Harvesting resilience: evaluating climate risks in Tripura’s agricultural hotspots

Student name: Ms Sayantani Choudhury
Guide: Dr Anand Madhukar
Year of completion: 2025
Host Organisation: Tripura Climate Change Cell
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Sushanta Banik

---

Abstract:

Tripura, located in the Eastern Himalayan foothills of Northeast India, is increasingly experiencing the adverse effects of climate change on its predominantly rainfed, smallholder agricultural systems. This pilot study evaluates climate risks affecting the agricultural hotspots of the state by assessing long-term climate trends, crop sensitivity, and adaptive capacity through field-based consultations, secondary data analysis, and stakeholder engagement. The research adopts the IPCC vulnerability framework to qualitatively assess exposure to climatic variables such as erratic rainfall, temperature rise, and delayed monsoon onset, and their implications for key crops—namely rice, pineapple, and rubber.

While the study did not involve the implementation of interventions, it explores the potential role of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) as a resilience-building strategy. Practices such as jalkunds (rainwater harvesting pits), contour bunding, agroforestry, and drought-resilient seed use are identified as contextually appropriate solutions based on farmer perceptions and existing literature. Findings indicate that CSA holds promise for enhancing water retention, stabilizing yields, and improving adaptive capacity, especially among tribal and marginalized farming communities.

The study concludes by recommending policy integration of CSA within Tripura’s State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC), supported by institutional convergence, participatory planning, and decentralized resource centers. It advocates for further empirical research using simulation tools and GIS-based mapping, as well as long-term monitoring of CSA outcomes. This research provides a foundational framework for scaling climate-resilient agriculture in Tripura and similar agro-ecological regions in the Eastern Himalayas.

Keywords: Climate vulnerability, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), Adaptive capacity, RCP 4.5, Rainfed agriculture, IPCC vulnerability framework, Agro-ecological risk, Tripura SAPCC, Eastern Himalayan region, Resilience planning.