a b s t r a c tThe present study argues that there are heterogeneous farm systems within the drylands and each farm system is unique in terms of its livelihood asset and agricultural practice, and therefore in sustainability. Our method is based on household survey data collected from 500 farmers in Anantapur and Kurnool Districts, in Andhra Pradesh State of India, in 2013. We carried out principal component analysis (PCA) with subsequent hierarchical clustering methods to build farm typologies. To evaluate sustainability across these farm typologies, we adopted a framework consisting of economic, social and environmental sustainability pillars and associated indicators. We normalized values of target indicators and employed normative approach to assign different weights to these indicators. Composite sustainability indices (CSI) were then estimated by means of weighted sum of indicators, aggregated and integrated into farm typologies. The results suggested that there were five distinct farm typologies representing farming systems in the study area. The majority of farms (>70%) in the study area are small and extensive (typology 1); marginal and off farm based (typology 2). About 20% of the farms are irrigation based and intensive (typology 3); small and medium and off farm based (typology 4) and irrigation based semi-intensive (typology 5). There was apparent variability among farm typologies in terms of farm structure and functions and composite sustainability indices. Farm typologies 3 and 5 showed significantly higher performances for the social and economic indices, while typologies 2 and 4 had relatively stronger values for environment. These discrepancies support the relevance of integrated farm typology-and CSI approaches in assessing system sustainability and targeting technologies. Universally, for all farm typologies, composite sustainability indices for economic pillar was significantly lower than the social and environment pillars. More than 90% of farmers were in economically less-sustainable class. The correlations between sustainability indices for economic and environment were typology specific. It was strong and positive when aggregated for the whole study systems [all samples (r = 0.183; P < 0.001)] and for agriculture dependent farm typologies (e.g. typologies 1 and 3). This suggests the need to elevate farms economic performance and capacitate them to invest in the environment. These results provide information for policy makers to plan farm typology-context technological interventions and also create baseline information to evaluate sustainability performance in terms of progress made over time.

Purpose Changing climate has increasingly become a challenge for smallholder farmers. Identification of technical, institutional and policy interventions as coping and adaptation strategies and exploring risks of their adoption for smallholder farms are the important areas to consider. The aim of the present study was to carry out an in-depth analysis of adaptation strategies followed and the associated risk premium in technology adoption. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out in the dryland systems of three Indian states – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan – and was based on a survey of 1,019 households in 2013. The flexible moment-based approach was used for estimating the stochastic production function, which allowed estimation of the relative risk premium that farmers are willing to pay while adopting the technologies to avoid crop production risks. Findings In all the three states, the risk premium (INR ha−1) was higher for farm mechanization compared to supplemental irrigation, except in the case of Andhra Pradesh. The higher the level of technology adoption, the higher the risk premium that households have to pay. This can be estimated by the higher investment needed to build infrastructure for farm mechanization and supplemental irrigation in the regions. The key determinants of technology adoption in the context of smallholder farmers were climatic shocks, investment in farm infrastructure, location of the farm, farm size, household health status, level of education, married years, expected profit and livestock ownership. Originality/value Quantification of the risk premium in technology adoption and conducting associated awareness programs for farmers and decision-makers are important to strengthen evidence-based adoption decisions in the dryland systems of India.

Groundwater is now a major source of agricultural water supply in many parts of the world. The value of groundwater as a new source of supply is well known. However, its additional buffering or stabilization value is less appreciated and even less analysed. Knowledge on groundwater's stabilization value is advanced by developing and estimating an empirical model using the case of tank irrigation systems in Tamil Nadu, India. Unlike previous work, the model uses cross-sectional rather than time-series data. The results show that for the case-study region, the stabilization function added approximately 15% to supply value. Scenarios with surface water and electricity price were incorporated in the model. Increased surface-water supply and electricity price caused reduction in groundwater use but the percent of stabilization value of groundwater increased. The findings are used both to suggest improvements in tank irrigation systems and to further contextualize knowledge of groundwater's stabilization value

A hybrid model incorporating the econometric and programming models was developed to quantify the impact of climate change on agriculture in Godavari basin, India. The Just and Pope production function was used to estimate the mean yield of crops and the variance associated with the mean yield and using the estimated yield, the multiple goal programming model was used to optimize the land and water use under mid and end century climate change scenarios. The results indicated that rice production will reduce during mid and end-century periods by 16% and 36% respectively and by incorporating the water and labour saving technologies in the crop production, the reduction in rice production will be eliminated during mid-century and it will be only 19% during end-century period. The overall water saving will be about 20% due to the adoption of these technologies. Technology up-scaling programs are suggested. Areas for future research are also indicated.

Climate change characterized by global warming has become a hotspot of research in recent years for water resources, agriculture, ecology and other disciplines. In India, studies have shown an increasing trend in surface temperature, with decreasing trends in rainfall. Farmers are also more affected by the climate variability which has a serious influence on their production and income. The climate change and adaptation (ClimaAdapt) programme was implemented from 2012 to 2016 to build farm‐level capacities and enhance the adaptive capacity of the agricultural and water sectors in the Krishna basin of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Water‐saving interventions such as direct seeded rice, a modified system of rice intensification and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) of rice were implemented in a cluster approach and enhanced water productivity. The training and implementation programmes increased the adaptation and awareness of farmers. Water measurements were carried out by using flumes and ultrasonic sensors. The area under direct seeded rice has increased to 64% in the study district and 77% of the trained farmers are adopting the practice. Capacity building, implementation and science–policy linkages are the key pillars of the programme to improve the adaptive capacity and scaling‐up of water management practices. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.