Context:
Recently, the Union government is planning to unveil a framework to promote climate-resilient agriculture in 50,000 villages located in climatically-vulnerable districts.
Relevance:
GS III: Agriculture
Dimensions of the Article:
- Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA): Overview and Practices
- Key Challenges Related to Climate Resilient Agriculture
- Steps Taken by the Government for Climate Resilient Agriculture
Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA): Overview and Practices
Definition
- Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the ability of agricultural systems to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, absorb, and recover from the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events.
Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
- National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA): A network project by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) that studies climate change impacts on agriculture and farmers.
- Projected Impacts: Without adaptation measures, climate change is projected to reduce:
- Irrigated rice yields by 3%
- Rainfed rice yields by 7 to 28%
- Wheat yield by 3.2-5.3%
- Maize yield by 9-10%
- Increase soybean yield by 2.5-5.5% from 2020-2039.
Impact of Extreme Events
- Drought: Extreme events like drought can impact food and nutrient consumption, increase poverty, promote outmigration, escalate indebtedness, and diminish farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate change.
Practices to Enhance Climate Resilience
- Agroforestry: Cultivating trees alongside crops improves soil health, reduces erosion, enhances biodiversity, and increases soil moisture retention, offering multiple benefits to farmers.
- Soil and Water Conservation: Techniques such as contour bunding, farm ponds, and check dams help retain soil moisture, reduce erosion, and recharge groundwater, crucial for coping with droughts and water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Practices like crop diversification, organic farming, and integrated pest management reduce chemical inputs, enhance soil health, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and bolster farmers’ income and food security.
- Livestock Management: Practices such as stall-feeding and mixed cropping improve livestock productivity and resilience, while easing pressure on natural resources like grazing lands, increasingly scarce due to climate change.
Key Challenges Related to Climate Resilient Agriculture
- Vulnerability of Developing Countries
- Developing countries like India, heavily reliant on agriculture (65% of population), lack adequate technologies and resources to manage climate risks effectively.
- Cycle of Poverty
- Poor farmers often trapped in low-income cycles due to inadequate mitigation and adaptation measures, leading to high debt and poverty.
- Limited Crop Diversification
- MSP regime focuses on few crops, hindering diversification efforts and agricultural resilience against climate change impacts.
- Groundwater Depletion
- Overreliance on groundwater, especially in northern India, undermines efforts towards sustainable agriculture and water conservation.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Agriculture contributes approximately 14% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, with synthetic nitrogen fertilizers significantly increasing nitrous oxide emissions.
- Low Agricultural Productivity
- India’s agricultural productivity is lower compared to major producers, with challenges in achieving higher yields per hectare.
- Local Policy Implementation
- Inadequate recognition and involvement of village Panchayats and local governing bodies hinder effective policy implementation and grassroots climate action.
Steps Taken by the Government for Climate Resilient Agriculture
- National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
- The government has implemented the NAPCC, providing a policy framework for climate action in India.
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
- Under the NAPCC, NMSA aims to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture through components like Rainfed Area Development (RAD), On Farm Water Management (OFWM), and Soil Health Management (SHM).
- Flagship Programmes
- Introduced programmes such as Soil Health Card (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), and Per Drop More Crop to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
- National Bamboo Mission (NBM)
- Launched the restructured NBM in 2018 to boost bamboo cultivation, supporting climate-resilient practices.
- National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)
- ICAR’s flagship project since 2011, focusing on research, demonstrations, and capacity building for climate resilient agriculture. Achievements include developing 1888 climate resilient crop varieties and District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACPs) for 650 districts.
- Crop Insurance Schemes
- Implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) to protect farmers from climate hazards and stabilize their income.
-Source: The Hindu
