Lok Sabha Question No. 3808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Effects of Climate Change on Crops and Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Pratima Bhoumik

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3808

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  16 TH  JULY, 2019

## EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CROPS AND VEGETABLES

3808.  MS. PRATIMA BHOUMIK:

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

- (a) whether there is any reduction in the amount of rainfall received in the seven North East  States  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Nagaland,  Manipur,  Meghalaya,  Assam,  Tripura  and Mizoram during each of the last five years from 2014-15;
- (b) if so, the measures taken by the Governments of these States to tide over the crisis;
- (c) the  Action  Plans  drawn  up  to  face  the  effects  of  climate  change  to  boost  up  the production of food crops and vegetables in the seven North East States, State-wise; and
- (d) the manner in which farmers of the above seven North East States would benefit from such action plans to mitigate the effects of climate change?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): As per the IMD report, the overall trend of rainfall in the North East (NE) States of Arunachal  Pradesh,  Nagaland,  Manipur,  Meghalaya,  Assam,  Tripura  and  Mizoram  has improved  from  2014-15  to  2017-18.  A  slight  deficit  rainfall  is  noticed  in  NE  States  during 2018-19. However, there is no drastic change in the rainfall over last five years in NE States. The year-wise actual rainfall received in North Eastern States for five years from 2014-15 to 2018-19 is as under:

| Year    |   Rainfall (in mm) |
|---------|--------------------|
| 2014-15 |            14030.9 |
| 2015-16 |            15901.9 |
| 2016-17 |            15496.6 |
| 2017-18 |            20310.6 |
| 2018-19 |            14285.1 |

(b) & (c): NE  States  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Nagaland,  Manipur,  Meghalaya,  Assam, Tripura  and  Mizoram  receive  higher  rainfall  compared  to  rest  of  India  which  is  enough  to undertake  crop  production  activities.  However,  based  on  the  forecast  of  Weather,  the appropriate  cropping  pattern  adopted  by  the  States  in  consultation  with  Indian  Council  of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  /  State  Agricultural  Universities  (SAUs)  responsible  for  the benefits of the farmers.  The choice of crop and variety are considered more appropriate in highly  complex  rainfed  crop  production  systems  in  the  context  of  weather  aberration  for sustainable  agriculture.  ICAR-  Central  Research  Institute  of  Dryland  Agriculture  (CRIDA) Hyderabad in collaboration with State Agriculture Universities has prepared crop contingency plan for 91 districts of North eastern States in the country to sustain agriculture production in the  eventuality  of  any  sudden  change  in  weather.  Besides,  the  departments  of  various Ministries are meeting every week to review the progress of sowing of crops, crop condition, rainfall  situation,  status  of  water  storage  and  input  availability  in  the  States.  Based  on  the Crop Weather Watch Report advisories are being issued to the States/ Union Territories for implementation of contingency plans. Besides there is also a system to send weather based advisory to registered farmers by SMS through m-kisan portal.

## Government  interventions  to  overcome  adverse  climatic  conditions  in  the States

1. Incentives  for  distribution  of  certified  seeds  of  the  varieties  tolerant  to  drought/Stress tolerant varieties.
2. Cluster demonstrations on stress tolerant varieties,  direct seeded rice sowing techniques, System of Rice Intensification techniques, etc.,
3. Popularization of alternative crops and varieties in drought affected areas.
4. Incentives for water sowing devices like sprinkler, pumpsets, raingun etc.
5. Incentives  on  all  types  of  water  carrying  pipes  for  conservation  and  efficient  use  of irrigation water.
6.   Incentives  on  machineries  for  zero  tillage,  happy  seeder  &  resource  conservation machineries/tools etc.
7. Efficient  utilization  of  moisture  available  in  rice  fallows  for  pulses  &  Nutri-Cereals  and optimizing utilization by efficient irrigation system.

(d): With the application of Contingency plans, farmers can minimize crops damage due to adverse  climatic  conditions.  The  Government  has  also  introduced  yield  based  Pradhan Mantri fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Weather Index Based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) from kharif 2016 to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of adverse climatic aberrations to stabilize the income of farmers. PMFBY provides comprehensive risk insurance against crop damage from presowing to post harvest of food crops and horticultural crops notified by the concerned state government.  Immediate  relief also provided to insured farmers in case of adverse seasonable conditions during the crop season due to which expected crop yield during the season is likely to be less than 50% of the threshold yield in the concerned insurance unit. Besides, in the eventuality of drought and other natural calamities, the State Government is empowered  to  initiate  necessary  relief  measures  from  State  Disaster  Response  Fund (SDRF) which is readily available with them. Additional financial assistance, over and above SDRF,  is  considered  from  National  Disaster  Response  Fund  (NDRF)  on  receipt  of Memorandum from State Government and in accordance with extant   norms and procedure.

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