Cotton Farmers' Climate Challenges
Cotton Farmers' Climate Challenges
Volume 9, Issue 10, October– 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1471
Challenges Faced by Cotton Farmers in Adapting to
Climate Variability and Proposed Solutions
L. Mahesh1; R. D. Ahire2; P. R. Deshmukh3; R. P. Kadam4 and B. V. Asewar5
Department of Extension Education College of Agriculture, Parbhani, VNMKV, Parbhani -431402
Abstract:- This study was carried out in Telangana's these practices in response to climate change. To fill this gap,
Adilabad and Mahabubnagar districts, where 240 this study aims to investigate cotton growers' perceptions and
farmers were sampled using an ex-post facto research adaptive measures regarding climate variability in Telangana,
design. Among the challenges faced, price fluctuations specifically in the districts of Adilabad and Mahabubnagar.
were the most significant, with 95.83% of farmers
identifying this issue. This was attributed to the absence II. METHODOLOGY
of a guaranteed minimum support price, which hampers
farmers' income and limits their ability to purchase the This study adopted an ex-post facto research design as
inputs required for adapting to climate change. To defined by Kerlinger (1973), where the researchers did not
address this, the majority (91.66%) suggested the have direct control over the influencing variables since they
government implement a minimum support price. had already occurred. Telangana was chosen for the study due
Another prevalent issue was the need for drought- to the projected increase in drought occurrences in districts
resistant crop varieties, noted by 87.50% of farmers. like Adilabad and Mahabubnagar, which affects water
resources and has a cascading impact on other sectors.
I. INTRODUCTION Farmers in these districts, who depend heavily on rainfall for
their agricultural activities, face food insecurity when crops
Climate variability is expected to increase the frequency fail due to drought. The study sampled 240 farmers from 12
of droughts in districts such as Adilabad and Mahabubnagar, villages across two Mandals from each district, with 20
which could significantly impact water resources and other farmers selected per village.
related sectors. Prolonged droughts not only threaten
agricultural livelihoods but also increase the vulnerability of Constraints Faced by Farmers in Adapting to Climate
farmers and others who rely on these systems. Farmers Variability:
heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture face food insecurity The constraints expressed by the cotton growers
due to crop failure during droughts. Additionally, for those regarding their ability to adapt to climate variability are
who depend on livestock, drought can lead to malnutrition or presented in Table 1. The majority of farmers (95.83%) cited
illness in animals due to the lack of sufficient fodder. This price fluctuations in the market as the biggest challenge,
research focuses on how these communities adapt to and primarily due to the lack of a government-fixed minimum
manage climate variability, based on personal interviews to support price. This price instability affects their income and
assess the impact and coping mechanisms, as well as the limits their ability to invest in necessary farm inputs for
factors that contribute to resilience. adapting to changing climatic conditions. The second most
commonly reported issue was the unavailability of crop
While various adaptation and mitigation strategies have varieties that can withstand terminal drought, as noted by
been introduced by both government and private agencies, 94.16% of respondents. This may be attributed to the limited
there is limited research on how prepared farmers are to adopt research on developing drought-resistant varieties.
Table 1 Constraints faced by the farmers in adaptability towards the Climate Variability.
Sr. No Constraints Frequency Percentage Rank
1 Price fluctuations in the market after crop production 230 95.83 I
Non-availability of short-duration varieties suitable for escaping the terminal
2 226 94.16 II
drought
3 High incidence of diseases and pests 220 91.66 III
4 Lack of effective advisory system on changes in climate 216 90.00 IV
5 Requirement of money ahead of season for preparedness 210 87.50 V
6 Frequent interruptions in power supply 204 85.00 VI
7 Lack of awareness of pest and disease-tolerant varieties 200 83.33 VII
8 Higher cost of cultivation using scientific methods 190 79.16 VIII
9 Lack of information of adaption options to face climate variability 186 81.66 IX
10 Absence of suitable rainwater harvesting structures 184 76.66 X
IJISRT24OCT1471 www.ijisrt.com 2324
Volume 9, Issue 10, October– 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1471
11 Non- Non-availability of credit and subsidy facilities in the locality 172 73.33 XI
12 Lack of information about weather and climate 164 68.33 XII
13 Lack of efficient market facilities at the village level 162 67.50 XIII
14 Lack of proper storage 156 65.00 XIV
Additionally, 91.66% of farmers pointed to the high 73.33% of the respondents, were also cited as important for
incidence of pests and diseases as a major challenge, and enabling adaptation efforts. Additionally, 68.33% highlighted
90.00% noted the lack of a reliable advisory system on the lack of information on weather and climate, which is
climate change. Financial constraints were also significant, crucial for effective climate adaptation.
with 87.50% of respondents indicating the need for money in
advance of the planting season to prepare for climatic Suggestions to Overcome the Challenges (Revised):
changes. Other issues included frequent power interruptions Farmers also provided a number of suggestions for
(85.00%), a lack of awareness about pest- and disease- overcoming these challenges. The most commonly suggested
tolerant crop varieties (83.33%), and high costs associated solution (91.66%) was the introduction of a minimum support
with scientific farming methods (79.16%). price by the government to stabilize market prices.
Additionally, 87.50% of respondents advocated for the
Many farmers (81.66%) also expressed concern over the development of drought-resistant crop varieties, particularly
lack of information on options to adapt to climate variability, for groundnut, red gram, and cotton, which are also resistant
while 76.66% pointed to the absence of rainwater harvesting to pests and diseases.
structures. Credit and subsidy facilities, available only to
Table 2 Suggestions Elicited by the Farmers on Climate Variability
Sr. No Suggestion Frequency Percentage Rank
1. A contingency plan may be worked out by the researchers to
192 80.00 VII
minimize the effect of drought
2. More awareness may be created among the farming community on
204 87.50 IV
available varieties that can be tolerant to pests and diseases.
3. Extension officials may consider polambadi programme as a
platform to enlighten the farmers on the importance of 176 73.33 X
controlling the pest and disease
4. The officials of Department of agriculture, gear up the effort to
disseminate available practices among the farming community
160 66.66 XIII
which can enhance their capacity to withstand the aberrations in
climate
5. Provision of an effective advisory system and to counsel the farmers
on various issues about climate variability and measures to 186 77.50 VIII
overcome them.
6. Fixing of minimum support price by the government 220 91.66 I
7. Weather and climate information should be made available up
190 79.16 VII
to the farmer‟s village level
8. Arrangement for the availability of credit and subsidy by the
196 81.66 V
government
9. The government should ensure public warehousing facility to place
the produce produced by the farmers and this facility may be 158 65.83 XIII
arranged within the vicinity of the farmer's villages
10. The establishment of rainwater harvesting structures at individual
170 70.83 XII
farms may enhance the water table in the ground
11. Contingency plans may be designed with various kinds of models of
cropping patterns and cropping systems to address repetitive extreme 150 62.50 XIV
weather conditions
12. Seven hours of continuous and uninterrupted power may be
180 75.00 XI
supplied to irrigate crops for better crop production
13. Training may be given to farmers and extension officials on
techniques of crop production and adaptation options to address
200 83.33 III
various issues in climate
Variability
14. Evolving varieties that can escape the terminal drought in cotton and
210 87.50 II
are resistant to pests and diseases
IJISRT24OCT1471 www.ijisrt.com 2325
Volume 9, Issue 10, October– 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1471
Other recommendations included increasing awareness
among the farming community about pest- and disease-
resistant varieties (87.50%), providing training for farmers
and extension officers on crop production and climate
adaptation techniques (83.33%), and making credit and
subsidies more accessible (81.66%). Farmers also suggested
that researchers develop contingency plans to mitigate the
effects of drought (80.00%) and ensure that weather and
climate information is available at the village level (79.16%).
To improve water availability, 70.83% of farmers
proposed the construction of rainwater harvesting structures
at individual farms. In addition, 75.00% of respondents
suggested the provision of continuous and uninterrupted
power for crop irrigation.
III. CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the study highlight that price
fluctuations in the market were identified as the most pressing
issue for farmers, with 95.83% of respondents ranking it as
the top constraint. This can be linked to the absence of a
government-mandated minimum support price, which
negatively affects farmers' earnings and restricts their ability
to purchase essential farm inputs needed to adapt to climate
change. Most farmers (91.66%) recommended that the
government should introduce a minimum support price to
stabilize market conditions.
Additionally, 87.50% of respondents suggested the
development of crop varieties that can withstand terminal
drought and are resistant to pests and diseases, which would
significantly improve their capacity to cope with climate
variability. Based on these results, it is clear that
implementing a minimum support price and encouraging the
development of drought-resistant, pest-resistant varieties are
crucial measures to support farmers in adapting to climate
challenges.
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