The possibility of increasing the cropping intensity in Khordha district was assessed by block-wise characterisation of rainfall, soil texture, available water holding capacity of soil and district level temperature during the rice fallow period as well as deciding the appropriate sowing window for both kharif and rabi crops. More than 50% chances of occurrence of wet weeks at the beginning of the kharif season (20-22 SMW) indicated that the summer ploughing and initial seed bed preparation could be taken up during the period followed by sowing of rice from 23 SMW. The 42-43 SMW with greater than 30% initial probability of wet week at 20 mm threshold limit. Considering the length of growing period (LGP) available, the adjustment of rice variety duration by 10-15 days in medium land and advancement of pulse sowing almost by 15 days before harvest of the rice crop (Pira crop) in low land was registered as the best su  suitable option for rabi pulses to ensure better utilisation of rice fallow. In addition to these, harvesting surplus water during kharif and storing in farm ponds for judicious utilisation during rabi season further enhanced the possibility of utilisation of rice fallow and increasing the cropping intensity. In the event of delayed monsoon the rice duration has to be adjusted accordingly not to sacrifice the designated suitable period for rabi pulses.

Extreme rainfall events are a significant cause of loss of life and livelihoods in Odisha. Objectives of the present study are to determine the trend of the extreme rainfall events during 1991-2014 and to compare the events between two periods before and after 1991. Block level daily rainfall data were used in identifying the extreme rainfall events, while district level aggregation was used in analysing the trend   in three categories, viz., heavy, very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall as per criteria given by India Meteorological Department (IMD). The state as a whole received one extremely heavy, nine very heavy, and forty heavy rainfall events in a year. When percentage of occurrence of each category out of the total extreme events over different districts was considered, maximum % of extremely heavy rainfall occurred in Kalahandi (5.8%), very heavy rainfall in Bolangir (23.8%) and heavy rainfall in Keonjhargarh (85.4%). Trend analysis showed that number of extreme rainfall events increased in a few districts, namely, Bolangir, Nuapada, Keonjhargarh, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nawarangapur and did not change in other districts. In Puri district, extremely heavy rainfall frequency decreased. New all-time record high one-day rainfall events were observed in twenty districts during 1992 to 2014, surpassing the earlier records, which could be attributed to  climate change induced by  global warming. Interior south Odisha was found as the hot spot for extreme rainfalls.

In the recent years the important scientific challenge faced by researchers worldwide is to have a better understanding about climate change at a regional scale. However, for all the regions the changes are unequal and have localized intensity. Therefore it should be quantified at a local scale. Therefore in the current study, an attempt has been made to observe the temporal rainfall variability and trend over a period of 30years (1989-2018) at regional scale for the district Bargarh of Odisha. The detailed trend analysis of rainfall during the period 1989-2018 on seasonal and annual basis was carried out in the current study. The month of June, July, August, September is getting the leading part of the rainfall, the month July is getting highest and September is getting the lowest amount of rainfall. On an average July is getting 360mm and September is getting 202mm of rainfall respectively. The annual rainfall of the location is deviating with a Percentage change in annual and seasonal rainfall was also determined to show the change in trend. Ten year moving coefficient variation (CV) of seasonal rainfall showed a decreasing trend during kharif season and a constant trend during rabi season. The coefficient of variations is 96.9% and 22.2% in rabi and kharif season respectively.