SignificanceMethane from global rice cultivation currently accounts for one-half of all crop-related greenhouse gas emissions. Several international organizations are advocating reductions in methane emissions from rice by promoting intermittent flooding without accounting for the possibility of large emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a long-lived greenhouse gas. Our experimental results suggest that the Indian subcontinent’s N2O emissions from intermittently flooded rice fields could be 30–45 times higher than reported under continuous flooding. Net climate impacts of rice cultivation could be reduced by up to 90% through comanagement of water, nitrogen, and carbon. To do this effectively will require a careful ongoing global assessment of N2O emissions from rice, or we will risk ignoring a very large source of climate impact.

Rural households in India, particularly farmers, are exposed to current climate variability and risk, which is likely to increase due to climate change. This study assessed current adaptation strategies adopted by rural households in two dry land villages of Bagepalli Block, Chikballapur district, Karnataka, in southern India. The adequacy of adaptation strategies was also assessed. The study showed that rural households and in particular, farmers adopted several practices to cope with current climate risks which include; irrigation provisioning (depending on ground water), shift in cropping pattern (to more resilient but low economically valued crops and varieties), mixed cropping, agro-forestry (as a long term strategy), diversified livestock holdings and reliance on government development programmes. The adaptation measures also included leaving croplands fallow, sale of assets, such as livestock and trees in their property, and migration. Current climate related responses to agricultural distress are not adequate to cope with even the current climate risks. This further indicates that rural households may not be able to cope with increasing climate variability and climate change. Thus, there is an urgent need for an improved understanding of current adaptation strategies and to enhance resilience and develop structured adaptation strategies to cope with current climate risks and long-term climate change.

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