AUTHOR=Patel Praharsh M. 

TITLE=Agricultural transformations in the arid, drought-prone region of Kachchh: People-led, market-oriented growth under adverse climatic conditions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1159011

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2023.1159011

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=Water availability, soil suitability, and favorable climate are the primary requirements for stable agricultural production. However, due to erratic rainfall and scarcity of irrigation water, arid regions suffer from volatile conditions for agriculture. For example, Kachchh, the westernmost district of India in Gujarat, has an arid climate, with more than half of its land either partially inundated by seawater or classified as desert. The remaining landmass experiences low (15 Year Annual Normal = 450 mm) and erratic (45 percent Coefficient of Variation) rainfall rendering agriculture in the region, not a good occupation. But in recent years, access to irrigation through groundwater, the advent of micro-irrigation practices, and increasing market-oriented crops supported by regular rainfall have led to significant agricultural improvement for the region. As a result, there has been a significant shift towards less water-intensive and high-value horticulture crops. This paper offers an empirical assessment of the agricultural transformation in Kachchh towards non-traditional high-value crops. It also highlights hurdles that shall be addressed for the smooth adoption of drought-resilient and market-oriented agriculture in adverse climatic conditions.