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only the required quantity of water to the trees prevents excessive water extraction
from the well/borewell. Overall, there is reduction in the energy use and therefore the expenditure for the farmer would reduce. HDJAU scientists recommend
that irrigation should be stopped 20–25 days before harvest. However, when irrigation is continued, the weight of the fruit increases but the sugar content will be
relatively less.
Lipper et al. (2014) suggests that CSA emphasizes on agricultural systems that utilize ecosystem services to support productivity, adaptation and mitigation. Examples
provided include integrated crop, livestock, aquaculture and agroforestry systems;
improved pest, water and nutrient management; landscape approaches; improved
grassland and forestry management; and practices such as reduced tillage and use of
diverse varieties and breeds to mention a few. However, in the survey, many farmers
reported that because of the shade of the mango trees, intercropping is not possible.
Fifty per cent of the farmers have livestock and they reported using the livestock
manure for mango.
Only 13 farmers use organic practices of which 10 use because they believe that it
benefits the soil. Five also believed that organic production has better market. Interaction with farmers and the researchers pointed out however those organic practices
are not possible in mango due to the different pests that affect mango cultivation.
Citing literature, Malhotra (2017) recommends rootstalk of 13-1 for Kurakkan,
Nileshwar dwarf and Bappakai mango varieties that are salinity tolerant and suitable
for saline areas. HDGOG pointed out that no new variety of mango has been brought
out in the country that is tolerant to the climatic conditions so far.
4.3 Use of Technological Inputs as an Adaptation Strategy
Farmers until recently depended on their traditional knowledge by observing the
movement of insects and ants to predict the likelihood of rainfall (Lobo et al. 2017).
These authors observe that the changes in the climate vagaries, loss of resources and
livelihood, necessitate that the farmers augment their traditional knowledge based
practices with scientific information of weather events through agro-meteorological
services. Taking a case of the intervention by an NGO in Maharashtra, these authors
explain that the automated weather stations situated in different project villages
collect the weather information and send the same to the Indian Meteorological
Department (IMD). IMD in turn sends the three-day weather forecasts for the villages
covered by the NGO. Besides sending the advisories for immediate action by SMS
to the farmers, based on the three-day weather forecasts, the NGO with the help of
agri experts prepares weather based crop calendars for different crops in their project
villages.
Introduction of ICT based communication among the grape cultivators in Nasik
district of Maharashtra has resulted in improving the knowledge of the farmers and
preparedness to face the climatic challenges (Lalitha 2018). Here the farmer producer
organisation (FPO) has geo tagged all the farms of the member farmers in different
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