Himalayan farming zones face diverging drought and flood risks as climate shifts
Choudhury BU, Mandal S, Narzari R, Zafar M, Bal SK
Climate Adaptation
The tea in your cup likely came from a region where rainfall has measurably declined and drought frequency has risen over the past 70 years, pressures that are reshaping how and where tea can be grown.
Researchers combed through 70 years of rainfall and temperature records across the Eastern Himalayas and found that the climate story is not the same everywhere. Higher mountain zones are seeing heavier rains, while lower plains are drying out and suffering more droughts. The study found that farms mixed with trees, known as agroforestry systems, hold up best under these swings, producing food and timber while also storing carbon.
Key Findings
Maximum temperatures rose 0.52°C and minimum temperatures rose 0.32°C across the region from 1951 to 2020, with most warming occurring after 1986.
Regional climatic water surplus declined by 7.2% over 70 years, driving moisture deficits that affect planting schedules and soil recharge for rice, tea, and mustard.
Rainfall trends diverged sharply by zone: high-altitude areas intensified while the Upper Brahmaputra Plain and Purvanchal Hills saw decreases paired with rising drought frequency.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A 70-year climate analysis of the Eastern Himalayas finds sharply different trends across subregions: some highland areas are getting wetter, while key farming lowlands are drying out and facing more droughts. These shifts are already threatening rice, tea, and mustard farming, and the study argues that agroforestry systems offer the most resilient path forward.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Climate extremes in the Eastern Himalayas: Zone-specific adaptation strategies and policy design for climate-resilient rainfed agriculture.
Despite its agroecological diversity, the Eastern Himalayan Region (EHR) is highly vulnerable to climate variability, but long-term, subregional climate diagnostics are still lacking. This study of...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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