Centre’s Strategy to Tackle Climate Change in Agriculture

Syllabus:

GS-1: Agricultural Resources

GS-3: E-Technology in the Aid of Farmers

Focus:

The Union Agriculture Secretary highlighted the government’s dual approach—adaptation and mitigation—to combat climate change’s impact on agriculture. The Agri and Commodity Summit 2025 discussed strategies, including green lending, climate-smart practices, and strengthening cooperatives to build a resilient agricultural system in India.

Centre's Strategy to Tackle Climate Change in Agriculture

Introduction

  • Climate change poses significant challenges to the agriculture sector, which were discussed in-depth at the Agri and Commodity Summit 2025.
  • The summit focused on the strategies the Indian Government has adopted to address these challenges.
  • Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi emphasized the government’s two-pronged approach: adaptation and mitigation.

Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) in India:

  • Definition:
    According to FAO, CRA refers to the ability of agricultural systems to adapt to, absorb, and recover from the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events.
  • Impact of Climate Change:
  • Yield Reductions:
  • Rice yields (irrigated: -3%, rainfed: -7% to -28%)
  • Wheat: -3.2% to -5.3%, maize: -9% to -10%
  • Soybean yield increase: 2.5% to 5.5%
  • Extreme Events Impact:
  • Drought affects food, nutrient consumption, and farmer resilience.
  • Increased poverty, outmigration, and debt among farmers.
  • CRA Practices:
  • Agroforestry:
  • Trees planted with crops, enhancing soil health, reducing erosion, increasing moisture retention.
  • Soil and Water Conservation:
  • Techniques like contour bunding, farm ponds, and check dams increase water retention and groundwater recharge.
  • Sustainable Agriculture:
  • Practices like crop diversification, organic farming reduce chemical input use and greenhouse gases.
  • Livestock Management:
  • Stall-feeding and mixed cropping improve livestock productivity and resilience.

Government Initiatives for CRA:

  • NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change):
  • A policy framework guiding climate action in India.
  • NMSA (National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture):
  • Aims to make agriculture resilient through Rainfed Area Development, Water Management, Soil Health Management.
  • ICAR NICRA Project (National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture):
  • Research, demonstrations, and capacity building in climate-resilient practices.
  • Development of 1888 climate-resilient crop varieties and district-specific agriculture contingency plans.
  • Flagship Schemes:
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY):
  • Provides crop insurance for farmers affected by natural calamities.
  • Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS):
  • Supports farmers facing unpredictable climate conditions.

Other Initiatives:

  • National Mission of Natural Farming (NMNF), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), and AgriStack aim to promote sustainable farming, organic practices, and digital solutions.
  • PM’s ‘NAMO Drone Didi’ Scheme:
  • Drone usage in agriculture:
  • Women-led drones to assist farmers with crop management and monitoring.
  • Aims to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and address labor shortages.
  • Promotes empowerment of rural women while modernizing farming techniques.

Government’s Two-Pronged Approach to Climate Change:

Adaptation Strategies

  • Drought-Resistant and Flood-Resistant Crop Varieties
    • Developing climate-resilient crops that can withstand extreme weather conditions like droughts and floods.
    • Ensuring that agricultural practices align with changing climatic conditions to protect yields.
  • Efficient Water Management Techniques
    • Adoption of water-efficient practices like rainwater harvesting and precision irrigation to mitigate water scarcity.
    • Increased focus on using water resources sustainably to maintain agricultural productivity despite erratic rainfall patterns.
  • Crop Insurance to Safeguard Farmers’ Livelihoods
    • Enhancing the scope of crop insurance schemes to provide financial protection against extreme weather events.
    • Ensuring that insurance reaches a larger pool of farmers, reducing risks and providing a safety net during calamities.

Mitigation Efforts

  • Promotion of Natural Farming
    • Encouraging natural farming practices to reduce dependence on chemicals.
    • Fostering soil health improvement by avoiding synthetic inputs and encouraging organic methods that help mitigate environmental degradation.
  • Carbon Market Incentives
    • Carbon markets will be utilized to incentivize farmers who adopt climate-smart agricultural practices.
    • The government aims to encourage green agriculture through financial rewards, contributing to the global carbon reduction effort.
  • Promotion of Climate-Smart Practices
    • Sustainable farming techniques will be promoted to reduce the agricultural sector’s carbon footprint.
    • The overarching aim is to create an ecosystem where both food security and farmer livelihoods are safeguarded amidst a rapidly changing climate.

Role of Agricultural Cooperative Societies (ACS)

Building Resilience in Rural India

  • Key Role of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS)
    • Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Union Cooperation Ministry, highlighted the potential of ACS in fostering climate resilience.
    • PACS could serve as pivotal organizations in rural areas, providing assistance in adapting to climate change by supplying resources, information, and training.
  • Expanding PACS Beyond Credit and Inputs
    • PACS will take on expanded roles beyond traditional functions of credit and input supply.
    • Multi-purpose PACS will be set up to provide farmers with storage facilities, training programs, and technical assistance to face climate challenges.
  • Strengthening the Rural Economy
    • Strengthening PACS and ensuring their participation in climate-resilient practices will significantly bolster the rural economy.
    • This comprehensive approach aims to make rural areas more self-sufficient and better equipped to deal with climate adversities.

Infrastructure and Policy Initiatives to Support Climate Change Adaptation

Expanding Grain Storage Facilities

  • Building 70,000 Grain Storage Points
    • The government plans to establish 70,000 grain storage points across India, with PACS playing a crucial role in this initiative.
    • These storage points will help reduce transportation costs, address storage issues, and create procurement centers for grains, improving food security.
  • Solving Grain Storage Issues in Rural Areas
    • Grain storage in rural areas has been a long-standing issue, and this policy is aimed at reducing post-harvest losses.
    • Local PACS will act as centralized points for storing grains, improving access for farmers and reducing supply chain inefficiencies.

Government Support for Green Lending and Digital Transformation

  • Accelerating Green Lending Across Sectors
    • The government aims to push for green lending to fund projects related to climate-resilient agriculture.
    • Shaji K.V., Chairman of NABARD, identified this as one of the four pillars essential to address climate change’s agricultural impacts.
  • Providing Access to Climate Data
    • Providing data-driven solutions to farmers will help them adapt to changing weather patterns and improve their decision-making in crop production.
    • Digitization of agriculture can help farmers access real-time weather updates, market prices, and best practices for climate adaptation.
  • Internal Green Transformation in Agriculture
    • There is a significant push for the internal transformation of agricultural systems, focusing on more environmentally sustainable farming practices.
    • This will involve the use of green technologies, sustainable fertilizers, and eco-friendly equipment.

Summit Discussions on Key Areas

Sessions at the Agri and Commodity Summit

  • Climate Change and Irregular Monsoons
    • Experts discussed the impact of irregular monsoons on agricultural productivity and the measures that can be adopted to manage water resources efficiently.
  • Climate-Smart Seeds
    • New climate-resilient seed varieties were presented as a solution to safeguard yields against unpredictable weather patterns, helping farmers grow crops even in adverse conditions.
  • Price Risk Management
    • Price risk management techniques were explored to protect farmers from the price volatility of crops. This will include insurance schemes and market access initiatives to help farmers get fair prices for their produce.

Drone and Solar Initiatives

Interactivity with Drone Didis and Solar Didis

  • The summit also saw sessions where drone technology and solar energy solutions were discussed as part of the effort to digitally transform agriculture and make it more climate-resilient.
  • Drone technology can help monitor crops, manage water resources, and apply fertilizers in a more efficient and sustainable manner.

Conclusion:

  • A comprehensive approach including adaptation, mitigation, cooperative support, and policy initiatives is essential to build a climate-resilient agriculture sector.
  • Through green lending, data access, climate-smart practices, and PACS involvement, India aims to secure food security and farmers’ livelihoods in the face of a changing climate.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Practice Question:

Discuss the role of agricultural cooperatives in building climate resilience in rural India. How can PACS contribute to improving farmers’ adaptability to changing weather patterns and ensuring food security? Include examples from the Agri and Commodity Summit 2025 in your answer.