A framework for adaptation to climate change effects in salt affected agricultural areas of Indo-Gangetic region

Abstract

Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP) constitutes about 13% of the total geographical area of the India, and it produces about 50% of the total food grains. Salt infestation in soils is rampant which poses threat to productivity of agricultural lands, and change in climate could play vital role in further aggravating the problem. Many agricultural practices can slow development of salts in soil and may even mitigate greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. Crop, soil and water management can provide immediate adaptation measure for changing climate effects, and can also meet long-term mitigation goals. Agricultural management can have interactions with soil sodicity-salinity development at several junctures affecting either one or all of these: GHG emissions, soil carbon balance, water use and landscape water balance, water and salt fluxes, and water quality. For salt affected soils, most of these interactions are influenced by change in rainfall and temperature, and extreme conditions in either direction can lead to increase in salinity and sodicity in soil. Therefore, the management conditions need to be analysed more carefully with life cycle assessment and feedbacks from other interacting elements like society and policy developers. A conceptual framework for systematically meeting the goal of climate change mitigation and adaptation for salt affected soils of Indo-Gangetic region based on these interactions is proposed.