IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON RICE PRODUCTION

The study of the impact of climate change on rice cultivation in the Marovoay plain enabled us to understand not only farmers' perceptions of climate change and climate variables, but also the correlation between these climate variables and interannual rice production, and the potential impacts of climate change in the study area. According to the surveys, farmers and project staff report disruptions in climatic variables, the lengthening of the dry season and the delay in the onset of the first rains. On the analysis of climatic data, temperature is increasing, wind speed remains constant and rainfall is decreasing. Unlike rainfall, temperature has no correlation with rice production. Climate change is having impacts in the study area. These are represented by negative impacts, such as silting up and drying up of rivers, and positive impacts, such as soil moistening in the arid part of the study area and removal of soil salinity in the part near the sea.