Climate Resilient Farming in India

Context

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare plans to unveil a framework to promote climate-resilient agriculture located in climatically-vulnerable districts in India.

About 

• Climate change poses big challenges to agriculture internationally by affecting food manufacturing, crop yields, and basic agricultural sustainability. 
• In India, where agriculture is a critical area helping millions of livelihoods, building resilience against climate variability is vital.

Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture

• Vulnerability: Indian agriculture is distinctly liable to climate-related disasters. Extreme climate occasions, which include droughts, floods, and cyclones, disrupt crop cycles and cause financial losses.
  • Between 1998 and 2017, disaster-hit countries experienced direct economic losses of about US$ 2908 billion, with 77% of those losses attributed to climate-related failures.
• Temperature and Rainfall Patterns: India has witnessed an increase in temperatures by 0.6°C to 2.5°C between 1901 and 2018. These growing temperatures, along with shifts in monsoon patterns, at once impact crop productivity.
  • Seasonal modifications significantly have an effect on ecosystems and human livelihoods, making edition essential.
• Projected Crop Yield Reduction: By 2100, productiveness of most vegetation in India is projected to decrease by way of 10-40% because of accelerated temperatures, rainfall variability, and reduced irrigation water availability.
  • Major crops like rice, wheat, sorghum, barley, and maize are at threat.

Need for National Programme on Climate-Resilient Agriculture (NPCRA)

• It aims to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture to climate trade and vulnerability.
• Targeted Villages: The government plans to choose 50,000 villages from 310 districts which have already been identified as climatically prone. These districts span 27 states, with Uttar Pradesh having the very best variety of districts (48), observed via Rajasthan (27).

Framework of NPCRA

• Promoting Resilient Crop Varieties: NPCRA ambitions to focus on selling climate-resilient crop types.
  • The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed over 2,000 such sorts that can improve meals production, which encompass both abiotic stress-tolerant and biotic stress-tolerant types.
• Water Conservation: Encouraging crops which are less water-intensive and imposing water conservation practices within the respective regions.
• Monitoring Fertiliser Inputs: Ensuring efficient use of fertilisers to minimise environmental effect.
• Duration and Funding: The software is expected to run for 5 years, with investment usually coming from convergence with current schemes.

Role of ICAR

• ICAR plays a pivotal position in climate-resilient agriculture. It has developed revolutionary technology and practices to cope with abiotic stresses prompted by using climate variability. These efforts make contributions to constructing resilience at both policy and farmer tiers.

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

• It aims to address the challenges posed by climate trade even as making sure sustainable food production.
• Increase Productivity and Incomes: CSA focuses on sustainable practices that beautify agricultural productivity and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
• Adaptation and Resilience: CSA allows farmers to adapt to changing climate conditions via selling resilient crop sorts, green water management, and soil fitness development.
• Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions: CSA pursuits to lessen or get rid of greenhouse gas emissions related to agriculture, contributing to climate trade mitigation.
• Tolerant Breeds: Introducing drought-tolerant and early-maturing crop sorts can mitigate yield losses because of climate stress.
• Conservation Agricultural Practices: Practices like soil natural carbon building and manure management improve soil health and create a beneficial environment for plant growth.

Related Other Government Initiatives

• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): It pursuits to enhance water-use performance in agriculture through efficient irrigation practices.
• Soil Health Card Scheme: It encourages farmers to undertake soil-pleasant practices, enhancing soil fertility and resilience.
• Promotion of Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties: The government helps studies and adoption of climate-resilient seeds.
• National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA): A network assignment by ICAR objectives to beautify Indian agriculture’s resilience to climate exchange through research and generation demonstration.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• Achieving sustainable agriculture and meals systems calls for an integrated method that addresses climate change challenges. Climate-clever practices, consisting of millets and different coarse grains, can assist face up to climate variability.
• By promoting resilient crop sorts, maintaining water, and adopting clever practices, we are able to mitigate the effect of climate change on our farms, and through adopting sustainable strategies, enhancing soil health, and selling resilient crops, we will construct a more resilient and effective agricultural region.

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? (2021)

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