As climate change accelerates, heatwaves have emerged as one of the most intense and least understood threats to agriculture. Their silent and sudden nature, coupled with rising frequency and duration, poses critical risks to crop production, livestock health, water resources, and farmer livelihoods. Yet, in many regions, the understanding of heatwave impacts and the strategies for adaptive response remain limited or scattered. This timely book addresses that gap with clarity and urgency. Heatwaves and Harvests brings together science, field evidence, policy insights, and farmer-driven solutions to explore how agricultural systems can withstand extreme heat. Written by experienced scholars and practitioners in agrometeorology and rural development, the book explains the drivers of heatwaves, their agro-ecological impacts, and the regional vulnerabilities across India and other climate-sensitive regions.

Equally important, the book showcases a wide array of innovative adaptation strategies—from microclimate management and agro-advisories to climate-resilient crop planning, digital tools, and traditional knowledge. Case studies highlight successful community-based interventions, smart irrigation practices, heat-tolerant crop varieties, and the role of early warning systems. Aligned with global initiatives like the WMO’s Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) and the UN’s “Early Warnings for All,” this volume is a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, extension workers, and students of climate and agriculture. Most of all, it is a practical guide for farmers navigating the age of extremes. By combining scientific insight with ground-level experience, Heatwaves and Harvests contributes meaningfully to the urgent global conversation on food security, farmer resilience, and climate adaptation. It is both a wake-up call and a roadmap for action.

BV Ramana Rao taught Agricultural Meteorology in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore during the years 1966 to 1979 and later joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and superannuated from service during April, 2000. He served as Head, Division of Climatology, Wind Power and Solar Energy Utilization at ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (Rajasthan); founder Project Coordinator, All India Coordinated Research Project on Agrometeorology at ICAR Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad (Telangana) during December 1984 to March 1994. His major contributions in the field of Agrometeorology include Agroclimatic Characterization, Delineation of Efficient Cropping Zones, Crop Weather Modeling, Classification and Management of Agricultural Droughts, Operational Agrometeorology, etc. He published about 150 research papers in peer reviewed journals with 50 of his papers appearing in high impact International Journals. He authored 15 books and monographs and a number of scientific and technical bulletins. He served as Editor in Chief, Journal of Agrometeorology during the years 2009 to 2023.

He is the recipient of British Council Fellowship during the year 1986-87 for advanced training at University of Reading, United Kingdom. He was conferred as Honorary Fellow (2011) and Life Time Achievement Award (2025) by the Association of Agrometeorologists for his valuable contribution to the growth and development of Agricultural Meteorology in India.

Surender Singh has about thirty five years of experience with PhD in the field of Agrometeorology. Worked in Agrometeorology encompassing teaching, research, extension and administration at various capacities viz., Principal Scientist, Professor & Head, Senior Scientist, Assistant Scientist, Advisor (Recruitments) and Associate Director (Students’ Counseling and Placement) at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India. Recipient of Two Gold Medals for Best Research Work during PhD Program and for Best PhD Dissertation (2001-02) awarded by then President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Offered UK Universities Vice Chancellors’ Scholarship for Higher Studies twice (1991 & 1993) under Commonwealth Fellowship Program. Post Doctoral Fellow at Abdus Salam  International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy; IAC – Instituto Agronômico, Campinas, Brazil and BOKU (Met) - Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, Vienna, Austria.

He is life member of Association of Agrometeorologists, Indian Meteorological Society, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, International Society for Agrometeorology, Society for Sustainable Agric& Resource Management, Environment Science Published for Everybody Round the Earth (ESPERE), European Drought Centre, South Asian Forum on Agriculture Meteorology (SAFOAM) and The Geographical Society of India. Organized quite a few trainings/symposia in Agrometeorology and associated domains at National level. Published more than 250 research papers, popular articles, manuals/teaching aids and research bulletins/book chapters etc. Performed responsibilities as Managing Editor - Journal of Agrometeorology; Research Collaborator, Monsoon Asia Agro-Environmental Research Consortium (MARCO), Japan; SPARC Research Collaborator, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland; Member, Expert Team - CAgM-WMO, Geneva, Switzerland (2018-20). Core Committee Member on Agriculture – Drought at WMO, Geneva, Switzerland (2021-24 & 2024-27). External Expert for evaluation of research projects, COST-Association, European Union, Brussels, Belgium. Many students (UG, PG and PhD) have been trained under him and placed across the country and well settled in various positions in the field of Agrometeorology. He is widely travelled researcher/expert across the globe on many academic pursuits. He has been conferred upon Fellow of Association of Agrometeorologists (FAAM) for the year 2024 in recognition of his exemplary achievements and enduring impact on agrometeorological science.

Anita Kumari has fifteen years of experience with PhD in the broader field of Plant Physiology. Worked in Plant Physiology encompassing teaching, research, extension and administration as Plant Physiologist, at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India. Recipient of Post Doctoral Fellowship from University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India during 2011.  She served as a Scientist in Plant Physiology under the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the Indian Council of Aricultural Research (ICAR) during 2013-14. She has contributed as a Plant Physiologist in the development of two brassica varieties viz., RH 725 and RH 761 released by CCS  Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar at National level. She is working as Co-Project Investigator in ICAR funded Project “Molecular Genetic Analysis of Tolerance to Different Stresses in Indian Mustard” multi institutional project (2016-2025). Additionally she served as Project Investigator  on salinity aspects from CCS HAU-Hisar under the DBT funded multi institutional project coordinated by NBPGR New Delhi  “Leveraging Genetic Resources for Accelerated Genetic Improvement of Linseed using Comprehensive Genomics and Phenotyping Approaches PI DBT New Delhi (2020-25).

She is life member of Indian Society for Plant Physiology. She has published more than 60 research papers, popular articles, teaching aids and book chapters etc. Many students of  PG and PhD have been trained under her guidance are placed at various positions in the field of Plant Physiology.

 V Uma Maheswara Rao has forty years of experience with PhD in the broader field of Agrometeorology. Worked in Agrometeorology encompassing teaching, research, extension and administration at various capacities viz., Project Coordinator, Principal Scientist, Professor & Head, Agrometeorologist, and Assistant Scientist at CCS Haryana Agricultural University and Indian Council of Agriculture Research in India.

He is life member of Indian Meteorological Society, The Arid Zone Research Association of India, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Association of Agrometeorologists, International Society for Agrometeorology, and The Indian Society of Dryland Agriculture. Organized several trainings/workshops in Agrometeorology at the International and National level. Published more than 345 research papers, popular articles, manuals/teaching aids and research bulletins/book chapters. Member of the CCI-ET-IIC, WMO, Geneva (2014-17). Member of XI Plan High Powered Review Committee of Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India (2012). In 2014, the prestigious Chaudhary Devi Lal Award, ICAR’s Best AICRP on Agrometeorology was received under his dynamic leadership as Project Coordinator. Many students (UG, PG and PhD) have been trained under his guidance are placed across the country and settled in various positions in the field of Agrometeorology. He visited numerous countries in official capacity.

Chapter 1.Riding Out the Scorching Sun - Empowering Farmers Globally Against the Rising Tide of Heat Waves
Chapter 2.Climates and Extreme High Temperatures:  Strategies for  Promoting Climate Resilient Crops
Chapter 3.Heat Wave Effects on Photosynthetic Pathways of Crops and Improvement Strategies
Chapter 4.Crop-Specific Heat Waves: Criteria for Cereal Crops 
Chapter 5.Crop Specific Heat Waves - Pulse Crops
Chapter 6.Specific Heat Waves : Oilseed Crops
Chapter 7.Heat Wave Criteria for Some Commercial Crops 
Chapter 8.The Cool Down - Future of Farmers in the  Face of Heat
Chapter 9.Heat Waves and Farming – WMO Initiatives