Farmers Perception about Impact of Long Term Climate Change on Agriculture in Plain Zone of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

This investigation was an attempt to capture the extent of local peoples’ perceptions regarding impact of long term climate change on agriculture and allied activities. The study was carried out in four randomly selected districts of Plain Zone of Chhattisgarh State. A total of 240 farmers from twenty four villages of eight blocks were considered as respondents. Data were collected through the personal interview using structured interview schedule prepared in Hindi and also group discussions were conducted among the farmers in each selected village to affirm the response in group about climate change. Based on the multiple responses, out of the total, 183 respondents were growing paddy in irrigated condition and 146 of them were growing paddy in un-irrigated condition. Out of total cultivated area (583.70 ha) paddy was cultivated in 47.56 per cent of area in irrigated condition and 47.28 per cent of area in un-irrigated condition. With regards to various varieties grown by respondents there was drastic change in 15 years, local varieties like Gurmatia, Mundaria, Kanthbhulaw, Nankeshar, Bhejri, Asamchudi etc. were grown by 86.25 per cent of the respondents 15 year back which has confined to only 1.67 per cent of the respondents with varieties like Gurmatia, Nankeshar, Asamchudi etc. Almost half of the respondents believed that due to climate change area of some crops like minor millets, sesame, pigeon pea, maize, jowar etc. in kharif and linseed, lathyrus, lentil etc. in rabi has decreased. Majority of respondents (86.30%) agreed, over the past 15 years migration of birds and animals has increased due to climate change, while, 82.92 per cent believed that climate change has increased drudgery of farmers/farm women. The results indicated that nearly 37 per cent of the respondents perceived medium level of overall impact of long term climate change, while, 34.17 and 29.17 per cent of the respondents reported high to low level of overall impact of long term climate change on agriculture and allied activities.