Agriculture forms the backbone of global food security and economic stability, sustaining nearly half of the world’s population and shaping rural livelihoods across continents. However, it faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity. Agriculture is the mainstay and source of livelihood for millions of rural households in India. Cuttack district situated at the head of the Mahanadi delta is endowed with fertile alluvial soil, making it a highly productive district. The total agriculture area of the district is 51% of the total area, out of which 91% of cultivated area is under rice cultivation during Kharif season, followed by pulses in Rabi season. Agriculture remains the predominant economic activity in the district, with approximately 76% of the population relying on it as their primary source of livelihood. However, the sector faces increasing vulnerability due to climatic variability induced by climate change. Fluctuations in annual precipitation patterns and rising temperatures contribute to the formation of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal. These systems often trigger erratic rainfall, cyclonic events, and intense precipitation incidents within the region, resulting in frequent flood-like conditions. Such extreme weather phenomena lead to significant crop damage and adversely affect the livelihoods of the agrarian communities. The purpose of this chapter is to understand the existing agricultural practices about changing environmental conditions. The chapter has adopted a mixed-method approach. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected on various aspects such as rainfall, disasters, agricultural practices, soil, irrigation etc. A case-based approach has been taken to understand the declining agricultural production, its impact on rural households and government interventions to promote agricultural practices. GIS is used as a tool for the analysis the spatial distribution of agricultural land, soil types, cropping patterns and irrigation facilities. The chapter reveals that the agricultural land holding size is decreasing leading to the decline of cultivated cropland area as well as cultivators. The study suggests that adopting sustainable agriculture practices based on nature-based solutions, supported by geospatial analysis and policy intervention can enhance agriculture productivity and income stability in Cuttack district.

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Promoting Climate-Resilient Agricultural Practices Through Nature-Based Solutions: A Case Study of Cuttack District

  • Saswat Sundaray,
  • Shashi Mehta

摘要

Agriculture forms the backbone of global food security and economic stability, sustaining nearly half of the world’s population and shaping rural livelihoods across continents. However, it faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity. Agriculture is the mainstay and source of livelihood for millions of rural households in India. Cuttack district situated at the head of the Mahanadi delta is endowed with fertile alluvial soil, making it a highly productive district. The total agriculture area of the district is 51% of the total area, out of which 91% of cultivated area is under rice cultivation during Kharif season, followed by pulses in Rabi season. Agriculture remains the predominant economic activity in the district, with approximately 76% of the population relying on it as their primary source of livelihood. However, the sector faces increasing vulnerability due to climatic variability induced by climate change. Fluctuations in annual precipitation patterns and rising temperatures contribute to the formation of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal. These systems often trigger erratic rainfall, cyclonic events, and intense precipitation incidents within the region, resulting in frequent flood-like conditions. Such extreme weather phenomena lead to significant crop damage and adversely affect the livelihoods of the agrarian communities. The purpose of this chapter is to understand the existing agricultural practices about changing environmental conditions. The chapter has adopted a mixed-method approach. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected on various aspects such as rainfall, disasters, agricultural practices, soil, irrigation etc. A case-based approach has been taken to understand the declining agricultural production, its impact on rural households and government interventions to promote agricultural practices. GIS is used as a tool for the analysis the spatial distribution of agricultural land, soil types, cropping patterns and irrigation facilities. The chapter reveals that the agricultural land holding size is decreasing leading to the decline of cultivated cropland area as well as cultivators. The study suggests that adopting sustainable agriculture practices based on nature-based solutions, supported by geospatial analysis and policy intervention can enhance agriculture productivity and income stability in Cuttack district.