Challenges and approaches to vulnerability and adaptation to climate change: Empirical evidence from household survey of farmers in Maharashtra, India

In India, the semi-arid regions are particularly facing a major challenge for agriculture sustainability owing to over-exploited water resources and climate variability. Implications of vulnerability and government policies are rarely assessed at regional level which can help in devising a structured adaptation approach by providing solutions at micro level. Present work focuses on the key factors leading to agriculture and socio-economic vulnerability to climate change for districts of Maharashtra state, India

District level vulnerability index (DLVI) is being formed by using principal component analysis and experts survey which are further compared and evaluated to determine the highly agriculturally, and socio-economically sensitive regions in Maharashtra. Household level survey (HHS) of 185 farmers along with focused group discussion in eight villages of Akola district was carried out to know about the implementation and awareness of various government plans, schemes, role of formal institutions and the deriving factors for their adaptation.

DLVI indicated that districts under Vidarbha and Marathwada regions are at highest risk and need immediate attention from decision-makers and scientists. Farmers informed that non-availability of irrigation and drinking water, lowering of ground water levels, drying of nearby lake, high water salinity, lack of support from government, and corruption in availing the basic facilities such as toilet, drinking water are the major barriers of their adaptation in these villages.

Results strongly bring out the gaps in planning where entire Maharashtra has been considered as a single unit for analysis and policies have been formulated for the entire State. It necessitates separate policy formulation related to climate variability and agriculture for each district to bring out the solution for regional issues (socio-political, farmers, agriculturalists, economical) more clearly. Study proposes formulation of 'District action plan on Climate change' so that the situation of each district can be monitored by the experts and amount of funding can be released accordingly.