Need for climate-smart agriculture in India

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

Climate-smart agriculture has the potential to assure food security, empower farmers, and protect our delicate ecosystems.

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA):

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-
- Climate-smart agriculture is an approach for transforming food and agriculture systems to support sustainable development and safeguard food security under climate change.
- CSA comprises three pillars or objectives: (1) sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; (2) adapt and build resilience to climate change; and (3) reduce/remove GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions, where possible.”
- Dimensions of climate-smart practices include water-smart, weather-smart, energy-smart, and carbon-smart practices.
- They improve productivity, deal with land degradation, and improve soil health.
- CSA promotes crop diversification, increases water efficiency, and integrates drought-resistant crop types.
Significance of CSA:
- The National Action Plan on Climate Change emphasises the role of climate-resilient agriculture in India’s adaptation measures.
- The importance of CSA lies in its ability to increase agricultural output while maintaining ecological stability.
- CSA helps to safeguard native plant species, keep pollinator populations stable, store carbon in farmlands, and mitigate the effects of habitat degradation.

Initiatives that are focused upon CSA:

National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC):

Established in August 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and Union Territories of India that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
The projects under NAFCC prioritize the needs that build climate resilience in the areas identified under the SAPCC (State Action Plan on Climate Change) and the relevant Missions under NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change).
Nationwide implementing agency- NABARD

National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA):

NICRA was launched in February 2011 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.
The mega project has three major objectives- strategic research, technology demonstrations and capacity building.
Assessment of the impact of climate change simultaneous with the formulation of adaptive strategies is the prime approach under strategic research across all sectors of agriculture, dairying and fisheries.
Objectives:
- To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through the development and application of improved production and risk management technologies.
- To demonstrate site-specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks.
- To enhance the capacity of scientists and other stakeholders in climate-resilient agricultural research and its application.

Soil Health Card (SHC):

Launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) in 2015.
A soil health card provides information on the nutrient status of soil, along with recommendations on the dosage of nutrients to be utilised for improving its fertility and health.
19 February is celebrated as Soil Health Day.
SHC is a printed report which contains the nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients:
- pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu) of farm holdings.
SHC will be provided to all farmers in the country at an interval of 3 years to enable the farmers to apply recommended doses of nutrients based on soil test values to realize improved and sustainable soil health and fertility, low costs and higher profits.
Objectives:
- To improve soil quality and profitability of farmers.
- Employment generation for rural youth.
- To update information on soil analysis.
- To provide soil testing facilities to farmers at their doorstep.

Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech KISAN) Scheme:

It is a farmer-centric scheme for farmers, launched in 2017, and developed under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
It is a pan-India program, following a hub-and-spoke model and stimulates entrepreneurship and innovation in farmers and empowers women farmers.
- Biotech-KISAN Hubs have been established covering all 15 agroclimatic zones and Aspirational Districts in the country.
Aim: The programme links available science and technology to the farm by first understanding the problem of the local farmer and then providing scientific solutions to those problems.

Climate Smart Villages (CSV):

Implemented by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) through its Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).
It was launched in 2011 with 15 climate-smart villages in West Africa, East Africa and South Asia.
In India, the villages are adopted from Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, Andra Pradesh and Karnataka.
How it works?
- After potential sites are selected, a steering group of community representatives and researchers together identify appropriate climate-smart options for that village.
- These might include climate-smart technologies, climate information services, local development and adaptation plans and supportive institutions and policies, all tailored to that community’s needs.
- The community chooses its preferred options in a process that aims to be as participatory and inclusive as possible, encouraging women and more vulnerable groups to participate.