The scientists of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Centres, working in diverse discipline said Manipur has been affected by the changing climate.
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Trend analysis of weather variables in Imphal under National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture revealed that the mean annual maximum temperature (1954–2014) has been increasing (0.1°C per decade). This was relvealed by the scientists in their research paper report published in Current Science journal in October 2018.
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The 20 paged reports called ‘Climate resilient agriculture in Manipur: status and strategies for sustainable development’ is the result of year long work by as many as 11 ICAR scientists who have reviewed a number of sources of information.
Stating that as evident from the last 30 years’ climate data analysis, precipitation rate in northern parts is expected to increase, the scientists said.
The southern districts are expected to experience higher temperature than that of the northern districts.
Total annual precipitation is expected to increase throughout the State. As evident from the last 30 years’ climate data analysis, precipitation rate in northern parts is expected to increase.Greenhouse gas emissions have also increased in Manipur from 1980 to 2005.
Projecting the loss of bio-diversity and extinction of rare/threatened flora and fauna besides projecting decline in crop yields by 10 percent in 2030 in view of the said climate variability, the scientists estimated that the food grain production and requirement of the state would be 77105 and 79323 thousand tonnes respectively by 2050.
Hence, there will be deficit of 2218 thousand tonnes of food grain by 2050, they predicted.
The total food grain production in Manipur (2014–15) was 594.28 thousand tonnes from an area of 292,950 ha.
Otherwise the total gross cropped area the state is 350,290 ha, which account for 15.24 per cent of the total land areas.About 65.93% under rice cultivation.
There are enormous gene pool of rice, maize, cucurbits, legumes, tuber crops, turmeric, ginger and chillies in Manipur which houses more than 500 orchid varieties, 1200 species of medicinal plants, 50 species of fleshy fungi, 121 algae and a few moses, 200 plus fish species, 73 different types of birds, 31 endemic mammals, more than 53 species of bamboos etc, according to the report.
Hence they suggested the need for devising climate proof plan and climate ready policy for climate compatible agricultural development in Manipur. Location-specific climate smart technology baskets need to be devised or introduced and should be demonstrated through participatory approach, for ensuring a climate resilient production system, and a climate resilient ecosystem.