Adoption of Drought Coping Mechanisms (Ex-Ante and Ex-Post) and Estimate the Economic Costs of Adoption

Karnataka has the second largest area under rain fed agriculture after Rajasthan in the country and agriculture dependent economy with the large share of rain fed areas makes it reliant on monsoon. The need for improving water management is probably most acute in rain fed agriculture. Drought is a common phenomenon in this State. 56 per cent of the rice grown in the state is rain fed while the rest is irrigated. However, loss of traditional varieties of rice and disrespect of farmer knowledge and oral wisdom of age-old practices is a problem every where. Drought stress is the major limiting factor for rice production and yield stability under rain fed rice system. Karnataka faces high risk of moisture stress at maximum tillering and reproductive stages of rice, which may lead to yield loss of 25 to 100 per cent. This study focussed on identification extent of adoption of drought coping mechanisms (ex-ante and ex-post) including varietal adoption by the rice growing farmers to cope with drought and estimate the economic costs of adoption of such coping mechanisms. Drought coping mechanisms like Crop diversification, varietal diversification, spatial diversification, liquidating assets, use of savings, change in consumption pattern and migration were the main drought coping mechanisms adopted by the farmers in the sample district.