Lok Sabha Question No. 3293 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-01
Subject: Reducing Carbon Emission by altering the Method of Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RANJANBEN BHATT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3293

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST   JANUARY, 2019

## REDUCING CARBON EMISSION BY ALTERING THE METHOD OF FARMING

3293.   SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  reduce  carbon  emission  by  altering  the methods of farming;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has considered any plan in this regard so far; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to (c): Yes, Madam.  Initiative have been taken to make agriculture more adaptive and resilient  to  climate  variability  and  in  the  process  to  reduce  carbon  emission.    Important initiatives in this regard include crop diversification programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern  India  (BGREI).    Other  supporting  programmes  viz.    Soil  Health  Card  (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic for Value Chain Development for  North  East  (MOVCD),  Rainfed  Area  Development  (RAD),  Sub-Mission  on  Agroforestry (SMAF) and National Bamboo Mission (NBM) are also being implemented under the National Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  which  is  one  of  the  eight  Mission  under  the National Action Plan for Climatic Change (NAPCC).

Soil, water and crop management practices that reduce carbon emission include:

- (i) Increasing the area under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) as an alternative to transplanted paddy.
- (ii) Deployment  of  zero  tillage  drill  machines  and  other  residue  management equipment which enable planting of rabi crop in the standing residue of rice crop to avoid its burning.
- (iii) Alternate wetting and drying, direct seeded rice system of rice cultivation, use of  slow  release  nitrogen  fertilizers,  integrated  nutrient  management  practices,  leaf colour chart-based nitrogen application, use of urea super granules etc.
- (iv) Mandatory Neem coating of urea.

(v) Promotion  of  micro  irrigation  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana (PMKSY)-Per Drop More Crop.

(vi) Planting of trees under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution  to  Eastern  India  (BGREI),  Sub-Mission  on  Agro  Forestry  (SMAF)  and National Bamboo Mission (NBM).

(vii) 45  models  of  Integrated  Farming  System  (IFS)  have  been  developed  for replication  in  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs)  and  in  the  States  for  enabling  climate resilient agriculture.

(viii) Climate resilient villages have been developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), one in each of 151 districts. Climate Vulnerability Atlas has been prepared under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).  District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been developed for 633 districts in order to give real time agro advisories for overcoming climate risks.

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