Climate Change and Agriculture

Climate change is a slow and gradual process that has taken millions of years to shape our planet into a habitable environment. It is not limited to any particular region or continent, as evidenced by the recent droughts in Texas and flooding along the Missouri River in the United States and the Red River in Canada. Climate change poses multiple challenges and interacts with various non-climatic stressors, making it difficult to predict its consequences in a general sense. However, it is evident that agriculture is under threat.

Agroforestry can help mitigate the impact of climate change by increasing biodiversity in agricultural lands, which supports a range of ecological and production services that enhance resilience. However, managing climate change risks in annual cropping systems is challenging due to the increasing uncertainty of rainfall and temperature. By incorporating woody trees into crops, forage, and livestock operations, agroforestry can provide greater resilience to inter-annual variability through crop diversification and improved resource use efficiency.

Deep-rooted trees allow better access to water and nutrients during droughts and can extract resources from different pools that would otherwise be lost. Agroforestry can also improve water infiltration, reduce runoff, and increase soil cover, which are essential for managing moisture stress in low rainfall areas. In periods of excessive moisture, tree-based systems can keep soils aerated by pumping out excess water, which helps prevent soil erosion and offers economic benefits.

The book contains 36 chapters that focus primarily on agroforestry practices in India and their role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Dr. G. S. L. H. V. Prasada Rao received his B.Sc (Physics), M.Sc (Meteorology) and Ph.D (Agroclimatology) from Andhra University, Waltair. He commenced his service in Ground Water Department, Govt. of Rajasthan as Junior Hydrometeorologist in January 1980 and later joined as Assistant Professor (Agricultural Meteorology) in Kerala Agricultural University in December 1980. He served as Professor & Head, Department of Agricultural Meteorology, Associate Dean, College of Horticulture, Associate Director of Research and Special Officer, Academy of Climate Change Education and Research, Comptroller and Coordinator (Finance), Kerala Agricultural University before his superannuation from KAU service on 29-07-2012. Later, he took up assignment as Consultant Professor, Centre for Animal Adaptation to Environment and Climate Change Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University from 01-04-2013 to 30-09-2016. Had short term assignment as International Agrometeorologist in a World Bank aided Project on Climate Resilience, MoALM&C, Govt. of Nepal in 2018. Instrumental in establishment of 'Academy of Climate Change Education and Research (ACCER' in Kerala Agricultural University and launched unique and innovate dual degree program in Climate Change Adaptation (B.Sc.-M.Sc. dual degree program of five year duration) after plus two. It is the first of its kind in India. It is a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional program. Instrumental in establishment of 'Centre for Animal Adaptation to Environment and Climate Change Studies (CAADECCS)1 in Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and launched unique and innovative Ph.D. program in 'Climate Change and Animal Agriculture1 during the Academic year 2015-16 in addition to Two P.G. Diploma Courses (one year duration) in Climate Services for Veterinary Students and for general science stream students. He possesses 38 years of experience in teaching, research and extension in Agricultural Meteorology, Climate Change and Climate Change Risk Management in Agriculture. Many publications are to his credit. He is currently involved in farming and editing/writing books.

Dr. V. Uma Maheswara Rao (VUM Rao) received his postgraduation from the Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University, Waltair. He obtained his Ph.D in Agricultural Meteorology in 1981and had a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship during 1982-83. He joined in CCS HAU service as Assistant Climatologist/Assistant Professor in 1983 and served the Department of Agricultural Meteorology in various capacities. He was the Professor and Head in CCS HAU before he joined as Principal Scientist in ICAR System and retired as Project Coordinator (AICRP on Agricultural Meteorology), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 2016. The prestigious Choudary Devi Lal ICAR best AICRPAM award was obtained under his dynamic leadership as the Project Co-ordinator (Agricultural Meteorology) in 2014. He had 35 years of experience in the field of Agricultural Meteorology as researcher, scientist and teacher. He is Life Member in six scientific societies viz., 'Indian Meteorological Society, The Arid Zone Research Association of India, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Association of Agrometeorologists, International Society for Agrometeorology and The Indian Society of Dryland Agriculture. He is a Fellow of Association of Agro-meteorologists. He served as President and Vice-President of Association of Agrometeorologists. He is a reviewer for various international and national research journals, expert in several selection committees, member in Board of Studies of several universities, paper setter and external examiner and one of the renowned resource personnel in Agricultural Meteorology. Many students were trained under him with postgraduate degrees, spread across the country and settled in various positions in the field of Agricultural Meteorology. He has more than 200 publications including popular articles. He visited abroad on many occasions in his official capacity.

Dr. D.V. Subba Rao obtained B.Sc(Ag) in 1980 and M.Sc.(Ag) in Agricultural Economics in 1982 from ANGRAU. He was an ICSSR Doctoral Fellow at Institute of Economic Growth during 1988-93. He obtained Ph.D. from the Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi in 1995 under the supervision of Professor Kanchan Chopra and Professor V.N. Pandit. He has been awarded with Jawaharlal Nehru Award, ICAR, Professor Chablani Memorial Prize, University of Delhi and Vetiver Network Award of World Bank for his research contributions. He joined as research assistant in 1983 in the same university and is working for more than three decades in various capacities. At present, he is holding the NABARD Chair Professor at Agricultural College, Bapatla, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, he worked as Professor & University Head in the Department of Agricultural Economics, and Hon Director, Cost of Cultivation Scheme at College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Further, he has worked as an Economist on projects pertaining to natural resource accounting for a year and half at Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi during 1996-97on deputation. Subsequently, he worked as Asst. Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor at College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. He guided 20 M. Sc (Ag) and 6 PhD students in different areas such as agro forestry, minor forest products, infrastructure, water management, tank and well irrigation, institutional aspects of irrigation, potential for horticultural products, trade competitiveness of oil seeds, profitability and plant protection, land policy, women empowerment etc. in India and abroad. He attended several conferences and seminars and organized conferences on agribusiness, climate change and smart farming. He has been life member of the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, the Indian Econometric Society and Agricultural Economics Research Association. Dr. D.V. Subba Rao has published several articles on natural resource and environmental economics.