Lok Sabha Question No. 2755 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-14
Subject: Minimization of Carbon Footprint
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Locket Chatterjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2755 TO BE ANSWERED ON  14 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## MINIMIZATION OF CARBON FOOTPRINT

2755.  MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  minimize  the  carbon  footprint generated through agricultural activities; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) & (b): The  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  in  implementing  the National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA)  as  one  of  the  Missions  under  the National Action Plan on Climate Change. The Activities of the NMSA includes components to minimize the carbon footprint of agricultural activities.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), includes programmatic interventions  like  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC),  Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY), Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern  Region  (MOVCDNER), Rainfed  Area  Development  (RAD),  National  Bamboo  Mission  (NBM)  and  Sub-mission  on Agro  Forestry  (SMAF).  These  and  other  programmes  including  Prime  Minister  Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) .

The  mission  aims  to  evolve  and  implement  strategies  to  make  Indian  Agriculture more resilient to the changing climate. The progress of the ten identified deliverables namely Area  under organic farming; Production of Biofertilizers;  Precision  Irrigation;    SRI  /  Direct Seeded Rice from Transplantation; Crop  diversification; Additional  Area  under plantation in    Arable    land;  Climate  Resilient  Varieties(CRV)Identified/  Released;   Identification  of genotypes  of  crops  with  enhanced  CO2  fixation  potential  and  less  water  consumption  & Nutrients; Climate Resilient genotypes with greater adaptation to drought, flood, salinity and high temperature; Coverage of milch animals under ration balancing programme; Establishment of bypass protein feed making unit are being monitored regularly.

Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  has  launched  a  flagship  network project  'National  Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture'  (NICRA)  in  2011.  Under this project, the several climate resilient technologies that can minimize carbon footprints in the agriculture  sector  are  identified.  These  technologies  include  Direct  Seeded  Rice  (DSR), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), efficient irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation,  zero  till  planting  of  wheat,  soil  test  based  fertilizer  application  and  Leaf  Colour Chart (LCC), soil health card based nutrient application, crop residue recycling and avoiding crop  residue  burning,  green  manuring,  resilient  intercropping  systems,  improved  fodder systems and community fodder bank, agroforestry systems and integrated farming systems. For wider adoption among the farming community, large scale demonstrations of these low carbon technologies  are being  taken up  in  151  climatically  vulnerable  districts  across  the country.

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