SREENIVASA RAO, IPYNBIANGLANG KHARUMNUID2016-06-072016-06-072011http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/66900The study was conducted to assess “Perception and adaptation of potato growers to climate change in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya”. Ex-post facto research design was followed for the study. The investigation was carried out in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya where potato is predominantly grown. Samples of 120 potato growers from twelve villages of two blocks in East Khasi Hills district were selected randomly. The data were collected by a personal interview method through structured interview schedule and analyzed employing suitable statistical methods. The profile analysis of potato growers indicated that majority of the respondents were female, illiterate, had large family size, marginal farmers, medium farm income, very low non-farm income, medium farming experience, medium farmer-to-farmer information exchange, medium knowledge about local agro-climate, low level of credit and subsidy orientation, medium Information seeking, medium preparedness for adaptation and low resistance to change. The findings with regard to Perception of potato growers towards climate change indicated that majority of the respondents had medium perception towards climate change, majority of the respondents perceived that annual rainfall had been decreased, majority of the respondents perceived that monsoon rainfall (June to September) had been increased, majority of the respondents in East Khasi Hills perceived that temperature had been increased, majority of the respondents perceived that occurrence of drought had been increased, majority of respondents had high level of perception towards physical effects, biological effects and economic effects whereas their perception towards chemical effects is very low. The findings with regard to adaptation of potato growers to climate change indicated that majority of the respondents had medium adaptation to climate change. It was also found out that there were twelve (12) adaptation practices which were followed by majority of the potato growers, namely, use of improved high yielding and resistant varieties, bun and nur method of land preparation, planting pit method, use of well decomposed FYM in summer crop cultivation, use of grasses/stubbles in autumn potato crop, early planting, minimum use of chemicals, crop diversification, rearing of livestock, off-farm diversification, terracing and earthing up (traditional way). Correlation analysis of independent variables with perception of potato growers towards climate change revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between independent variables, namely, education, farming experience, knowledge about local agro-climate, preparedness, size of household, farm income, farmer to farmer information exchange, credit and subsidy orientation and information seeking behaviour and perception. In the case of the relationship between independent variables and adaptation, there was a positive and significant relationship between independent variables, namely, farming experience, knowledge about local agroclimate, preparedness for adaptation, size of household, farm income, farmer to farmer information exchange, credit and subsidy orientation and information seeking behaviour and adaptation of farmers to climate change. The relationship between perception of farmers towards climate change and their adaptation was a positive and significant relationship. Lack of quality seeds, non availability and high cost of production inputs, high incidence of disease, price fluctuation in the market, higher cost of cultivation using scientific methods, less technical knowledge of potato cultivation, lack of information about weather and climate, lack of efficient transport facility, lack of efficient marketing facility at village level, non-availability of credit and subsidy facilities, etc. were the major problems encountered by the cotton farmers. The major suggestions offered by the potato growers to overcome the listed problems were the provision of better marketing facilities in the locality or its nearby areas, timely available of quality seeds at subsidized price, training on scientific methods and adaptation options, fixing of minimum support price, arrangement for availability of credit and subsidy, availability of weather and climate information up to the farmers’ village, implementation of weather related insurance scheme, etc. Accordingly, based on the problems faced by the potato growers, suggestions given by them and also on major findings of the study a suitable strategy was developed.enclimate, adaptation, climatic change, biological phenomena, potatoes, precipitation, crops, tillage equipment, marketing, cultivationEAST KHASI HILLS, MEGHALAYAThesis