Linkages between Food Security and Climate Change

[GS Paper 3 – Economy, Agriculture in India and its Issues]

Context – Under the PMGKAY scheme, the Cabinet has approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY – Phase II) for a further period of three months starting from October to December 2022.

About Climate Change and Food Security

• As per the definition given by the United Nations, Climate Change can be defined as the long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. Such types of shifts can either be natural like the variation in the solar cycle or contributed through anthropogenic activities as well. Since the start of industrialization, human activities have been the major culprits behind climate change primarily due to the incessant burning of fossil fuels like coal, gas, oil etc.
• As per the definition given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Food Security is defined as, when all the people, at all times, have physical and economic assessment to sufficient and nutrient-rich food to meet the body needs and food choices for an active and healthy life.

About PMGKAY Scheme

• It is the scheme which was launched as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to supply free food grains to migrants and the poor. The first two phases of the scheme were operational from April-June 2020 and July-November 2020 respectively.
  
• The Phase VI of the scheme from April-September 2022 would entail an estimated additional food subsidy of Rs 80,000 crore.

Link between Climate Change and Food Security

• Extreme events: In times to come, India will be experiencing extreme events such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, etc of increasing intensity and frequency.
  
• Rising GHGs emission: The third world countries may keep blaming the developed economies and ask for climate justice, yet they will have to act fast and boldly to correct their law and policies concerning the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
  
• Subsidies: Free water, subsidized fertilizers like urea and electricity at very cheap prices are some of the policies that are damaging the natural environment.
• Food ecosystem: One of the major concerns associated with climate change is food security. There are complex ways through which climate change affects food security as it impacts crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and can cause grave social and economic consequences.

Measures to be Taken

• Increasing foreign exchange reserves: India’s Government at the centre will have to have innovative policies to promote exports and attract more foreign direct investment (FDI).
  
• Fixing Issue price: The Government can look to fix the issue prices of PDS supplies at half the MSP and limit the PDS coverage to 30% of the bottom population.
• On rupee fall: RBI’s best case scenario would be to avoid a sudden and abrupt fall in the rupee, but also let it find its natural level given what is happening globally, especially in the currency markets.
  
• Use of technology: In order to lower food inflation, we will have to invest more in climate-smart agriculture, in precision farming, with high productivity and less damage to natural resources.
  
• Right ecosystem: The proper usage of Science and Technology can be a boon but they cannot be scaled in a perverse policy ecosystem.
  
• Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices:To get control over food security issues, India needs to increase public investment in development and dissemination of crop varieties which are more tolerant of temperature and precipitation fluctuations and are more water and nutrient efficient.
  
• Management of water resources:In the water sector, a 4-pronged strategy can be implemented which includes; Increase irrigation efficiency, Promote micro irrigation in water-deficient areas, Better water resource infrastructure planning, Water body restoration in villages and prolonged emphasis on public health.
  
• Long-term relief measures in the event of natural disasters: NITI Aayog’s latest report suggests that the government should transfer a minimum specified sum of cash to affected farmers and landless workers as an instant relief.

Conclusion

Till that India has done well to control the food inflation as compared to other developed and developing economies. RBI’s current policy of burning the FOREX and the government increasing the deficit is unsustainable in the long run. In today’s time, food security needs to be insured through climate resilient policies for long-term sustenance.

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