substantial impact on crop production in the country in future. In the present paper elaborate discussion was made to understand the trends of different weather parameters during the last few decades over the Indian region and the linkage of weather with the Indian agriculture is also highlighted. Future projections of weather parameters from various Global Circulation Models Climate Change experiments over the country and its implication on Indian agriculture have also been documented. Under changing climate, food security of the country might come under threat. To cope up with climate change more effectively, integrated adaptation and mitigation options for a range of agroecosystems, so as to enable a favorable policy environment for the implementation of the framework, have been identified. Several adaptation measures and mitigation strategies to reduce vulnerability to climate change by enhancing adaptive capacity and increasing resilience and also to offset the negative effect of climate change on Indian agriculture have also been mentioned here.