SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGRICULTURE: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES

Abstract

Climate variability has emerged as a major challenge affecting agricultural productivity, food security, and environmental sustainability worldwide. Increasing fluctuations in rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and water stress continue to threaten farming systems and reduce crop yield stability. This study examined the effects of climate variability and irrigation practices on agricultural productivity and identified sustainable strategies for climate-resilient farming using a large-scale secondary agricultural dataset obtained from Kaggle. The study employed a quantitative research design incorporating descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression techniques to evaluate the relationships among rainfall, temperature, irrigation usage, fertilizer application, and crop yield. The findings revealed that rainfall was the most influential climatic factor affecting agricultural productivity, followed by fertilizer use and irrigation practices. The regression model demonstrated strong explanatory power with an R² value of 0.913, indicating high predictive reliability. The results further showed that irrigation practices significantly improved crop productivity and enhanced resilience against climate-related water stress. These findings highlight the importance of sustainable irrigation systems, climate-smart agricultural practices, and efficient resource management strategies in supporting long-term agricultural sustainability. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on climate-resilient agriculture and provides practical insights for policymakers, farmers, and environmental managers seeking to improve adaptive agricultural planning under changing climatic conditions.