Climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity, and its impact on agriculture is becoming increasingly evident. India, with its vast agricultural sector, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The country’s agriculture sector is largely rain-fed, and extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves can cause crop failures, yield reductions, and income losses for farmers. The effects of climate change are already being felt in India, and they are expected to become more severe in the coming decades. To mitigate the impact of climate change on Indian agriculture, it is essential to adopt a multi-pronged approach that includes both adaptation and mitigation measures. Changes in temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather events are already affecting crop yields and posing a threat to the livelihoods of millions of farmers. In response, the Indian government must take urgent action to mitigate climate change’s impact on agriculture and support farmers in adopting resilient farming practices. In this article, we explore seven actionable steps that the Indian government can take to support farmers and mitigate climate change’s impact on Indian agriculture.
Promote Climate-Smart Agriculture
Climate-smart agriculture is a set of farming practices that focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil health, and increasing the resilience of crops to climate change. The Indian government can promote climate-smart agriculture by encouraging farmers to adopt practices like agroforestry, crop diversification, and water-efficient irrigation methods. Agroforestry involves the integration of trees into the agricultural landscape, providing shade, improving soil fertility, and sequestering carbon. Crop diversification, on the other hand, involves growing a variety of crops that are adapted to different climate conditions, reducing the risk of crop failure due to extreme weather events. Water-efficient irrigation methods like drip irrigation can also help farmers conserve water, reduce energy use, and improve crop yields.
Increase Investment in Research
Research and development of resilient crop varieties and technologies will play a critical role in mitigating climate change’s impact on Indian agriculture. The Indian government can increase investment in research by allocating more funds to agricultural research institutions, promoting public-private partnerships, and encouraging universities to collaborate with the private sector. Research can focus on developing drought-tolerant and heat-resistant crops, developing low-emission agricultural machinery, and improving soil health through the use of organic fertilizers.
Encourage Organic Farming
Organic farming is a farming practice that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, promoting soil health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Indian government can encourage farmers to shift towards organic farming by providing incentives like subsidies for organic inputs, organic certification, and marketing support for organic produce. Organic farming also has additional benefits like reducing water pollution, improving biodiversity, and reducing the risk of health problems caused by pesticide exposure.
Improve Irrigation Infrastructure
Water scarcity is already a significant challenge facing Indian agriculture, and climate change is expected to exacerbate this problem. The Indian government can invest in improving irrigation infrastructure by expanding the coverage of irrigation systems, repairing existing irrigation infrastructure, and promoting water-efficient irrigation practices. Efficient irrigation can help farmers optimize water use, increase crop yields, and reduce the risk of waterlogging and soil salinity.
Strengthen Early Warning Systems
Extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and cyclones can significantly impact crop yields and cause economic losses for farmers. Early warning systems play a critical role in mitigating the impact of natural disasters and extreme weather events. In the context of climate change, early warning systems are essential for minimizing the impact of weather-related disasters on vulnerable communities and critical infrastructure, such as agriculture. Strengthening early warning systems is therefore essential to reducing the impact of climate change on agriculture. Early warning systems for agriculture typically include weather monitoring, forecasting, and dissemination of warnings to farmers. The system can provide farmers with information on expected weather patterns, such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity. This information can help farmers make informed decisions on crop management, such as sowing, harvesting, and storage, based on expected weather patterns.
Ranjeet Mehta is Deputy Secretary General, PHDCCI, New Delhi.