As the monsoon continues to be uncertain and erratic over the foothills of Kothamangalam in Kerala, rubber growers are worried. The reason is lack of soil humidity.

This is all being attributed to global warming. It is becoming a more of a threat to small and medium farmers. Small growers constitute close to 99 per cent of rubber cultivators, accounting for over 90 per cent of the area under the crop. Monsoon has already failed during the peak monsoon months of July-August over the rubber growing regions of south India.

As an after effect, rubber production has fallen sharply during April-July 2009, according to Rubber Board officials. Impact is seen in other countries as well. Of the seven countries that account for 93 per cent of the global rubber production, five have recorded sharp falls. Production has fallen 18 per cent in Thailand, 25 per cent in Malaysia, six per cent in Indonesia, seven per cent in Vietnam and 9.4 per cent in India during the first half of 2009, the Malaysia-based Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries said. Only China and Sri Lanka have been able to stave off the falling trends.

Only relief for the farmers is the high prices of rubber. Even if the yield is that, farmers are able to support livelihood from that. However in future, further decline in soil humidity and depleted water table could result in lower production even in the peak production months of September-October.

 Govt studying effects of climate change on crops   --

The government has announced that it has initiated several projects to develop high-temperature tolerant superior food grain varieties and also to study the impact of climate change on agriculture. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had initiated a project on impact, adaption and vulnerability of Indian agriculture to climate change at different ICAR institutes and universities during 10^th plan period (2002-2007).

Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, and Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad have conducted studies on effects of climate change, including rise in temperature and carbon dioxide, on production of rice and other crops. Meanwhile, National Wheat Programme of Directorate of wheat Research, Karnal, has identified superior genotypes possessing high temperature tolerance, which are being used in breeding programme, the minister said.

Under the National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP) of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), a comprehensive cropping system modeling project is being undertaken for the states of Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal. The ClimaRice Project of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Norwegian Institute for Agriculture and Environmental Research (Bioforsk) and International Pacific Research Centre (IPRC), Hawaii has rice cultivation in focus. The project aims to assess the climate variability and its impacts on the water availability and rice production systems in the Cauvery river basin of Tamil Nadu. 

 Maldives steps up fight to delay climate change effects

Maldives existence is threatened by a changing climate, especially by a predicted rise in the sea level. Eighty percent of the Maldives lies below one metre above sea level. But as concerns rise over climate-related disasters, the Maldives is embarking on an plan not only to reduce the damage caused by disasters but also to reduce the risk of them happening in the first place.

Recently, the Maldives and the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) entered into an agreement to find innovative ways to tackle typhoons, droughts and rising sea levels caused by the changing climate. The idea is for UNISDR and partner agencies to assist the authorities in developing strategic, nation-wide plans to protect the islands from natural disasters. This ranges from top-level meetings to training teachers, engineers, architects and government officials on practical ways to reduce the risks of disasters.

The Maldives have so far focused only on mitigating the impacts of climate change, not on reducing risks. In March, he announced a $110 million plan to become the first country in the world with a zero-carbon economy by 2019, harnessing wind and solar power for energy.

The programme with UNISDR will help in reducing risks.