A Study of Climatic Factors and Fertilizer Use in Indian Agriculture

Abstract

newlineABSTRACT newlineGreen revolution relied upon modern high yielding varieties, intensive fertilizer use and newlineirrigation to increase crop productivity. However, the over-application of nitrogenous newlinefertilizers resulted in negative environmental externalities. Thus, an assessment of imbalances newlinein chemical fertilizer use is vital from the perspective of environmental sustainability. newlineIncreasing occurrence of climatic extremes like droughts poses a substantial threat to newlineagricultural production. Consistent use of productivity-enhancing technology, including newlinechemical fertilizer can supplement soil nutrients and safeguard production. In practice, it is newlinenot easy to spend on costly inputs like fertilizer under adverse shocks. Investment in other newlinedefensive mechanisms can also result in lowering the quantity of fertilizer use. Hence, it newlinebecomes critical to study the consequences of climatic extremes on the use of chemical newlinefertilizer. newlineThis thesis pertains to study features of chemical fertilizer use in the context of newlineenvironmental sustainability and climatic extremes. First, we study the pattern of imbalances newlinein chemical fertilizer application as an indicator of environmental sustainability. Using newlinedistrict-level data for India, this study finds within-State heterogeneity in fertilizer newlineapplication. Spatial patterns for divergences from recommended norms in rice cultivation newlineshow the existence of districts with both excessive and deficit fertilizer application. Many newlinedistricts in the Indo-Gangetic plains use unsustainably excess fertilizer. The assessment of newlinesustainability indicators helps identify regions for policy intervention targeting nutrient newlinebalance in the soil and sustainable intensification in agriculture. newlineSecondly, we examine the effect of rainfall shocks on chemical fertilizer consumption. This newlinethesis uses a panel dataset of selected 311 Indian districts ranging from 1966 to 2009 to newlineivinvestigate how application of chemical fertilizers varies in response to rainfall shocks. Based newlineon a panel fixed effect regression, the study finds no apparent reduction in the level of newlinefertilizer use in negative rainfall shock years. However, with one year lagged rainfall shock, newlinewe find a reduction in fertilizer application rate. Analysis at the plot level also confirms the newlinereduction in fertilizer consumption with an increase in monsoon drought intensity for Kharif newlinepaddy. Overall, we notice sizable differences in fertilizer application by agro-ecological newlineregions under different intensities of drought. These findings contribute to growing literature newlineon the impact of climate change in agriculture and show how frequent exposure to climatic newlineshocks can impede investments in productive technologies in crop production. newlinev