Baghmara, March 5: The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), South Garo Hills, organised a one-day national seminar/workshop on “Climate Change: Its Impact on Rural Areas, Agriculture, and Food Supply” on Thursday, highlighting the growing challenges posed by climate change to farming and rural livelihoods.

The programme was supported under NABARD’s Climate Change Fund and brought together scientists, officials and farmers to discuss climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Speaking as the special guest, Khelchandra Chongtham, District Development Manager (DDM), NABARD, South Garo Hills, highlighted the increasing impact of climate change caused by human interventions. He emphasised the need for adopting sustainable practices to reduce environmental degradation, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions like Meghalaya.

Earlier, Dr Athokpam Haribhushan, Principal Scientist and Head of KVK South Garo Hills, underlined the importance of agroforestry as a key strategy to mitigate climate change. He said integrating trees with agricultural systems can enhance biodiversity, improve soil health and contribute to long-term environmental sustainability.

The seminar featured four technical sessions focusing on climate change impacts and climate-smart agricultural practices.

Dr Tanya R. Marak delivered a session on the impact of climate change on agricultural insect pests and diseases, explaining that rising temperatures, irregular rainfall and changing humidity patterns significantly influence pest populations and the spread of plant diseases. She stressed the importance of integrated pest management (IPM), regular monitoring and climate-resilient crop protection strategies to minimise crop losses.

In another session, Dr Rupam Bhattacharjya spoke on the impact of climate change on livestock health, highlighting challenges such as heat stress, reduced feed and water availability, and the spread of new diseases and parasites. He encouraged farmers to adopt climate-resilient livestock management practices including improved housing, proper nutrition, vaccination and disease surveillance.

Rike Chelchak A. Sangma presented on climate-smart practices for sustainable agriculture, discussing strategies such as crop diversification, improved water management, conservation agriculture and the use of climate-resilient crop varieties to ensure stable yields and long-term sustainability.

Dr Haribhushan also delivered a session on climate-smart soil management, emphasising the importance of maintaining healthy soil through practices such as organic matter addition, green manuring, crop rotation, mulching, conservation tillage and balanced nutrient management.

Around 50 farmers and farm women from nearby villages participated in the seminar. A folder on “Climate Change” was also released during the programme.

The event concluded with an interactive discussion between scientists and farmers, followed by a vote of thanks proposed by Mrs Charish P. Marak of KVK South Garo Hills.

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