Impact of rainfall variability on rainfed agriculture of the middle catchment of Mahanadi river basin

Soubhagya Laxmi Ray; Ambika Prasad  Sahu; Jagadish Chandra  Paul; Dwarika Mohan  Das; Sanjay Kumar  Raul; Prachi Pratyasha  Jena

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i4.158343

Authors

Soubhagya Laxmi Ray College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India
Ambika Prasad Sahu College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India
Jagadish Chandra Paul College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India
Dwarika Mohan Das College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India
Sanjay Kumar Raul College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India
Prachi Pratyasha Jena College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i4.158343

Keywords:

Agricultural productivity, Climate change, Livelihoods, Rainfall variability , Trend analysis

Abstract

Rainfed agriculture in the Kantamal catchment of the middle Mahanadi river basin is highly sensitive to rainfall variability. Approximately 95% of the catchment area lies in Odisha, covering parts of Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Boudh and Sonepur districts, while the remaining 5% lies in Chhattisgarh, covering parts of Gariaband district. This paper examines the seasonal trend in rainfall using the Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) technique and how the changing rainfall patterns affect the prevailing major cropping systems of the basin. The Sen’s slope analysis revealed that annual, monsoon, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon rainfall are decreasing at rates of 4.2, 3.5, 0.8 and 1.2 mm/year, respectively. These correspond to reductions of approximately 3.0%, 3.0%, 8.0% and 11.4% per decade from the long-term normal rainfall. The decline in post-monsoon rainfall is proportionally higher than other seasons, indicating increasing vulnerability of rabi crops due to reduced residual soil moisture in the catchment. The study also revealed that important farming operations such as seedbed preparation and nursery raising of rice are affected by decline in pre-monsoon rainfall, rice crop may suffer with water stress at the critical period of irrigation like the active tillering, panicle initiation and flowering stages due to the decrease in monsoon rainfall. Further, due to decease in post-monsoon rainfall, the low volume and high value crops like pulses and oil seeds may suffer due to moisture stress which will impact agricultural productivity and rural livelihood of the catchment. The findings suggest implementation of water conservation measures (eg. check dams, farm ponds and dams), rainwater harvesting structures, irrigation infrastructures, advanced on farm water management techniques (eg. micro irrigation and alternate wetting and drying) and agricultural policies to face the climate change induced rainfall variability in the catchment.

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