Mapping Vulnerability of Rice Producing Districts to Climate Change In Maharashtra an Endeavour to Manifest Regional Variation

The vulnerability of rice production to climate change in Maharashtra's districts necessitated an assessment, with historical data sourced to evaluate sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity indicators. Employing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology, a composite vulnerability index was computed for 11 major rice-producing districts. The process involved normalizing variables for comparability and assigning weights based on sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity through principal component analysis. Districts were subsequently categorized as high, moderate, or low vulnerability regions based on mean and standard deviation (SD) norms. The analysis revealed varying exposure levels during the rice growing season, with Ratnagiri having the highest (0.54) and Pune the lowest (0.30). Chandrapur exhibited the greatest sensitivity (0.68), whereas Ratnagiri displayed the lowest (0.02). Nashik demonstrated the highest adaptive capacity (0.84), followed by Bhandara and Nagpur, while Ratnagiri had the lowest (0.12). Overall, Chandrapur emerged as the most vulnerable district (0.65), while Nashik was the least vulnerable (0.24) among rice-producing districts. This variability underscores the importance of prioritizing region-specific research and development efforts and implementing tailored adaptation strategies in Maharashtra to mitigate adverse impact of climate change.