Abdul Wahab Khan
Panaji
A scientific study released ahead of Earth Day has assessed the vulnerability of coastal agriculture in India to climate change, placing Goa in the lower half of the vulnerability rankings.
The study, titled ‘Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability of Agriculture in Coastal Districts of India’, has been conducted by researchers from various Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes and universities.
Earth Day is observed annually on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The theme for Earth Day 2025 is ‘Our Power, Our Planet’.
The assessment has covered 61 coastal districts using 30 climate, environmental and socio-economic indicators. The methodology used combined entropy and principal component analysis.
Kachchh (0.3183) has been found to be the most vulnerable district, while Uttara Kannada (0.0263) is the least vulnerable. Goa’s position in the rankings reflects stronger development indices and natural features that support resilience.
According to the report, the west coast has higher forest cover (29.23%), rural road connectivity (96.80%) and a Human Development Index of 0.66 compared to the east coast, factors that enhance adaptive capacity. However, the west coast also showed a higher average rate of soil erosion (322.70 kg/ha/year) than the east coast.
The study noted that districts along the west coast, including Goa, experienced significantly more very heavy (124.5-244.5 mm) and extremely heavy (>244.5 mm) rainfall days. These rainfall patterns can result in crop damage, soil erosion, water-logging and runoff, which affect agricultural productivity.
While Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra showed low to very low exposure of agriculture to climate change – with the exception of Thane district – the study recommends region-specific interventions. These include promoting agro-forestry systems, implementing soil conservation techniques like contour-bunding and terracing and supporting the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties.
The report also puts focus on the importance of early warning systems using mobile alerts and community radio to inform farmers about extreme weather. It suggests establishing local agrometeorological centres in collaboration with ICAR and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to provide timely data and reduce losses due to climate events.
