Climate variability and adaptation of Homegardens in South Asia: case studies from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India

This study assessed the climate variability, vulnerability of Homegardens (HGs), and elements that influence the adaptation decisions of homegardeners in selected regions in South Asia. Study sample comprised 148 HGs in three sites in Sri Lanka, 120 HGs in Bangladesh and 100 HGs in India. Variability in temperature and rainfall in the sites from 1961 to 2010, and changes in the onset of cultivating seasons during two decades (1991-2010) were analyzed. The socio-economic data of the homegardeners, agronomic data of HGs, diversity of trees and farm animals, and adaptation strategies used in HGs for perceived variability in climate during 1991-2010 were collected using a questionnaire survey. The annual rate of rise in night-time minimum temperature in the three Sri Lankan study sites (0.012 to 0.022 °C; R2 = 0.251 to 0.589; p 0.05). The annual cumulative rainfall did not reveal any discernible trend in all study sites (p>0.05). From 1991-2010, 85 % of Maha seasons in Sri Lanka (September to February) have not been set on time (p