profile, the study analyses important indicators across the districts of Karnataka. This
has been done by consultation with experts and based on previous studies (Table 1).
Vulnerability to climate change is a comprehensive process affected by a large
number of indicators. However, it is not possible to consider all the available
indicators, so only the most significant and representative indicators relevant to
Karnataka state were selected in the development of vulnerability indices.
Indicators considered in this study are
• Agricultural indicators: Net sown area (3 years average), cropping intensity,
area under commercial crops to the total cropped area (TCA), percentage irrigated area to TCA (3 years average), number of tractors/1000 ha area sown,
total fallow land (3 years average) and agricultural credit cooperative
societies/lakh population.
• Socio-economic indicators: Population density, percentage population of
scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST), literacy rate, percentage of
marginal landholder (<1 ha), percentage of non-workers, livestock units per
lakh population, per capita income (3 years average), cropping intensity and
percentage irrigated area to TCA (3 years average).
4 Agricultural Vulnerability Index
4.1 Net Sown Area
Agricultural activities play a dominant role in shaping the livelihood across the
districts of Karnataka. Net sown area is an important indicator of agricultural
development in a district. The net sown area refers to the particular area sown once
during an agriculture year. In the present study we have incorporated a 3-year
average of the net sown area. Districts from northern Karnataka have more net sown
area than the southern districts of Karnataka. The districts of Gulbarga and Gadag
have the highest net sown area of 87.04 and 83.26 %, respectively. The districts of
Uttara Kannada and Shimoga have the least net sown area of 11.04 and 26.21 %,
respectively. Figure 1 presents district-wise percentage of net sown area to the total
geographical area districts with high net sown area are above the median value and
districts with low net sown area are below the median value.
4.2 Commercial Crops
Commercial crops are high value crops which are of crucial importance to the
economy of a district. It was observed that in Karnataka state, over the years,
cultivation of commercial crops has increased. The economic value for commercial
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has been done by consultation with experts and based on previous studies (Table 1).
Vulnerability to climate change is a comprehensive process affected by a large
number of indicators. However, it is not possible to consider all the available
indicators, so only the most significant and representative indicators relevant to
Karnataka state were selected in the development of vulnerability indices.
Indicators considered in this study are
• Agricultural indicators: Net sown area (3 years average), cropping intensity,
area under commercial crops to the total cropped area (TCA), percentage irrigated area to TCA (3 years average), number of tractors/1000 ha area sown,
total fallow land (3 years average) and agricultural credit cooperative
societies/lakh population.
• Socio-economic indicators: Population density, percentage population of
scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST), literacy rate, percentage of
marginal landholder (<1 ha), percentage of non-workers, livestock units per
lakh population, per capita income (3 years average), cropping intensity and
percentage irrigated area to TCA (3 years average).
4 Agricultural Vulnerability Index
4.1 Net Sown Area
Agricultural activities play a dominant role in shaping the livelihood across the
districts of Karnataka. Net sown area is an important indicator of agricultural
development in a district. The net sown area refers to the particular area sown once
during an agriculture year. In the present study we have incorporated a 3-year
average of the net sown area. Districts from northern Karnataka have more net sown
area than the southern districts of Karnataka. The districts of Gulbarga and Gadag
have the highest net sown area of 87.04 and 83.26 %, respectively. The districts of
Uttara Kannada and Shimoga have the least net sown area of 11.04 and 26.21 %,
respectively. Figure 1 presents district-wise percentage of net sown area to the total
geographical area districts with high net sown area are above the median value and
districts with low net sown area are below the median value.
4.2 Commercial Crops
Commercial crops are high value crops which are of crucial importance to the
economy of a district. It was observed that in Karnataka state, over the years,
cultivation of commercial crops has increased. The economic value for commercial
164
K.V. Raju et al.