Context: Natural farming is one of the key strategies to reduce input costs and the government is promoting this practice to encourage farmers to move to chemical-free agriculture as part of efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
Relevance of the Topic:Mains: Climate-smart Agriculture- Need, Benefits, Strategies, Initiatives, Way Forward
About Climate Smart Agriculture
- Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps guide actions to transform agri-food systems towards green and climate resilient practices.
- Objectives: CSA aims to tackle three main objectives:
- sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes;
- adapting and building resilience to climate change;
- reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions, where possible.
- CSA supports the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 based on the Four Betters:
- better production
- better nutrition
- better environment
- better life for all, leaving no one behind.
- What constitutes a CSA practice is context-specific, depending on local socio-economic, environmental and climate change factors.
Dimensions of Climate Smart Agriculture
- Water-smart: Access to water for production, including:-
- increasing the soil’s capacity to absorb and store moisture (green water)
- rainwater harvesting and storage
- wastewater reuse
- supplementary small-scale irrigation.
- Weather-smart:
- Growing crops based on agro-ecological conditions
- Use science and technology for creating climate resilient crops and seeds.
- Example: Drought resistant crops.
- Energy-smart:
- Integration of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power to meet the energy needs of farms.
- Installation of smart irrigation systems that use sensors to monitor soil moisture levels and weather conditions.
- Carbon-smart practices:
- Reduced or no-till farming practices help minimize soil disturbance, which can reduce the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the soil into the atmosphere.
- Planting cover crops during periods when the main cash crop is not growing provides ground cover, prevents soil erosion, and enhances carbon sequestration.
- Agroforestry and Organic farming practices, which avoid synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Need for Climate Smart Agriculture
- Ensuring food security: Agriculture production should be increased by 60% to meet the food demand.
- Reduce yield loss: In India, crop yield decline owing to climate change (between 2010 and 2039) could be as high as 9%.
- Enhance resource efficiency: CSA activity like no-tillage is advantageous for fertilizer management and can boost yield, nutrient usage efficiency, and profitability while lowering GHG emissions.
- Meet SDG: UN’s SDG aims to end hunger and enhance environmental management.
- CSA helps in achieving these goals through sustainable agriculture and rural development.
- Combat climate change: CSA promotes crop diversification, increases water efficiency, and integrates drought-resistant crop types, all of which help lessen the disruptive effects of climate change.
- Meet international obligation: Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming by reducing GHG emissions is tied directly to the success of the CSA.
- Agroforestry and carbon sequestration could help India meet its international obligations and contribute to the global fight against climate change.
Strategies to boost Climate-smart Agriculture
Govt. Initiatives to boost Climate Smart Agriculture:
- Cooperatives as a vital tool: Leveraging cooperatives in building climate-smart agriculture in rural India.
- Role of NABARD: NABARD aims to build a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector through:
- data-driven solutions
- new financial mechanisms, such as Agri Fund and the upcoming Carbon Fund
- forming strategic partnerships with multilateral agencies and State governments
- National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture: aims to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: extending the coverage of irrigation (‘Har Khet ko pani’) and improving water use efficiency (‘More crop per drop’) in a focused manner.
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana: aims at supporting and promoting organic farming, in turn resulting in improvement of soil health.
- Biotech-KISAN:
- a scientist-farmer partnership scheme that empowers farmers, especially women farmers for agriculture innovation.
- It aims to understand the problems of water, soil, seed and market faced by the farmers and provide simple solutions to them.
- Climate Smart Village: It is an institutional approach to test, implement, modify and promote Climate smart agriculture locally and enhance farmers’ abilities to adapt to climate change.
Way Forward
- Promote Agro-ecological Practices: Encourage the adoption of biodiversity-enhancing and soil-friendly agro-ecological techniques.
- Develop Resilient Crop Varieties: Invest in research and dissemination of climate-resistant crop varieties.
- Improve Water Use Efficiency: Implement water-efficient irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting.
- Optimise Livestock Management: Promote climate-resilient livestock practices and breeding for heat tolerance.
- Enhance Weather Forecasting: Provide farmers with accurate and timely weather information for better planning.
- Implement Conservation Agriculture: Advocate minimal soil disturbance, cover cropping, and crop rotation for soil health.
- Integrate Agroforestry: Combine trees with crops and livestock for biodiversity and climate resilience.
- Community-Based Adaptation: Involve local communities in developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies and provide training to farmers.
- Financial Incentives: Implement policies offering financial support and incentives to access affordable, sustainable agricultural technologies.
- Tap into the potential of Cooperatives to boost climate resilient agriculture in rural India.