Climate-resilient crops

CHANGING monsoon patterns, deadlier heatwaves, rising sea levels and intense storms pose an acute risk to the agriculture sector in India, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned last month. Climate change is predicted to drastically reduce agriculture cover and crop yields in the absence of mitigation strategies. The impact will be more pronounced for small-scale producers who are highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Climate-resilient crops are intended to maintain or increase yields under stressful conditions. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research started its project on innovations in climate-resilient farming in 2011. The launch of several high-yielding, climate-resilient crop varieties by the Prime Minister is a continuation of such endeavours. The government says its target to increase the paddy area with climate-resistant seeds this year follows the success of such seeds in the bumper wheat harvest. Indigenous solutions need consistent support, including by incentivising private sector participation.

There is no dearth of national programmes that have been activated for climate change adaptation. They range from promoting judicious management of available resources and water conservation to protecting forest cover and the Soil Health Card scheme that aims to curb the overuse of urea fertilisers. The progress of crop diversification is slow, even as several states are promoting organic farming on a wider scale. Technology demonstration alone cannot ensure optimum adoption. Equally significant is the farmers’ access to scientific inputs and the effectiveness of outreach services.

Amid the debate on what’s best for the farmer, building a broad consensus on adopting climate-friendly agriculture practices would be in order. As would be assured support for exhaustive empirical studies on their efficiency. Research and development must get the top billing.