Climate Change and Agricultural Adaptation in Eastern India: Sustainable Agronomic Strategies

Abstract

Climate change poses a serious threat to agricultural productivity, sustainability, and livelihood security in the Eastern part of India. The region is categorized as high productive zone with fertile alluvial soils, abundant water resources, and diverse cropping systems dominated by rice, wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds. In the same way, the region is critically vulnerable to unprecedented climate change; increasing temperatures, erratic monsoon rainfall, prolonged dry spells, floods, cyclones, and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are significantly affecting crop growth, phenology, and yield stability. Among other agronomic crops, rice is one of the most vulnerable to submergence, drought, and heat stress during flowering; wheat productivity is constrained by terminal heat stress; and maize, pulses, and oilseeds are increasingly exposed to moisture deficits, pest outbreaks, and nutrient-use inefficiencies. These climatic stresses also accelerate soil degradation, reduce water-use efficiency, and increase greenhouse gas emissions, thereby threatening long-term food and nutritional security. This review synthesises current knowledge on the accelerating shifts in weather patterns and the extent of climate change impacts on agricultural systems in Eastern India and highlights agronomic strategies for sustainable adaptation to restore the existing Agro-ecosystem. The leading adaptation options include adjustment of sowing dates, crop diversification, conservation agriculture, residue recycling, integrated nutrient and pest management, water-saving irrigation techniques, and precision resource management. Practices such as zero tillage, direct-seeded rice, system of rice intensification, laser land levelling, and integrated farming systems have shown considerable promise in improving productivity, profitability, and resilience while reducing environmental footprints. The review concludes that location-specific agronomic interventions, combined with institutional support, can substantially enhance the adaptive capacity and sustainability of agriculture in Eastern India under changing climatic conditions.