Climate change: Punjab's cotton, maize yield to dip by 11-13% by 2050, says report

Climate change is predicted to reduce maize and cotton yield in Punjab by 13% and 11% by 2050, according to a new study conducted by agriculture economists and scientists at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

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The study published in the Mausam journal of the India Meteorological Department earlier this month used rainfall and temperature data collected between 1986 and 2020 to project the impact of climate change on five major crops -- rice, maize, cotton, wheat, and potato -- in the agrarian state.

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The negative impact would accumulate by 2080. The yield loss will increase from 13 to 24% for maize, from 11% to 24% for cotton, and from 1% to 2% for rice, respectively.

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The findings provide credence to the claim that the future climate scenario is not very welcoming. The results indicated that the climate-smart packages must be incorporated into the agricultural development agenda at the policy level, they said.

The study suggested focusing on linking farmers with financial institutions to boost their capacity to adapt to climate-smart technologies and practices.