The correct answer is: B) Shorter duration and lower water needs.
Telangana’s cropping pattern is shifting towards crops with shorter duration and lower water needs. This is due to a number of factors, including the state’s water scarcity, the need to increase agricultural productivity, and the changing climate.
Shorter duration crops require less water than traditional crops, and they can be grown in areas with less rainfall. This makes them more suitable for Telangana, which is a semi-arid state. Shorter duration crops also mature faster, which means that farmers can get two or even three crops in a year. This increases agricultural productivity and helps farmers to earn more income.
The changing climate is also making it more difficult to grow traditional crops in Telangana. The state is experiencing more frequent and severe droughts, and the average temperature is increasing. This is making it difficult for crops to get enough water and to tolerate the heat. Shorter duration crops are better adapted to these conditions, and they are more likely to survive droughts and heat waves.
The shift towards shorter duration crops is a positive development for Telangana. It will help to conserve water, increase agricultural productivity, and adapt to the changing climate.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- A) Higher water requirements. This is not the correct answer because Telangana is a water-scarce state, and farmers are looking for crops that require less water.
- B) Shorter duration and lower water needs. This is the correct answer because shorter duration crops require less water than traditional crops, and they can be grown in areas with less rainfall.
- C) Mainly export-oriented focus. This is not the correct answer because the shift towards shorter duration crops is not driven by a desire to export more crops.
- D) Preference for traditional crops only. This is not the correct answer because farmers are increasingly looking for crops that are more adaptable to the changing climate.