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Adaptive Agriculture: Enhancing Climate Resilience Through Organic Practices
Introduction:
Climate change has made agriculture in India increasingly uncertain and risky. A comprehensive approach is necessary to make crops resilient to climate change, offer income support, and provide safety nets against farm losses.
Overview of Adaptive Agriculture in India:
- Climate Change Impact: Agriculture in India is increasingly risky due to climate change, necessitating climate-resilient practices and income support.
- Adaptive Agriculture: Adaptive Agriculture emphasises creativity and adaptation in growing healthy food through diverse, responsible strategies and cultivating personal relationships with food production to enhance resilience.
Actions for Climate-Resilient Agriculture:
- National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA): Launched in 2011 across 151 villages to demonstrate climate-resilient technologies.
- Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA): Maharashtra’s initiative covering 16 districts with a ₹4,000 crore budget, focusing on water security, protected cultivation, and agri-enterprises.
- Research on Climate Change and Agriculture: Programs like CCAFS, launched in 2010, are focused on large-scale interventions in climate-smart agriculture.
- Organic and Natural Farming: Initiatives like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) promote organic practices to enhance soil health and reduce chemical dependency.
- Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs): Government schemes aim to establish 10,000 FPOs by 2027-28, enhancing market access and supporting small farmers.
Challenges in Indian Agriculture:
- Climate Change Vulnerability: 90% of Indian districts face climate risks, with 54% in high-risk categories due to rising temperatures, frequent droughts, and limited irrigation.
- Crop Losses: Erratic weather conditions result in large-scale crop failures, threatening food security and farmer livelihoods.
- Slow Adoption of Organic Farming: Despite government support, organic farming adoption remains low, covering only 4.2% of the net sown area.
- Insurance Gaps: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) covers only 30% of the gross cropped area, leaving many farmers uninsured.
Proposed Approaches for Improvement:
- Focus on Organic and Natural Farming: These practices enhance soil health, increase water retention, and improve resilience to climate change.
- Inclusive Insurance Schemes: Proposals include making insurance units at the farmer level and allowing choice among insurance providers to increase competition and coverage.
- Reliable Weather Forecasts: Improved hyper-local weather forecasts are needed to provide farmers with actionable and accurate agro-advisories.
- Enhanced Governance: FPOs and sustainable agriculture practices should be prioritised to support small and marginal farmers and ensure food security.
- Market Connectivity: Governments can facilitate organic market access through state procurement and integration with public distribution systems.
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) Expansion: Ensuring MSP for all crops can encourage crop diversification, reduce monoculture, and enhance resilience.
Crop Insurance and Disaster Relief:
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): World’s largest crop insurance scheme, yet faces criticism for inadequate coverage and complex claim processes.
- Disaster Relief Gaps: Current disaster relief mechanisms do not cover all climate-related events, leaving many farmers vulnerable.
Role of Consumers and Markets:
- Demand for Climate-Friendly Food: Educating consumers on the benefits of diverse, chemical-free foods can drive demand for sustainable farming practices.
- Market-Driven Incentives: Increased market demand for organic and diverse crops can motivate farmers to adopt resilient practices.
Successful State Initiatives:
- Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF): Promotes crop diversity and organic farming, involving 850,000 farmers, making it the largest program of its kind globally.
- State-Level Programs: Initiatives like Haryana’s “Mera Pani Meri Virasat” and Odisha’s Millet Mission support crop diversification and sustainable farming through incentives and MSP guarantees.
Addressing Climate Risks in Agriculture:
- Research and Innovation: Programs like NICRA highlight the need for continued research, scaling up of climate-resilient technologies, and comprehensive assessment methods.
- Global and National Projects: Large-scale projects like Maharashtra’s POCRA and CGIAR’s initiatives aim to address climate resilience but face sustainability challenges post-project.
Conclusion:
- Critical Need for Adaptation: Strengthening climate-resilient agriculture is essential for protecting farmer livelihoods, ensuring food security, and achieving environmental sustainability in India.
- Collaborative Efforts: A holistic approach involving government, research institutions, and farmers is crucial to developing and implementing effective climate-adaptive strategies.