COIMBATORE: The importance of climate change risks and the responsibility of the scientists to help farmers by developing proper adaptation measures were discussed at a stakeholders’ workshop at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) recently.
The workshop, held under the aegis of the CLIMARICE project termed “Climate Change and Persistent Droughts: Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation in Rice Growing Sub-Divisions in India (2008-2010)”, was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor C. Ramasamy.
The project is being implemented by TNAU with the Norwegian Institute for Agriculture and Environmental Research, Norway, and the International Pacific Research Centre, Hawaii, with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.
The workshop also included group discussions with farmers, who shared their experiences and knowledge with other participants. Farmers perceived climate change as a serious threat and called for adaptation measures.
They urged that the measures be suitable to the local ecological and socio-economic situation. Some of the measures suggested by the farmers included rotational irrigation to ensure equitable distribution of water, alternative cropping patterns to suit the variability in climate, in-situ green manuring, eco-friendly microbial inoculants, training and awareness campaigns, crop insurance schemes and financial support to poor farmers.
The project would organise several more workshops in the near future at different levels to jointly develop scenarios and adaptation measures for the benefit of farmers in the Cauvery basin.
