India is not ready for a set back; ways Indian agriculture is fighting back to climate change

 India is not ready for  a set back; ways Indian agriculture is fighting back to climate change

Shilpa panginikkode

The pandemic disease corona and its health effects has created an explosion around the globe. But we are not yet cured from the potential impacts of climate change and if we are purposefully avoiding the actions our future will be more catastrophic and costly. India the second largest populated country is witnessing drastic weather changes and economic distress due to climate change , more precisely due to  from global warming.

·         Scenario of agriculture in India

We Indians keeps diversity in all aspects and that decides our uniqueness and unity .Indian agriculture is not different from this .Country’s Agriculture system is composed of many crops from the stable foods like rice and wheat to non food items such as cotton , rubber, jute etc .we are not less in fisheries and vet nary from a global point of view. In the years after independence India made strenuous effort to progress from phobia of poverty to food security which is a goal yet to achieve by our nation.

But even after green revolution and many other revolutions with different color names the hue of our country’s agriculture profile is with full of shades. Indian agriculture is always in crossways and we are always in confusions. Though it holds nearly a quarter share in economy and supplies 50% work force in the country the system is highly unsatisfactory in meeting hunger and malnutrition.

·         Climate change and Indian agriculture

 In the background of  some research studies undertaken in India we are forced to conclude that the climate change has an adverse impact on our food production and supply .The scarcity of irrigation water ,crop loss , variability in rainfall and more importantly the increase in temperature has deep implications in our agriculture system. Increase in level of carbon dioxide has increased the productivity of C₃   plants but the increase in temperature and uncertainty in rain fall pattern hindered the expected benefits. Glacier melt in Himalayas has large consequence in the Indo-gangetic plain. The insect pathogen population and their life cycle also makes the scenario more complicated. The increase in ocean temperature has negative results in the breeding and migratory pattern of fishes. And along with the recent series of calamities like drought, cyclones , flood says us that Indian agriculture is highly sensitive to climate change and the implication are even more difficult to predict.

·         Ways we are fighting the climate change
 

From the Vedic age itself Indian agriculture as faced drastic changes and it have a past history of great victory in resisting and tolerating changes. This era of global warming and climate change will also turn to past. Indian farmers, agriculture education and research system has realized the phenomenon of change and is planning considerable mitigating strategies along with government. The impacts of climate change has an interdigitated ill effects in Indian economy also.  Thus we are trying in all possible aspects to cope up with the crisis with various policies and schemes.

Crop insurance scheme   and other schmes by Government of india

       Agriculture insurance company (AIC) has an important role in the management of Crop insurances in India. More over insuring crops helps the farmers in a great way to meet the crop loss. The  following are the  major insurance product offered by AIC.

·         Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana ​

·         Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS)

·         Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS)

·          Rainfall Insurance Scheme For Coffee (RISC)

·          Rubber Plantation Insurance

·          Bio - Fuel Tree / Plant Insurance

·          Potato Crop Insurance

·          Pulp Wood Tree Insurance Policy

·          Varsha Bima / RainFall Insurance

Ø  Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana ​(PMFBY)

                      The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana  was launched by our prime minister Sri.Narendra Modi  in 13 Feb 2016.The scheme envisages uniform premium of 25 for kharif , 1.5% for rabi and 5% for commercial and horticulture crops.

                          In the recent union budjet GOI provides 30 % higher allocation for agriculture and PMFBY government allocated Rs.15,695 crore for this scheme.

Ø  PM KISAN

     

Prathan Manthri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM KISAN) aims to give financia assistance to all farmers in the country .it is launched in the year 2029.Afte the launch 14.50 crore farmers  became eligible and recent budget allocated Rs. 75,000 crore to this flagship scheme. Under  this scheme Rs .6000 per year is provided to all farmers in three installments of Rs. 2000 each.The fund is directly transferred to the farmers bank account.

Ø  Prathan Manthri Annadata Aey SanraksHan Abhiyan ( PM AASHA)

    PM AASHA  is another dream scheme from GoI to ensure the benefits of pulse and oilseed growing poor farmers . The scheme  is expected to support the hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP) which will be translated to farmers income by procurement activities in coordination with states.

Farmers ; the beginners

                         The recent years of experienced a series of natural calamities like drought, flood, landslides, cyclones etc. in many parts of India. Many of our farmers are now in the verge to accept the change. Farmers in many parts of India are ready for changing their date of sowing and harvest to escape from adverse impacts of climate change. They started adapting integrated farming system model suitable to their own agro climatic ecosystem incorporating agro forestry and life stock. Efficient water management has also been increased with the use of drip   and springler irrigation systems even in remote arts of India . Smart irrigation has become more progressive in Karnadaka, Maharashra , Madhya Pradesh ,Chandigarh and Jharkhand. 

           

More percentage of adoption of ICT can be seen in Agriculture with  decade of time. This assures farmers have learnt that indigenous  system of knowledge alone cannot save from them from climate change instead technology as well as the capability to use modern technologies like drone, GPS ,smart phone mobile Apps,  computer controlled sensors  etc. New farming practices such as Climate Re silent Agriculture, Precision Farming, Conservation Agriculture etc. may direct farmers for a good future.

·         Role of Research and Extension

                    Agriculture Extension services has become more pluralistic in India. Many private organizations and NGO’s has come forward to give advisory and consultancy services for farmers along with government extension agencies. They are fore liners in providing training and demonstration to the farmers.

            The agriculture research system in our country is under the statutory body Indian Council of Agriculture and Research (ICAR).ICAR along with various research institutes across the country and state agricultural universities are undertaking Evidence Based Research programs  to compact the effect of climate change  . The government organizations are advised with Data driven demand and Supply, strategies

to stabilize the price and reduce post harvest loses

                    

               The implications of climate change is more reflected in Agriculture that any other sectors. And this sector is more vulnerable to losses and any kind of calamities. The main reason for this is Agriculture system in country accommodated more than half of the poor and marginal section of the society . So, there should be some tailor made programs from the government and  remaining section of population to uplift them . Without this India’s fight against climate change will not taste the victory.