Kshipra Sub Basin - Asian Development Bank

Support to the National Water Mission NAPCC
Appendix 3 Kshipra Sub Basin
A. Strategy for Adaptation Planning
VII. STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS CURRENT ISSUES
96. The application of climate projections into the development of adaptation planning requires to
be cautious and pragmatic. Framework planning for the sub-basins has been based on three stages
as described below;
Stage 1: Adaptation Strategies for Current Issues: The Kshipra sub-basin has very significant
levels of issues that are already affecting long term sustainablity. The approach will be to develop an
initial adaptation plan for current issues based on present climate variabilities. Current issues include
meeting the development needs of increasing population and intensifying agricultural production
systems.
Stage 2: Viabilities of Adaptation Strategies Against Climate Change Impacts: The resilience of
the 'Adaptation Plans for Current Issues' will be tested against projected climate change impacts. The
incorporation of the projected climate changes into the planning will depend on:
(i) The level of confidence of the projections; some projections are more robust than others; for
example projections for temperature are more robust than rainfall patterns.
(ii) The type and estimated design life of any investment: Major investments/programmes
with long design life require to incorporate climate projections beyond 30 years whereas
shorter simpler initiatives can be designed to meet present climate variations. Major long term
investments based on low levels of projection confidence would be avoided.
(iii) Scope for flexibility of the adaptation design: Incorporating facilities wherever possible to
upgrade adaptation design step-by-step to meet progressive climate changes.
(iv) An assessment of the incremental costs: To meet the projected impacts will be made;
where incremental costs are low then it these might be factored into the adaptation design
whereas major cost implication maybe left out in the interim. The aspects of safety and
implications of delayed action would be assessed.
Stage 3: Preparation of a Climate Change Adaptation Framework: Adjustments will be made the
present issues planning based on the outputs of the testing under stage 2.
97. This section describes the various possible strategies to address current issues
B. Farmers’ Perceptions
98. To understand the issues of the communities a Participatory Rural Appraisal was carried out as
described in the sub-basin profile. The farmers in the Kshipra have shown that in general they are well
aware of climate change; key points include:
(i) Temperature: farmers observed there is significant change in the temperature in the last 10
years. The summer temperature has risen significantly and the winter temperature has fallen
significantly in all the districts.
(ii) Total Rainfall: there is variation in the change in the total rainfall pattern in the last 10 years
across the regions. Respondents from Indore told that rainfall has not changed significantly in
the last few years, though people in the other districts said that there is significantly less
rainfall.
(iii) Frost: in Indore, frost has caused huge damage on agricultural production in all the districts,
though the damage is seen to be less in Indore.
(iv) Start day of the Monsoon: farmers assess that on average starting day of the monsoon has
been delayed by 10-15 days.
(v) Water Table: farmers report that the average water table has gone down from an average
level of 200-250 ft to 400 ft in Dewas.
99. It is felt that high temperature and erratic rainfalls are causing part of the problem; the water
table is declining in all the districts surveyed. Farmers are of the view that this was due to the
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