Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia

Using data from a household survey of 2660 farm-families in Bihar state of Eastern India, Terai of Nepal and coastal Bangladesh, we explore the significance of climatic and non-climatic factors in affecting farmers' decision to change their farming practices over time in a wide range of environments...

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Main Authors: Bhatta, Gopal Datt, Aggarwal, Pramod K., Kristjanson, Patricia M., Shrivastava, Amit Kumar
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89871
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author Bhatta, Gopal Datt
Aggarwal, Pramod K.
Kristjanson, Patricia M.
Shrivastava, Amit Kumar
author_browse Aggarwal, Pramod K.
Bhatta, Gopal Datt
Kristjanson, Patricia M.
Shrivastava, Amit Kumar
author_facet Bhatta, Gopal Datt
Aggarwal, Pramod K.
Kristjanson, Patricia M.
Shrivastava, Amit Kumar
author_sort Bhatta, Gopal Datt
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Using data from a household survey of 2660 farm-families in Bihar state of Eastern India, Terai of Nepal and coastal Bangladesh, we explore the significance of climatic and non-climatic factors in affecting farmers' decision to change their farming practices over time in a wide range of environments. We find evidence across all sites, irrespective of rainfall and climatic stresses, that market-related forces (such as higher yields and better market opportunity) and resource issues (such as declining fertility, labour shortage and biotic factors) have been a strong driver of changes in farming practices over the last ten years relative to climatic factors. Food sufficient households are likely more adaptable to a changing climate, as they are undertaking new agricultural practices. The results suggest that social protection measures aimed at enhancing the food security situation of marginal and smallholder households will increase the likelihood of them being in a better position to innovate and adopt improved agricultural practices. Our findings also indicate that additional strategies and policies aimed at more widespread uptake of new agricultural practices will also be needed, and will have to be targeted to particular environments and vulnerable groups, and special attention to institutional, resource management and market development issues if they are to succeed.
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spelling CGSpace898712025-11-13T10:38:35Z Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia Bhatta, Gopal Datt Aggarwal, Pramod K. Kristjanson, Patricia M. Shrivastava, Amit Kumar climate change agriculture food security Using data from a household survey of 2660 farm-families in Bihar state of Eastern India, Terai of Nepal and coastal Bangladesh, we explore the significance of climatic and non-climatic factors in affecting farmers' decision to change their farming practices over time in a wide range of environments. We find evidence across all sites, irrespective of rainfall and climatic stresses, that market-related forces (such as higher yields and better market opportunity) and resource issues (such as declining fertility, labour shortage and biotic factors) have been a strong driver of changes in farming practices over the last ten years relative to climatic factors. Food sufficient households are likely more adaptable to a changing climate, as they are undertaking new agricultural practices. The results suggest that social protection measures aimed at enhancing the food security situation of marginal and smallholder households will increase the likelihood of them being in a better position to innovate and adopt improved agricultural practices. Our findings also indicate that additional strategies and policies aimed at more widespread uptake of new agricultural practices will also be needed, and will have to be targeted to particular environments and vulnerable groups, and special attention to institutional, resource management and market development issues if they are to succeed. 2016-04-13 2017-12-31T15:45:58Z 2017-12-31T15:45:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89871 en Open Access Bhatta GD, Aggarwal PK, Kristjanson P, Shrivastava AK. 2016. Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia. Current Science 110 (7):1272-1281.
spellingShingle climate change
agriculture
food security
Bhatta, Gopal Datt
Aggarwal, Pramod K.
Kristjanson, Patricia M.
Shrivastava, Amit Kumar
Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title_full Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title_fullStr Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title_full_unstemmed Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title_short Climatic and non-climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in South Asia
title_sort climatic and non climatic factors influencing changing agricultural practices across different rainfall regimes in south asia
topic climate change
agriculture
food security
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89871
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