Climate Change and Sustainable Management of Salinity in Agriculture

Abstract

There has been a steady increase in the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the environment. Agriculture is reported responsible for up to almost half of all methane emissions. The climate change predictions over India indicate that temperature rise is likely to be around 3"C and rainfall increase is expected by 10-20 per cent over central states of India by 2100 A.D. The climate change triggered frequency of weather related events like floods, droughts, frost, cold and heat waves has considerably increased during last two decades. Continuation of such trends associated with rise in temperature is expected to melt ice, glaciers, redistribute water flow in rivers, raise sea levels, submerge coastal habitats, islands, generate tsunamis and dislocate human and livestock settlements. Predicted spatial redistribution of precipitation, droughts, floods and water balance will change land use, pests, diseases and other ecological parameters. These changes will necessitate the need to devise research strategies to deal with predicted changes to sustain agricultural productivity and to achieve food and nutritional security in 21 st century. Soil salinity and sodicity has degraded about 6.73 million ha otherwise productive area in the country. Development and refinement of appropriate technologies for reclamation and management of such lands seems promising option to achieve future food and nutritional security as well as adoption and mitigation strategy to cope with predicted future climate change scenario. In the present paper, information has been compiled and discussed how reclamation and management of salt-affected soils and waters will help sustaining food security and also help moderating/ negating climate change related risks in the near future through carbon sequestration in vegetation and soil. The information has been compiled under the sub heads: future climate change scenario in India, climate change and agriculture Vulnerability, impact of climate change on agriculture: recent case studies, harnessing salt-affected soils potential and future research and development needs.