PROMOTION OF CLIMATE RESILIENT FARMING REPORT

PROMOTION OF CLIMATE RESILIENT FARMING REPORT

14-02-2024
  1. The Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Food Processing presented a report on the 'Promotion of Climate Resilient Farming'.
  2. The Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Food Processing is a committee in the Lok Sabha. It is made up of 31 members, including 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 members from the Rajya Sabha.
  3. Importance of Climate Resilient Farming:

  1.   Given the vulnerability of Indian Agriculture to climate change, adopting climate-resilient farming practices is crucial.
  2.   Climate-resilient farming involves sustainable utilization of natural resources in crop and livestock production systems to ensure long-term productivity and higher farm incomes amidst climate variations.
  3.   Outcomes of Climate Resilient Farming:
  •   Improved access and utilisation of technology
  •   Increased use of resources conservation technologies
  •   An increased adaptation of crops and livestock to climatic stress
  •   Reduces hunger and poverty (by sustaining agricultural production)
  •   Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
  •   Increased resilience against longer-term stressors like shorter seasons and erratic weather patterns
  1. Need for Climate Resilient Farming:

  1.   Crops and Horticulture: Yield is expected to decrease due to climate change.
  •   For example, rainfed rice yields in India are projected to decline by 20% in 2050 and 47% in 2080.
  •   Hailstorms during flowering and fruit set stages lead to reduced mango production.
  1.   Livestock: Rising temperatures may impact livestock physiology (science of life) and energy expenditure, resulting in reduced output of milk, meat, wool, and draught power.
  2.   Fisheries Sector: A 1°C temperature rise can disrupt fish survival, migrations, and habitats, potentially causing stocks to permanently relocate to new areas.
  1. Key Recommendations of the committee:

  1.   Establishment of the National Agriculture Disaster Management Authority (NADMA) as a single nodal agency at the national level to address climate change issues.
  2.   Transformation of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) with technologies like Artificial Intelligence for enhanced farmer support.
  •   KVKs are agricultural extension centers that are part of National Agricultural Research System (NARS) & created by Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its affiliated institutions at the district level.
  •   They serve as a knowledge and resource center of agricultural technology, supporting initiatives of the public, private, and voluntary sector.
  1.   Adoption of technologies like Big Data analytics to optimize irrigation schedules and promotion of carbon market in agriculture.
  1. National Programmes for Climate Change Adaptation

  1.   National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture: Initiated in 2010 as part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to promote the prudent (well judged) management of available resources.
  2.   Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Introduced in 2015 to tackle water resource issues and promote a permanent solution emphasizing Per Drop More Crop.
  3.   Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana: Aims to extensively adopt climate-smart practices and technologies in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and state governments.
  4.   Green India Mission: Launched in 2014, aims to protect, restore, and enhance India’s reducing forest covers to mitigate climate change effects. It operates under the NAPCC umbrella.
  5.   Soil Health Card scheme: Analyses soil samples to inform farmers about their land fertility status.
  6.   Neem-Coated Urea: Introduced to minimize excessive urea fertilizer use, preserving soil health and providing plant nitrogen.
  7.   National Project on Organic Farming and National Agroforestry Policy: Aim to benefit farmers financially while protecting ecosystems &focus on organic farming, improving soil carbon stock, and preventing soil erosion.

Case study: Role Models

  1. States like Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim have initiated various programmes to adopt and promote organic farming practices. Sikkim stands out as an organic state.
  2. The ICAR, along with its network research institutes and state agriculture universities, has been implementing agriculture contingency plans in about 650 districts for the past seven years to prepare for climate change.
  3. These models are being extended to SAARC countries to address climate change impacts such as floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, and seawater intrusion.
  4. The ICAR has established climate-resilient villages across India in 151 districts, which are being replicated by state governments to achieve the objective of building carbon-positive villages.

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