Leveraging Conservation Agriculture for Coping with Drought Stress in Crops

Abstract

      Global food production, already strained, must double by 2050 to alleviate hunger, necessitating a strong focus on food security. This complexity stems from the interplay of climate and non-climate stressors, acting independently or in combination, requiring tailored solutions. Climate change compounds this stress, influencing agriculture and food production both directly through altered agro-ecological conditions and indirectly by impacting income distribution and demand for agricultural goods. As a significant hurdle in sustainable agriculture, climate change encompasses any long-term climate shift due to natural variability and/or human activity (1). Agriculture contributes to climate change via greenhouse gas emissions, while also grappling with its consequences. Key climate change elements revolve around heightened water uncertainty due to more frequent droughts and excess water events, causing uneven water availability. Drought, defined as the lack of rainfall or irrigation leading to soil moisture depletion and plant harm, is a recurring aspect of many climates. The USDA denotes drought as annual precipitation dropping to 75 percent of normal or monthly precipitation to 60 percent of normal. Drought stress arises when plant water loss surpasses root water absorption capacity, hindering normal plant functions.

      Drought periods yield notable ecological, farming, economic, and societal repercussions. The impacts are contingent on the vulnerability of the agro-climatic region facing drought stress. Water quality can diminish due to decreased water flows intensifying pollution and tainting surviving water bodies. Post-drought, plant recovery of root systems and growth capacity can span months to years. Drought stands as a pivotal restraint on crop yield. Enhancing drought resistance is intricate due to the intricate mechanisms at play.