Date:21/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/21/stories/2007062106602100.htm

Back `Global warming may have mixed impact'

Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam June 20 Global warming and climate change is likely to have a mixed impact on agriculture in general though the adverse effects will be more pronounced on coastal agriculture, according to Dr D. Raji Reddy, Principal Scientific Officer, of the Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad.

At a seminar in Andhra University here on Wednesday on climate change and its impact on development, he said that increased precipitation caused by climate change might lead to increased rainfall in certain areas, proving beneficial to farming, and on the other hand the crop yields, of crops such as wheat, may be hit due to rise in temperatures.

He said that coastal agriculture would be hit, due to rise in sea levels and contamination of groundwater, and accordingly suitable strategies should be evolved to mitigate the damage.

Dr Raji Reddy said that a study had shown that agriculture in India was contributing only 7 per cent to the greenhouse gas emissions, while industry was contributing more than 38 per cent.

Prof L. Venugopala Reddy, Vice-Chancellor, in his inaugural address, called for in-depth studies on the subject.