EFFECT OF CIMATE CHANGE IN AGRICULTURE

Nepal is one of the four most vulnerable countries affected by climate change in the world. Climate change has been occurred in terai, hills and mountain of Nepal resulting change in agriculture systems. In Nepal, the effect of climate change is more pronounced in hills and mountains with respect to increase in temperature than that of Terai. Because of climate change it is reported untimely start of monsoonal rainfall that resulted rain deficit in the eastern Terai lowlands and hence reducing crop production. In agriculture, about 10% of agricultural land was left fallow due to rain deficit on the one hand, while on the other hand in the midwestern Terai faced heavy rain with floods, which reduced crop production by 30%. Adverse effect of climate change could lead to the extinction of some indigenous crop varieties such as many aromatic rice varieties including Basmati rice, some local wheat, maize and other agricultural crops. Nepal has been facing an unpredictable effect of climate change in the form of flood, landslide, drought, untimely onset and exhaust of monsoon. The effect of climate change is to reduce production, increase prices, and increase the number of people at risk from hunger. Agricultural production, cropland area, and trade show the greatest variability in response to climate change. Agriculture affects atmosphere by releasing greenhouse gases and get affected in turn, from climate change. There are some of the effects of climate change which are listed below:

·         Increased temperature

·         Increased disease of crop

·         Longer summer

·         Increased insect infestation

·         Unexpected rainfall

·         Reduced biodiversity

·         Reduced soil fertility

·         Increased soil salinity

·         Crop failure increased due to seasonal change

·         Decrease yield

·         Scarcity of irrigation water in a drought season

·         River erosion decreases agricultural land

·         Increased food shortage

·         Intensified winter

·         Increased water logging condition

·         Shorter winter

·         Greenhouse gas cause climate change