Latest news with #ChaitanyaAshokAdhav
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Vidarbha dists far from climate resilience, need urgent action: Study
Nagpur: Climate change is severely impacting most districts in Vidarbha region which has earned the ignominy of farm distress. Farmers in Chandrapur are battling rising heat and pollution. Yavatmal is still stuck in a deadly drought-cotton trap, and Gadchiroli's tribal growers are at a loss for options to stem crop loss. A new study has exposed the growing divide in Vidarbha, revealing how some districts are adapting to climate change, while others are perilously at the mercy of vagaries of nature in the absence of basic support needed to mitigate environmental adversities. The study, conducted by Chaitanya Ashok Adhav, a PhD scholar in agricultural economics and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research Fellowship researcher with govt of Maharashtra, brings out the climate resilience dichotomy in Vidarbha. In the absence of urgent, district-wise action, the region could reel under a new fresh wave of agrarian crisis. "Vidarbha is not a uniform region when it comes to climate preparedness. While districts like Nagpur and Akola are coping better, places like Yavatmal, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur are still in the environmental and economical quagmire," Adhav told TOI. The study, published in the International Journal of Environment and Climate Change, uses a special climate resilience index to measure each district's risk, support systems and ability to recover from climate shocks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo As per the research, Nagpur leads the region in climate resilience, thanks to the presence of research institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), market access and adoption of drought-tolerant seeds. Many farmers here use precision farming and benefit from post-harvest infrastructure and agro-processing units. But even Nagpur has gaps. "Tribal communities and women farmers in Nagpur's interiors are often excluded from such benefits, necessitating these reach out across the district," says Adhav. The study identifies three worst-hit districts. Yavatmal, infamous for farm suicides, continues to suffer from droughts, erratic rainfall and over-reliance on cotton monocropping. Govt schemes like PM Fasal Bima Yojana haven't had the desired impact. "Farmers, it seems, have lost faith in the system," says Adhav. In predominantly tribal Gadchiroli where people are largely dependent on forests, the lack of modern irrigation facility, mobile networks and agri-extension services means central schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) never reach them, the study claims. It also points out that coal-rich Chandrapur is poor in sustainable agriculture and extensive mining is only worsening the situation. "Though Chandrapur has roads and infrastructure, the local climate is wreaking havoc which is putting farming communities in danger," Adhav explains. Though the situation in Washim, Wardha, Gondia and Buldhana districts is not bad, it can't be termed as doing well either. They benefit from access to govt schemes like Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) and PMKSY, but these districts are plagued by problems such as depleting groundwater, small and scattered landholdings, and skewed access — richer farmers benefit more — eventually leading to poor climate resilience, the study states. The research points out that these districts have embraced mixed cropping, integrated farming and agri-digital platforms like e-NAM. In Bhandara, community-led irrigation and better rainfall have helped. Akola and Amravati's research networks are translating into practical help for farmers on the ground, the study says. Adhav urges a district-specific climate action plan, customised to local needs and realities. "This is a crisis we can still manage but requires smart and quick action. We need to fix what's broken before climate disasters become the new normal in Vidarbha," Adhav said. # Suggestions for the region Strengthening local support systems and village-level agriculture offices Improving the reach of govt schemes to small and marginal farmers Spreading climate awareness in local languages Using both traditional knowledge and modern techniques to improve farming Ensuring that women and landless workers are also included in benefit programmes Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Nearly 1/3 of central India's districts lack climate resilience capacity: Study
Researchers have mapped an indicator-based climate change resilience capacity index across 102 districts in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and southern parts of Uttar Pradesh, revealing stark disparities in adaptive capacity. This points to uneven climate preparedness, especially in areas with degraded ecosystems and high exposure to extreme climate events. Nearly 30% of Central India's districts are poorly equipped to withstand and adapt to climate change impacts, according to a new study assessing regional resilience using agro-climatic and socio-economic indicators. The study, conducted by Chaitanya Ashok Adhav under the guidance of Hari Nath Singh from the department of Agricultural Economics at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, found that 27.39% of districts in central India fall into the 'low resilience' category, highlighting significant vulnerabilities across farming communities, ecosystems and rural livelihoods. Also Read:March 2025 second warmest on record, says EU climate agency Published in the International Journal of Environment and Climate Change recently, the study, titled - Assessing Climate Change Resilience in Central India: A Regional Indicator-Based Approach and Agro-Climatic Zone Mapping - evaluated 102 districts spread across four states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Southern UP— highly susceptible to erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and drought-like conditions. 'Low resilience means these districts have limited capacity to absorb climate shocks, whether in agriculture, water availability or public health,' explained Adhav, lead author. 'It is a combination of high exposure, low agricultural productivity with inadequate adaptive infrastructure and social support systems.' The latest study used 50 sub-indicators, including rainfall deviation, forest cover, population density, literacy rates, crop insurance, irrigation coverage, and road infrastructure, grouped into three key components: climate exposure, agricultural productivity and climate adaptability. These were synthesised into a Composite Climate Change Resilience Capacity Index (CCRCI) using principal component analysis (a statistical technique used to assign weights to individual indicators in a dataset while retaining most of the original information) coupled with standard index development procedures and visualised through GIS mapping. While only 28.71 % of districts were rated as 'highly resilient', a majority (43.91%) were found to have moderate resilience. The remaining 36 districts, which constitute nearly 30% of the study area, lack both institutional and ecological buffers to cope with climate variability. 'Districts with low resilience scores typically face a dual burden—on one hand, they are highly exposed to climatic variability like drought and erratic rainfall; on the other, their capacity to adapt is severely constrained due to poor infrastructure, lower literacy, and limited institutional outreach. These areas require immediate attention and targeted intervention for climate adaptation planning,' said Adhav, adding that moderately resilient districts can cope to some extent but remain vulnerable under intensified climate stressors. Some of the least resilient districts identified in the study include Bhopal, Damoh, Guna, Morena, Panna, Sidhi, Tikamgarh, Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh all of which scored poorly on key indicators such as health infrastructure, forest cover, and literacy rates. Other low-resilience areas such as Sheopur (MP) and Durg (Chhattisgarh) faced a combination of environmental and institutional stress, including frequent droughts, poor road connectivity, and limited livelihood diversity. In contrast, Ahilya Nagar in Maharashtra was classified as highly resilient due to better forest cover, road infrastructure, and lower population density. Also Read:No immediate relief in sight from climate crisis Districts such as Sangli and Kolhapur in Maharashtra and Raipur in Chhattisgarh also performed well, attributed to relatively better access to education, markets, and public services. All the selected districts from southern UP show low to moderate resilience, revealing inefficiencies in policy implementation. 'The spatial variation in climate resilience across districts reflects not only ecological differences but also disparities in governance and infrastructure,' said H N Singh, co-author and climate adaptation researcher. Further, Chaitanya Adhav explained - 'Districts with higher investments in public goods—like education, roads, and forest management—tend to have stronger buffers against climate risks in agriculture.' Across central India, climate change is manifesting in region-specific ways, with significant implications for agriculture, water security, and rural livelihoods. In Maharashtra, a study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology projects a temperature rise of 1–2.5 degree Celsius by 2050, particularly affecting districts such as Pune, Solapur, and Satara. The state has also seen a marked increase in extreme weather events, including the recurrent floods that devastated Konkan and Western Maharashtra, disrupting agricultural activities and damaging infrastructure. Additionally, there have been series of climate events connected to untimely rainfall and drought over central Maharashtra and Vidarbha over the past five years. Both Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are witnessing intensifying similar climate stresses, with tangible impacts on agriculture, water resources, and public health. The Rajasthan State Action Plan on Climate Change (2022) flags a rise in heatwaves, erratic rainfall, and droughts, contributing to worsening water scarcity and crop failures in major agrarian belts. Similarly, the Chhattisgarh State Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health (2024) highlights the growing frequency of extreme weather events and rainfall decline, which are undermining rain-fed farming and triggering health impacts such as vector-borne diseases and acute respiratory infections. Also Read: India among countries worst hit by extreme weather events, made up 10% of global deaths According to Singh, the study is a call for more granular and regionally tailored climate planning. 'Most adaptation policies are designed at national or state levels, but climate vulnerability is hyper-local,' he said. 'Our findings make the case for district-specific investments, especially in education, natural resource management, and decentralised infrastructure.' In Madhya Pradesh, a 2023 study published in the Journal of Water and Climate Change, analysed long-term rainfall patterns using high-resolution gridded data from 439 India Meteorological Department (IMD) grid points. The study found a significant decrease in annual, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter rainfall, with a notable increase in pre-monsoon rainfall. The analysis identified shifts in rainfall patterns in 1998 (monsoon, annual), 1955 (pre-monsoon), 1987 (post-monsoon), and 1986 (winter). The maximum average annual rainfall reduced from 1,769 mm to 1,401 mm after 1998, affecting water availability. These long-term climatic shifts are indicative of how communities dependent on predictable monsoons and traditional crop cycles are now grappling with uncertainty, water stress, and declining productivity. To address the vulnerabilities in low-resilience districts, the study also recommended promoting water harvesting and land-use diversification to mitigate environmental stress, as well as enhancing institutional support systems, such as rural agricultural extension services and disaster preparedness mechanisms. The importance of ecological restoration and community-led natural resource management as long-term strategies for building climate resilience from the ground up was also listed. 'Resilience is not just about technology or infrastructure,' Adhav said. 'It also depends on social capital, governance, and the ability of communities to anticipate, plan for, and respond to climate events.' The study concludes by urging policymakers to integrate regional resilience mapping into climate adaptation frameworks, particularly within the government's ongoing agro-ecological zoning and rural development strategies.
