Farmers in western India have suffered a massive decline in cashew and mango yields this season, according to The Goan. 

What's happening?

India has experienced the earliest monsoon season in 16 years. Temperatures in May felt as hot as 118 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, Goa's Forest Development Corporation has assessed that cashew yields in the coastal state have dropped 50% year over year. Mango yields are also down 30% compared to last year, which was in turn down 40% from the year prior.

While early monsoons have led to flood conditions that have caused fungal infections and fruit fly infestations in crops, other regions have simultaneously been dried out and burned after an ensuing heat wave. 

Other crops in India, such as onions, tomatoes, rice, lemons, and oranges, have also suffered significant losses because of erratic weather patterns. 

Why are farming yields important?

"Our cost has increased but yields are down. The income has fallen drastically. We don't know how we will recover it," said farmer Shivram Bandekar, per The Goan. 

Increasing atmospheric pollution is leading to all manner of increasingly destructive weather patterns, including floods and droughts like the ones seen by Indian farmers. The economic costs to farmers are a major challenge, as are the rising grocery prices that end up being passed on to consumers. 

This financial pressure and food insecurity can lead to climate migration, adding infrastructure and supply stressors to neighboring countries.   

What's being done about farming yields in India?

Attacking the root cause of these weather swings and lowered agricultural yields means bringing down atmospheric pollution. Some of the best individual actions one can take include switching to an electric vehicle, using a heat pump at home, adopting a plant-based diet, and upgrading to solar power.  

In the near term, permaculture practices can offer farmers some degree of resilience against wild swings in temperature and precipitation. Goan farmers are actively petitioning the government for this type of support.

"The government will have to help us with climate-resilient measures. We are ready to adopt it," said farmer Rajan Naik, per The Goan.

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