Impact of climate change on food grain production in Jharkhand (India): An empirical assessment

Abstract

Jharkhand, India, has experienced significant inter-annual variability in annual food grain production and yield, reflecting the impact of both climatic factors and agricultural practices. As the state’s agricultural system is predominantly rainfed, variations in climatic conditions, particularly rainfall and temperature, have a direct impact on crop production and productivity.
The present study aims to examine trends in food grain production and key climatic variables and to analyse the relationship between climate change and agricultural performance in Jharkhand state of India. The study is based on secondary data collected over a specified period and employs descriptive statistical tools, including graphical analysis, to examine trends in the variables and linear regression to assess the impact of climatic variables on food grain production and yield. The findings reveal fluctuating trends in both food grain yield and production. Jharkhand also exhibited irregular rainfall patterns and a gradually increasing temperature trend over the study period. Collectively, the findings indicate that rainfall is the most important climatic variable affecting state’s agricultural productivity. Rainfall has a significant positive impact, especially on yields, while temperature fluctuations seem to have minimal or no impact during the research period.