Abstract

Author:
Pradeep Majgaiyan, Yagyaraj Joshi

Doi: 10.26480/efcc.01.2024.12.17

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

The research survey aimed to assess the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of people in wards 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Rajpur Rural Municipality, Dang. Conducted in November 2023, the survey employed a sample of 85 individuals using a proportionate stratified sampling method and included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews. While 60% of respondents remained unfamiliar with the term “climate change,” all acknowledged experiencing its effects. Participants identified challenges in agriculture and forest ecosystems, with notable issues such as disease and pest infestation, increased droughts, and floods ranking as primary direct problems. Indirect problems included the disappearance of landrace varieties and decreased soil fertility. Water resource concerns encompassed reduced water availability, heightened vulnerability to floods and landslides, and a decrease in water table depth. Forest-related challenges involved the emergence of invasive weed species, reduced biodiversity, increased bare lands, and heightened vulnerability to wildfires. Climate change impacts on the spring season crop included delayed rainfall, heightened susceptibility to drought during cropping and fruiting seasons, and increased losses due to heavy rainfall during harvesting. The overall effects included challenges in selecting suitable adaptive crop cultivars and difficulties in determining precise planting and harvesting times due to erratic climate patterns. Farmers responded to these challenges by adopting high-yielding hybrid varieties, transitioning from cereal crops to vegetables, increasing chemical usage, and installing irrigation facilities. To cope with changing climate conditions, farmers expressed a need for technical assistance, training, and awareness programs, specifically addressing crop disease and pest management, irrigation, the availability of adaptive cultivars, and marketing opportunities.