On a July afternoon, as clouds hovered over the hills in Karsog, 100km from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, swathes of farmland wore an empty look.
“It has not rained in the last two weeks. There have only been scattered showers. How can we start sowing?” said Krishan Lal, a farmer.
Had it not been for the delayed monsoon, worsened by its sluggish pace, these fields would have been sown with paddy by now.
“We have already sown maize in those fields, on the other side,” said Lal, pointing to the terraced slopes near his house. “This will grow well.”
Much of farming in this Himalayan state, in common with the rest of India, is rainfed. This is particularly important as 66% of the population of the state is dependent on agriculture.
According to the latest report by the State Centre for Climate Change, an abnormal pattern of rainfall—an effect of climate change—over the past few years has caused “great fluctuations” in crop production. Rainfall has been uneven across districts, said the report, Impact of rainfall on agriculture in HP. While wheat yields have been affected by high maximum and minimum temperatures, some areas under rice crop have been diverted to maize crop due to irregular rainfall.
“It is slow, but the transition has begun, especially in areas where the rainfall has seen a gradual decline,” said R.S. Rana, principal scientist of the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur. “About 3,400 litres of water is required for sowing 1kg of rice here, while maize requires only 1,200 litres. There is a need to shift from water-intensive crops and maize offers the way, especially in Himachal, which is most suited for such cultivating through terrace-farming,” said Rana.
The area under maize has increased from 298,000 hectares to 356,000 hectares between 2001 and 2012, while that under rice has shrunk from 8.15 million hectares to 7.67 million hectares, according to government data.
Experts say the physiology of Maize enables it to sustain well even when the temperatures rise and rainfall is low. Over the years, improved yields have also encouraged farmers to opt for maize.
Maize production had grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.4% during 1996-2002 with a high yield of 2,550 kg/hectares against the national average of 2,018 kg/hectares.
“Farmers are switching to hybrid varieties that are climate-resilient. As a result, their productivity has increased and they are slightly enthusiastic about planting maize,” said S.K. Guleria, principal scientist (maize breeding) of the Hill Agricultural Research and Extension Centre in Bajaura near Kullu.
The plant offers farmers the additional benefits of facilitating sowing of black-eyed pea and soya bean alongside, as it is widely spaced at 60cm.
“If the rains are delayed, farmers do not need to wait for full maturity of the crop and can sow baby corn or sweet corn, or for pop corn variety which has a profitable market,” added Guleria.
A recent study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters said reliance on a single crop such as paddy can hit India’s food security. Irrigated rice yields may decrease by 7% in next 30 years, according to a recent assessment by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
As average temperatures gradually increase, the distribution, frequency and intensity of changes in rains have become uncertain. Pests and weeds attack on crops have also increased, as new crop varieties fall prey to pests which are moving to higher-altitudes. Aphids which once occurred in Punjab are now prevalent in Mandi too, which witnesses sub-tropical monsoon conditions with mild, dry winters and hot summers.
Rising concerns have led the Centre to push for less water intensive crops like maize across states, offering incentives to farmers including higher Minimum Support Price (MSP). Since maize is not regarded a staple crop, farmers who are trying to adapt face challenges in availing better prices.
“It is not readily lifted from market, like paddy and there are storage issues. So we grow it in smaller fields. If the government can regulate the market and ensure its timely procurement, then we get good price,” says Lal. Experts suggest setting up starch extraction units or maize processing plants could assure farmers of better returns.
Himachal has long been known for its maize. People in Chamba district used to worship maize during Minjar ka Mela in July. Eating habits have changed. However, now we need to revert to our old practices,” said Rana. “Climate-resilient agriculture is the need of the hour. The sooner we adapt the better.”
This story was published as part of IHCAP-CMS Media Fellowship programme 2019.
