Climate change and food security

Since climate-related crop failure has activated a shift in cropping system, developing adaptation and mitigation strategies is very important.

At the outset, Cheriyan's two-acre cardamom farm is a thriving green landscape under the cerulean sky. But on closer inspection, you will see the wilted shoots and damaged pods -- byproducts of an erratic weather.

The Malayalam month of Edavam has come to an end without any steady downpour, the dry spell stretching all through the third week of June except for some mild, dwindling drizzles. Plants miss that rich monsoon hue and farmers in Idukki, a district that recorded a large rain deficit of 69% during the June 1-22 period, are bracing for a possible crop failure.

"It's for the first time we are experiencing a nearly dry monsoon while the temperature keeps rising. A delayed or failed monsoon will affect the capsule formation and the yield will dip," says the 67-year-old from Kumily.

Cardamom is one among the many thermosensitive crops hit by rising mercury levels, change in weather patterns and extreme climatic conditions, adding to the agrarian distress in the State. Farmers complain that the inconsistent rain pattern is causing crop loss and delayed flowering, while the aberrancy in temperature and humidity is triggering pest attacks. The fall in yield has hit their livelihood and at present many of them are staring at an uncertain future.

"The majority of residents in our village are dependent on the single crop of cardamom and it's practically impossible for us to switch. I have been cultivating cardamom for the last 22 years and the changing climate is posing a serious threat to us. We have been farmers for generations and at present we are in the middle of a major crisis," adds Mr. Cheriyan, as his cousin Shaji agrees.

"There has been a steady rise in average daytime temperature. We used to grow orange in the past, but we had to quit after the spike in temperature started impacting the fruition of orange groves. The high-range climate is no more the same and the cardamom farmers are having a hard time," points out Mr. Shaji.

According to Suresh Kumar, a farmer from Kattappana, it all started with the floods of 2018 when incessant rain caused widespread crop damage. "After the first floods, the proportion of rain has never been the same and our harvest cycle also changed. During the month of June we add manure to expedite the germination of charams (panicles) and if there is no rain, the growth will slow down. Though the plants currently look healthy due to the pre-monsoon rain, the yield will be very poor," he says.