Thiruvananthapuram: Speakers at a workshop organised by the Central Ground Water Board here on Tuesday underlined the need for Kerala to adopt mitigation and adaptation strategies to ensure water security against the emerging threats posed by climate change.
Monitoring of water use, new water-efficient agricultural methods, long-term water-sharing agreements, recycling of water and steps to bring down water loss were some of the proposals mooted by experts participating in the workshop.
In a paper presented at the technical session, K.P. Thrivikramji, Emeritus Fellow, Department of Geology, University of Kerala, warned that climate change could have an impact on the food and water security of citizens in Kerala. He said altered climatic conditions could be ominous for the economy of the State that was heavily dependent on the current agro-climatic conditions to produce cash crops.
The paper said the climate-change phenomenon had the potential to impact agro-biodiversity, rainfall distribution, river discharge and groundwater recharge as well as the formation of mud banks. It could also lead to rising soil temperature and loss of soil moisture affecting agricultural yield.
Mr. Thrivikramji said long warm spells and heavy rainfall would prove detrimental to crops such as cardamom, tea, coffee and rubber, affecting yield. The altered climate could also lead to a spurt in the pest and vector population, affecting crop output.
Power situation
The paper said the power situation in Kerala was likely to turn grim because of the decline in the duration of wet spell and higher demand for air-conditioning and pumping water for irrigation and piped supply. Lower rainfall and lower recharge of coastal aquifers salinity would reduce the volume of freshwater and raise the salinity of wetlands, rivers and canals, adversely affecting aquatic ecosystem. Mr. Thrivikramji called for a renewed thrust on identifying irrigation systems and new food, plantation and fruit crops maturing in short periods.
Nandakumaran P., Regional Director of the board, said climate change was likely to result in greater uncertainty in the reliability of water supply and disrupt the State's ability to meet future demands for potable water. Such a situation might have a profound impact on ecosystems and water resources. Kerala might have to rely more on groundwater in future to balance the larger swings in rainfall and increased demands caused by heat and drought.
Source: The Hindu, 16-3-2011
Monitoring of water use, new water-efficient agricultural methods, long-term water-sharing agreements, recycling of water and steps to bring down water loss were some of the proposals mooted by experts participating in the workshop.
In a paper presented at the technical session, K.P. Thrivikramji, Emeritus Fellow, Department of Geology, University of Kerala, warned that climate change could have an impact on the food and water security of citizens in Kerala. He said altered climatic conditions could be ominous for the economy of the State that was heavily dependent on the current agro-climatic conditions to produce cash crops.
The paper said the climate-change phenomenon had the potential to impact agro-biodiversity, rainfall distribution, river discharge and groundwater recharge as well as the formation of mud banks. It could also lead to rising soil temperature and loss of soil moisture affecting agricultural yield.
Mr. Thrivikramji said long warm spells and heavy rainfall would prove detrimental to crops such as cardamom, tea, coffee and rubber, affecting yield. The altered climate could also lead to a spurt in the pest and vector population, affecting crop output.
Power situation
The paper said the power situation in Kerala was likely to turn grim because of the decline in the duration of wet spell and higher demand for air-conditioning and pumping water for irrigation and piped supply. Lower rainfall and lower recharge of coastal aquifers salinity would reduce the volume of freshwater and raise the salinity of wetlands, rivers and canals, adversely affecting aquatic ecosystem. Mr. Thrivikramji called for a renewed thrust on identifying irrigation systems and new food, plantation and fruit crops maturing in short periods.
Nandakumaran P., Regional Director of the board, said climate change was likely to result in greater uncertainty in the reliability of water supply and disrupt the State's ability to meet future demands for potable water. Such a situation might have a profound impact on ecosystems and water resources. Kerala might have to rely more on groundwater in future to balance the larger swings in rainfall and increased demands caused by heat and drought.
Source: The Hindu, 16-3-2011
