Enhancing Resilience of Indian Agriculture to Climate Change

摘要

Indian agriculture is highly prone to the risks due to climate change caused by increase in the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) i.e., carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The recent Assessment Report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reiterated that the warming of the climate system is unequivocal and may intensify in coming decades. Climate change can affect agriculture through direct and indirect effects on the crops, soils, livestock and pests. Development of technologies for adaptation and mitigation and their uptake at speedy rate by the farmers are essential for climate change management. Potential adaptation strategies include developing cultivars tolerant to heat and salinity stress and resistant to flood and drought, modifying crop management practices, improving water management, adopting new farm techniques such as resource conserving technologies (RCTs), crop diversification, improving pest management, better weather forecasts and crop insurance and harnessing the indigenous technical knowledge of farmers. There is a need to develop policy framework for implementing the adaptation and mitigation strategies so that the farmers are saved from the adverse impacts of climate change and the food and nutritional security of the country is ensured.