Lok Sabha Question No. 2884 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-13
Subject: Climate Resilient Crop Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL

O.I.H

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2884

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH  March, 2018

## CLIMATE RESILIENT CROP VARIETIES

## 2884.     SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the continuous drought and unavailability of climate resilient crop varieties and drip irrigation have adversely affected the agriculture sector in Maharashtra;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  action  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  betterment  of  agriculture sector in the State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (c): Maharashtra is reported to have been witnessing water scarcity due to predominance of dry land areas in the State.  For conservative and efficient use of water, much emphasis is given for adoption of Micro Irrigation technologies like Drip and Sprinkler irrigation systems in the State.  Higher priority is given for allocation of funds under 'Per Drop More Crop' component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) for promoting Micro Irrigation. 2.70    lakh  hectares  of  land  have  been  covered  under  Micro  Irrigation  in  Maharashtra  since 2015-16.

Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  launched  a  major  project  'National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture' (NICRA) in February 2011. Presently, this project is referred as 'National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture' (NICRA). The project is aimed to  enhance  resilience  of  Indian  agriculture  through  strategic  research,  capacity  building  and technology demonstrations. The objective of NICRA is to minimize the crop yield losses due to extreme weather events such as droughts etc. and to improve the livelihoods of the farmers by demonstrating the technologies across the country.

Technology  Demonstration  Component  (TDC)  under  NICRA  is  being  implemented across  151  climatically  vulnerable  districts  across  the  country,  including  Maharashtra.  The climate vulnerabilities addressed are drought, flood, cyclone, heat / cold wave, frost and high temperature  stress.  Under  TDC,  context-  and  location-specific  climate  resilient  practices  and technologies,   including   Climate   Resilient   Crop   Varieties   are  demonstrated   in  farmer

participatory mode to address current climatic variability faced in one cluster of villages in each district. Climate resilient crop varieties suitable for cultivation under drought stress in Maharashtra  have  been  developed  for  wheat,  maize,  finger  millet,  sugarcane,  sorghum, blackgram,  chickpea,  horsegram,  pigeonpea,  groundnut,  safflower,  sunflower,  cotton,  fodder crops, pearl millet-napier (fodder) and niger.

In addition, the government initiated preparation of district agriculture contingency plans. The District Agricultural Contingency Plans (DACP) are technical documents aimed to be ready reckoner  for  line  departments  and  farming  community  on  prevailing  farming  systems  and technological interventions to manage various weather aberrations, such as, droughts, floods, cyclones, hailstorms, heat and cold waves, addressing different sectors of agriculture, including horticulture, livestock, poultry, fisheries. The contingency plans are useful for preparedness and real time implementation towards sustainability of agriculture production system in the events of weather aberrations and extreme climatic events. 623 contingency plans have been prepared so far and hosted on ICAR / DAC websites (http://farmer.gov.in/, http://agricoop.nic.in/acp.html, http://crida.in/). The plans are circulated to all state agriculture departments.

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