Downloads - CAD Magazine

200 Indian Research Journal of Extension Education Special Issue (Volume I), January, 2012(Figure 2) showed that mean annual maximumtemperature has increased by 0.0640 C/year and meanannual minimum temperature has increased by 0.010C/year. The increase in temperature was supported bythe evidence of climate change. The trend of increasein temperature was much higher in winter seasoncompared to other seasons in Bheemarayangudi station.The study conducted by Pandit, 2009 revealed thattemperature trend line of winter follows the steeper pathmaking the difference nearly 1.110 C in the interval of20 years resulting average rate of 0.930 C/decade, whilethe other season show trend of 0.330 C/decade.The statistical record of temperature data fromBheemarayangudi metrological station for the periodbetween 1990 to 2009 showed an increasing trend,particularly in the winter season. During the study periodof 20 years, the temperature has increased by around10 C. The study conducted by Bhusal, 2009 andShrestha et al., 1999 using temperature from 49 agrometrological station for the period 1977 to 1994 indicateda consistent and continuous warming in the period at anannual rate of 0.060 C. Similarly a study conducted byPractical Action (2009), using data from 45 weatherstations for the period 1996- 2005, indicate a consistentand continuous warming in maximum temperatures atan annual rate of 0.040 C. The results showed of thestudy conducted in UKP area revealed that localpeoples’ perception seemed to be agreed with thestatistical record in the region.Comparison of local people’s perceptions andmeteorological stations data on changes intemperature and rainfall : The results revealed thatmajority of the local people interviewed perceived longtermchanges in temperature. While, most of them(90.00%) perceived that temperature has beenincreased. However, 2 per cent noticed the contrarystatement that a decrease in temperature. The statisticalrecord of temperature data from the Bheemarayangudimetrological station for the period of 1990 to 2009showed increasing trend particularly in the winter season.During the period of 20 years, the temperature hasincreased around 1.110 C (Table 2). The analysisshowed that local people’s perceptions appear to be inaccordance with the statistical data available in theregion.The rainfall pattern shows that 97 per cent of therespondents opined an unpredictable rainfall patternsover the past 20 years, while 3 per cent respondentsnoticed a predictable and constant rainfall patterns.Almost 72 per cent of the respondents opined that theincidents of drought has been increasing and linked itwith the untimely and unusual rainfall patterns over thepast few years. The key informants also shared theirexperience that in recent year (2010-11) there was lessor no rainfall in the monsoon season.The recorded data on rainfall from 1989 to 2009showed about 70.61 per cent of the rainfall occurredduring Monsoon (Table 3). Further pre-monsoon (Apr-June) rainfall trend doesn‘t reveal any major variations,however, since last few years (2005 - 2009) there wasa substantial decreased in the amount of rainfallespecially during monsoon season. Further in the year2007 this rainfall trend was found to be increased. Thesefacts already indicated that local peoples couldn‘t predictthe usual rainfall pattern in the present scenario.Response on different types of impacts : Table 4indicated that majority of the respondents opined thatthat the major impact of climate change was change infarm land use pattern. More than half of the respondentsnoticed were soil erosion 57.40%) and loss in productionof cash crops (52.50%). Whereas 64.40 per cent of therespondents expressed that they not change inagricultural implements. However 42.60 per cent of therespondents opined that the number of cash cropsgrowing in a year was increased. Out of the totalrespondents 27 per cent expressed that lack of manpoweris the main cause, while 82 per cent expressed thatweather extremities and climate induced impacts arethe main cause of decreased in agricultural production.According to the local people opinion, the most prevalentnatural disaster in the study area was drought and isone of the major natural disaster affecting agricultureand livelihood in the region.The study on impact of disaster/flood revealed that59 per cent of the respondents lost their crops, while 31per cent were lost complete farm activities. In the laterperiod land was occupied by unwanted weeds. The localpeople reported that the invasion was much noticed inlast 2-3 years even though they tried to remove the weedin time. The results of the study are online with studyconducted by Pandit.2009 at Southern ACAP.Adaptation strategies in farm land level : Cent ofthe respondents didn’t change in cropping pattern,however majority of the respondents didn’t change inplanting time (72.30%) and variety of crops grown(98.00%). Whereas cent of the respondents used y Farm