Lok Sabha Question No. 3267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Sarmistha Sethi, Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3267

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  MARCH, 2023

## IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE

## 3267. SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI: SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the impact of climate change on agriculture and farmers' lives;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether any action plan has been formulated or is under consideration so that farmers can be insulated from such impacts and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any initiative to conduct research to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  and  (b): Yes,  sir.  Government  of  India  is  aware  about  the  impact  of  climate change on agriculture and farmers' lives. Extensive field and simulation studies were carried  out  in  agriculture  by  the  network  centres  located  in  different  parts  of  the country.  The  climate  change  impact  assessment  was  carried  out  using  the  crop simulation models by incorporating the projected climates of 2050 & 2080. In absence of  adoption  of  adaptation  measures,  rainfed  rice  yields  in  India  are  projected  to reduce by 20% in 2050 and 47% in 2080 scenarios while, irrigated rice yields are projected to reduce by 3.5% in 2050 and 5% in 2080 scenarios. Climate change is projected to reduce wheat yield by 19.3% in 2050 and 40% in 2080 scenarios towards the end of the century with significant spatial and temporal variations. Climate change is  projected  to  reduce  the kharif maize  yields  by  18  and  23%  in  2050  and  2080 scenarios,  respectively.  Climate  change  reduces  crop  yields  and  lower  nutrition quality  of  produce.  Extreme  events  like  droughts  affect  the  food  and  nutrient consumption, and its impact on farmers.

(c): Yes,  sir.  Government  of  India  has  formulated  schemes/plans  to  make agriculture more resilient to climate change.  The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is one of the Missions within the National Action Plan on Climate Change  (NAPCC).  The  mission  aims  at  evolving  and  implementing  strategies  to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate.

(d) and (e): Yes, sir. To meet the challenges of sustaining domestic food production in the face of changing climate, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India launched a flagship network  research  project  'National  Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture' (NICRA)  in  2011.  The  project  aims  to  develop  and  promote  climate  resilient technologies in agriculture, which addresses vulnerable areas of the country and the outputs  of  the  project  help  the  districts  and  regions  prone  to  extreme  weather conditions  like  droughts,  floods,  frost,  heat  waves,  etc.  to  cope  with  such  extreme events. Short term and long-term research programs with a national perspective have been  taken  up  involving  adaptation  and  mitigation  covering  crops,  horticulture, livestock, fisheries and poultry. The main thrust areas covered are

(i) identifying most vulnerable districts/regions,

(ii) evolving crop varieties and management practices for adaptation and mitigation,

(iii)  assessing  climate  change  impacts  on  livestock,  fisheries  and  poultry  and identifying adaptation strategies. Since 2014, 1888 climate resilient varieties have been developed besides 68 location specific climate resilient technologies have been developed and demonstrated for wider adoption among farming communities.

*****