Climate Governance and Agricultural Adaptation in Jammu and Kashmir: An Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness and Farmer Resilience

Abstract

Climate change causes significant losses to farmers worldwide in terms of yield, incomes, and livelihoods. The losses are colossal in mountainous regions, such as the western Himalayas. Particularly, rainfed,cereal-based agricultural systems of Jammu and Kashmir are vulnerable due to a combination of climatic and non-climatic challenges that farmers face in coping with the impacts of climate change. This study examines the institutional framework that shapes climate adaptation in Jammu and Kashmir by analyzing policy documents, sectoral reports, hydrometeorological datasets, and peer-reviewed literature. An integrated conceptual framework is employed to evaluate climate governance mechanisms, institutional effectiveness, adaptation processes, and resultant resilience outcomes. Findings reveal a fragmented governance system characterized by limited coordination, weak technical capacity, inconsistent climate information flow, and insufficient local participation, all of which constrain sustainable agricultural resilience. Farm-level adaptation practices remain predominantly incremental and socially mediated, with limited institutional support to enable more robust or transformative strategies. To address these systemic gaps, the study proposes a polycentric, science-driven climate governance framework that restructures apex-level coordination, mainstreams climate considerations across sectors, strengthens district and community-level institutions, and enhances data and knowledge systems. The proposed framework offers a practical pathway to strengthen adaptive capacity, improve resilience outcomes, and transition from reactive responses to proactive, long-term climate governance in the Himalayan agricultural context.