Lok Sabha Question No. 246 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-30
Subject: Crop Damage due to Climate Change
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 246

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2021

## CROP DAMAGE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

246.   SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  estimated  the  damage  to  crops  in  the  country  due  to different  natural  calamities  like  floods,  droughts,  etc.,  during  the  last  five  years  and  if  so, details thereof along with the quantum of crops damaged and revenue lost;
- (b) whether the Government has ascertained the impact of climate change on crops and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  natural  calamities,  extreme weather events and climate change on agricultural produce;
- (d) whether there exists any insurance scheme to protect farmers from crop damage due to  natural  calamities  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  with  the  eligibility  and  State/UT-wise coverage of such insurance schemes to protect farmers;
- (e) whether there exists insurance coverage for damages due to climate change and if so, the details thereof with the eligibility and beneficiaries, State/ UT-wise; and
- (f) the details of the awareness programmes held by the Government to inform farmers about increasing incidence of flash floods and droughts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): The State Government is primarily responsible for providing necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities. For undertaking relief measures, funds are available with the State Government in the form of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Additional financial assistance,  over  and  above  SDRF,  is  considered  from  National  Disaster  Response  Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature and is approved on the basis of Memorandum received  from  the  State  Government,  in  accordance  with  established  procedures.    The estimation in regard to damage to crops, including the quantum of crops damaged and the revenue lost etc. is done by the concerned State Governments.
- (b) & (c):    The Government of India is implementing National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC),   which  provides an overarching policy framework for climate actions in the country

with  eight  Missions.  To  support  the  objectives  of  NAPCC,  33  States  and  Union  Territories have already prepared their State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) to address State specific  actions.  In  addition,  the  Government  has  also  established  the  National  Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) to support climate adaptation actions of States and Union Territories in the country.

,

The  National  Mission  on  Sustainable  Agriculture  under  the  National  Action  Plan  on Climate  Change  (NAPCC),  anchored  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare, focuses on the agriculture sector with the objectives of resource conservation, restoration of soil fertility and productivity. The focus is on integrated farming, water use efficiency and soil health management, especially in rainfed agriculture areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has conducted climate change impact analysis, including changing monsoon pattern under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture  (NICRA)  project.  Variable  impact  of  climate  change  has  been  projected  on production of certain crops like rice, wheat, maize, groundnut, chickpea and potato

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed and released 158 drought tolerant varieties /hybrids of different crops. ICAR has also developed and released 41 water logging tolerant varieties/hybrids of different crops for commercial cultivation during 2014-21.

(d)  &  (e):          To  provide  financial  support  and  claims  against  the  crop  yield  losses  due  to natural  risks/calamities,  adverse  weather  conditions,  pests  &  diseases  etc.,  crop  insurance schemes namely, Pradhan Mantri Fasal  Bima Yojana  (PMFBY)  and Restructured Weather Based  Crop  Insurance  Scheme  (RWBCIS)  are  being  implemented  by  the  Government. PMFBY  provides  comprehensive  risk  coverage  from  pre-sowing  to  post  harvest  losses against non-preventable natural risks.  The RWBCIS provides indemnification for likely crop losses due to deviation in weather indices.  Further, to provide adequate risk coverage, the sum insured has been equated to Scale of Finance and minimum uniform fixed premium rate payable by farmers i.e. maximum 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi Crop and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops, with balance of actuarial/bidded premium being shared by the Central  and  State  Government  on  50  :  50  basis;    lowering  of  unit  area  of  insurance  to village/village panchayat level for major crops and to individual farm level for localized risks of hailstorm,  landslide,  inundation,  cloud  burst  &  natural  fire  and  post-harvest  losses  thereby promoting more realistic assessment of losses.

RWBCIS  is  generally  applicable  to  commercial  horticultural  crops  providing  insurance protection/ compensation to the farmers against adverse weather incidence, such as deficit or excess rainfall, high or low temperature (including heat wave, cold wave, frost), humidity etc. which are deemed to adversely impact the crop.   Additional insurance coverage for hailstorm and cloud burst for horticultural crops has been provided as add-on/Index plus under WBCIS. Similarly,  under  Weather  Based  Crop  Insurance  Scheme  (WBCIS),  deviation  from  the prescribed weather parameters is paid under the scheme.

Both  the  schemes  are  voluntary for  States  and farmers.  All the farmers growing  the crops/areas notified by the concerned State Government are eligible for coverage by paying their  share  of  premium  and  get  claims  on  loss  of  crop  as  per  provisions  of  the  respective schemes.

(f):          Advisories  are  issued  to  all  States/Union  Territories  before  the  onset  of  Monsoon season for reviewing the States' preparedness in managing any weather related contingency for  mitigating  the  adverse  impacts  of  an  aberrant  monsoon.    Indian  Council  of  Agricultural Research  (ICAR)  provides  training  to  the  farmers  on  effective  flood  management  in  flood plains and flood-prone ecologies of India.