Extent of Awareness and Adoption of Climate Resilient Crop Production Practises among Farmers in Haryana State of India

Abstract

The phenomenon of climate change presents a substantial obstacle to the attainment of food self-sufficiency and the overall welfare of rural communities. Climate change has significantly impacted the agricultural sector in India, with the majority of the population being more susceptible due to their direct or indirect reliance on the sector. The process of adapting to climate change is multifaceted and involves various factors, including economic, cultural, institutional, and biophysical aspects. Long-term climate change could threaten marginalised groups' livelihoods, thus proactive planning is needed. Strategic research that raises awareness and encourages adaptation helps Indian agriculture withstand climatic variability and climate change. This study evaluates farmers' knowledge and willingness to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices in farming activities. The investigation involved 120 farmers from Hisar and Fatehabad districts, randomly selected two villages from each district viz., Sharwa and Chirod, and Gorakhpur and Jandlikalan, to gather data. The study found that farmers have a high level of awareness about climate-resilient crop production practices, with high adoption rates for crop insurance, field sanitation, irrigation scheduling, and seed treatment. However, there are areas where awareness is lacking, such as post-harvest losses, natural resource conservation, cultivation methods, tolerant crop varieties, and credit facilities. To improve awareness, farmers need to promote and enhance less widely accepted practices, such as credit facilities, natural resource conservation schemes, and cultivation methods. The study thus highlights some challenges include lack of knowledge about climate change, labor scarcity, limited resources, inadequate training, and poor institutional financial support.