Coping with climate change in the Semi-Arid Tropics

Abstract

Most climate change models suggest rise in temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events leading to unprecedented changes in various sectors, including agricultural production in the future years. Both developed and developing countries are affected, but developing countries with little adaptive capacity and limited resources are more vulnerable to climate change effects. Desertification, fresh water shortages, soil erosion, increased salinity, changed pest and disease scenario, biodiversity loss, reduction in length of growing period are some of the consequences that adversely affect the agricultural productivity straining the national economies. Detailed implications of climate change effects, resilience of populations and coping mechanisms are not fully understood in most countries in semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Asia and Africa 1, 2. ICRISAT, with the help of partners, is working to better understand the global, national and regional impacts of climate change on agricultural production and resource management and developing mechanisms to better cope up with the climate change effects in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Africa and Asia1