*2.3.1.4 Interventions in case of terminal drought*

The occurrence of terminal drought in long-duration rice varieties in upland and medium land situations has been observed in NICRA adopted villages of the Lakhimpur district of Assam. The terminal drought of a duration of 14, 25, 25, 25, 9, and 25 days during 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively, have been observed. As a contingency, short and medium-duration rice cultivars were cultivated in upland and mid-land situations, respectively as these varieties can escape mid-season and terminal dry spells. There is an if long duration high yielding and traditional cultivars were cultivated in upland and mid-land situations the crop would have suffered from terminal drought which was experienced by the village. Short-duration cultivars–*Luit, Kolong, Dishang*, and *Lachit*, and medium-duration cultivars–*Shraboni*, *Mohon,* and *Mulagabharu,* were demonstrated as contingency plans for the management of midseason and terminal droughts. An increase in yield of 26% (*Dishang)*, 17% (*Luit*), 14% (*Shraboni*), and 18% (*Mulagabharu*) has been observed over farmers' practice*, that is, .* cultivation of long-duration cultivars irrespective of the land situation.

#### *2.3.1.5 Flash flood management through varietal manipulation*

Unlike NICRA village Chamua, a flash flood is the major weather aberration in the NICRA village Ganakdoloni. Every year the entire village is affected by 3–5 numbers of the flash flood of 7 to 15 days duration, affecting the *Sali* rice grown in that village. In 2012, *Sali* rice grown in the village was under intermittent submergence for a total of 32 days and there was a total crop failure. Different *Sali* rice varieties, including submergence tolerance variety–*Jalkunwari,* grown in the field were damaged. However,

*Adaptation Strategies for Climate Variability in the High Rainfall Zone of India, Assam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107045*

one variety–*Jalashree,* withstand the intermittent submergence and was able to give some yield (9.0 qt/ha). In 2013, submergence tolerance (*Jalashree* and *Swana sub-1)*, staggered planting (*Gitesh* and *Prafulla*), and *Bao* rice varieties (*Kekowa, Tulshi, Dhushuri, Bahadur, Maguri*, and *Rangabao*) were in the village. In 2014, locally available six varieties of deepwater rice (*Bao rice*) *viz., Kekowa* (23 qha−1), *Rangabao* (26 qha−1), *Dhushuri* (24 qha−1), *Maguri* (23 qha−1), *Bahadur* (19 qha−1), was demonstrated in farmers' field of Ganakdoloni. Four improved *Bao* cultivars, namely, *Panchanan, Panindra, Basudev,* and *Padmapani* were collected from RARS, Lakhimpur, and cultivated in the village. Despite a very long submergence period (more than 40 days) local *Bao* varieties performed well, however, improved *Bao* varieties were damaged completely by flash floods.

From the experiences gained from the on-farm trials conducted at farmers' fields of the village during 2012–2013, 2013–2014, and 2014–2015, it was found that the normal farmers' varieties, including *Ranjit, Mahsuri, Punjublahi,* etc., could not withstand and were completely damaged. Though submergence tolerant rice varieties can withstand submergence up to 15 days during the seedling and tillering stages, the same varieties fail to survive if exposed to submergence for a few days during or after the panicle initiation stage. Submergence tolerant rice varieties (such as *Jalkunwari and Jalashree)* evaluated in the village did not perform well or exhibited total crop failure in cases when the plants at the panicle initiation (PI) or grain filling stage were exposed to submergence during the latter part of September or in October (as in case of 2012) the flash floods. Some of the improved *Bao rice* varieties were evaluated, which failed to survive during 2013–2014. Against the failure of normal, submergence tolerant improved *Bao rice* varieties evaluated in different crop seasons, six traditional *bao* varieties evaluated in the study area could survive intermittent submergences in both the crop seasons (2013 & 2014). The traditional *bao* rice varieties are having some special characteristics, such as tall stature, elongation ability, and kneeing ability, which are suitable for withstanding short or long-duration submergence.

#### *2.3.1.6 Drought management through nutrient management in Sali paddy*

Before the implementation of the NICRA project, farmers of the NICRA village Chamua did not apply any chemical fertilizers in the *Sali* rice growing field. Nutrient management through the balanced application of fertilizers (N, P, and K), and proper method of application proved to be beneficial even in situations like mid-season and terminal drought. Midterm corrections in the case of mid-season and terminal drought were suggested in terms of the application of an additional dose of 22 kg ha−1 MOP in maximum tillering to grain growth period to the farmers of NICRA village. An increase in yield of 33% (*Ranjit*), 32% (*Gitesh*), 64% (*Shraboni*), and 57.5% (*Mulagabharu*) has been observed over farmers' practice.

#### *2.3.1.7 Management of drought with alternate crop and crop diversification*

Before the implementation of the NICRA project, rice crop was grown on all types of the land situation available (up, medium, and lowland) in the NICRA village Chamua. As rainfed rice requires a higher quantity of water during crop growing season, rice crops are grown in the upland as well as well-drained medium land situations in the village often suffer from a mid-season as well as terminal drought. In a worse situation (experienced in 2006 and 2011), the yield of rice grown in the upland areas of the village even goes below 9 qha−1. Therefore, an alternate strategy of growing high-value crops, such as ginger, turmeric, sesame, black gram, green gram, summer vegetables, and winter vegetables, was taken up as a contingency measure for the management of drought (delayed onset of monsoon, mid-season, and terminal drought). Crop diversification with high-value crops along with organic mulch-cummanuring proved to be more resilient to stressful situations arising during mid-season and terminal dry spells during *kharif* as well in *rabi* season. Therefore, farmers of NICRA village Chamua were encouraged to take up crop diversification to cope with rainfall variability instead of growing *Sali* rice, especially in upland situations.

## *2.3.2 Preparedness*

#### *2.3.2.1 Rainwater management*

Thirteen farm ponds and a canal of 0.5 km length were renovated at *Chamua* village for rainwater harvesting during pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons after the implementation of NICRA. Rainwater harvesting in the renovated farm ponds during pre-monsoon months is used for sowing *Sali* rice in a nursery bed in case of delayed onset of monsoon. Rainwater harvesting in the canal and farm ponds during the monsoon months is efficiently utilized for providing 1–2 supplemental irrigation in *rabi* crops, such as potato and rapeseed. It has also acted as a source of drinking water for the grazing animals during the dry period of the year. Mulching with locally available organic mulch material in ginger, turmeric, potato, tomato, etc. was found more productive than the crops grown without mulching.

### *2.3.2.2 Crops and cropping system*

In upland well-drained loamy soils, short-duration varieties (*Dishang, Luit*) performed consistently better as compared to the farmers' cultivar or long-duration cultivars. It also facilitates the early vacation of the field, thereby helping the farmers to grow *rabi* crops on the same piece of land. In the case of medium land and moderately well-drained soil, medium duration varieties performed better despite the occurrence of terminal dry spells. In lowland situations and soils with poor drainage, the effect of a terminal dry spell is the minimum. Therefore, long duration varieties are grown instead of farmers' variety or medium duration varieties. Efforts are being made to introduce maize in the adopted village. It was observed that this crop can be sown in all types of the land situation available in the village in the driest period (in terms of rainfall received) of the year (December to February) after the harvest of *Sali* rice as well as other *rabi* crops, such as potato and rapeseed. Under NICRA, land situationspecific, profitable, and climate-resilient double cropping systems were identified and implemented in the adopted villages and it was observed that rice equivalent yield, as well as net income, increased significantly in all the identified double cropping systems as compared to the existing monocropping of rice. Growing alternate crops and crop diversification not only helped the farmers to minimize the risk due to extreme weather events but also in better income generation and nutritional security. In flash flood-prone areas, traditional *Bao* rice varieties (*Kekowa, Rangabao, Maguri, etc.*) performed better than the improved submergence tolerant varieties (*Jalashree, Jalkuwari, Padumoni, Panindra*, etc.). It was observed that submergence tolerant varieties could not withstand an intermittent flash flood. Presently, the farmers of *Ganakdalani* village have adopted traditional *Bao* rice varieties and almost 80% of the rice cultivated area of the village is under traditional *Bao* rice.

*Adaptation Strategies for Climate Variability in the High Rainfall Zone of India, Assam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107045*

#### *2.3.2.3 Alternate land use*

During 2014–2015, seven low-cost polyhouses were erected in Chamua village under NICRA for demonstration of the cultivation of high-value off-season vegetables and raising vegetable seedlings in advance of *rabi* season. Protected cultivation under low-cost poly houses facilitated the cultivation of high-value crops, such as off-season leafy vegetables, *ghost chilli*, tomato, and cucumber, for better profitability. It was observed that farmers earned on an average Rs. 40,000.00 per year from a lowcost polyhouse of 100 square meters size.

Vermicompost production helped the farmers to meet their organic manure requirement as well as profit from selling the same to other farmers. Average vermicompost production was 1000 kg per tank per annum. From 2018 to 2019, mushroom cultivation was also demonstrated for better nutritional security of the farmers. An average income of Rs.7280.00 has been realized by the farmers as an alternate source of income.

#### *2.3.2.4 Energy management*

Since resource-poor farmers cannot afford to purchase the costly farm implements/machines of their own, therefore, custom hiring centers with need-based farm implements/machines (rotavator, cultivator, thresher, reaper, transplanter, water lifting pumps, duster, sprayers, *etc.*) was established under NICRA project for timely completion of farm operations. These implements were made available for hire by the needy at cheaper rates fixed by the NICRA village management committee.

Timely farm operations carried out with the help of the custom hiring center facilitated the farmers to complete sowing or transplanting in time. A study conducted on mechanization revealed that with an increase in the level of mechanization, the human and animal hour requirement for paddy cultivation was reduced from 795 to 350 and 353 to 23 hrha−1, respectively. Thus, mechanization helped in a substantial reduction of the drudgery of humans and animals.

#### **2.4 Resource characterization**

The total land area under the NICRA village was categorized into upland, medium land, and lowland based on the soil survey report. Soil health cards were also prepared. The presence of a high level of arsenic in groundwater was detected. To minimize the effect of arsenic contamination, a low-cost filter technology (*Arsiron Nilogon*) was demonstrated at the village in collaboration with Central University, Tezpur, Assam.

A mini agromet observatory has been established for the collection of rainfall and temperature data. Dissemination of agromet advisory service to the farmers helped in the decision-making process in the preparedness stage of real-time contingency planning, such as land-related (e.g., land situation wise decision making), rainwater harvesting (mulching, farm pond, micro irrigation system, etc.), crop-related (selection of suitable crop/varieties), and management related (management of insectpest, diseases, nutrient, weed, etc.).
