Lok Sabha Question No. 2373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Climate and Crop Management Information
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2373

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## CLIMATE AND CROP MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

2373. SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM :

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the recommendations made by ICAR  to enhance  climate resilience in agriculture through District Level Contingency Plans (DLCPs);
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  promote  location-specific climate-resilient crops, varieties, and management practices among State Governments and farmers; and
- (c) whether the Government has implemented any technology-driven initiatives, to ensure that farmers, receive timely climate and crop management information and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी ( SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR )

- (a) & (b):  Yes,  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance of  the  recommendations made by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to enhance climate resilience in agriculture through District Agricultural Contingent  Plans  (DACPs).  ICAR  is implementing  a  project  namely  National  Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture (NICRA)  that  studies  the  impact  of  climate  change  on  agriculture  including  crops, livestock,  horticulture  and  fisheries.  It  also  develops  and  promotes  climate  resilient technologies  which    helps  the  regions  prone  to  extreme  weather  conditions  like droughts, floods, frost,  heat waves,  etc.  to  cope  with  such  extremes.  During last 10 years (till October 2024), a total of 2593 varieties have been released by ICAR, out of these 2177 varieties have been found tolerant to one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses.

Risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture to climate change has been carried out at district-level for 651  predominantly agricultural districts as per Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change  (IPCC)  protocols.  Out  of  310  districts identified  as vulnerable, 109 districts have  been categorized as 'very  high' and 201 districts  as  'highly'  vulnerable.    District  Agriculture  Contingency  Plans  (DACPs)  for these  651  districts  have  also  been  prepared  to  address  weather  aberrations  and recommending location specific climate resilient crops and varieties and management practices.  For enhancing the resilience and  adaptive  capacity  of  farmers  to  climate variability, the concept of 'Climate Resilient Villages' (CRVs) has been initiated under NICRA. Location-specific climate resilient technologies have been demonstrated in 448 CRVs of 151 climatically vulnerable districts covering 28 states / UTs for adoption by farmers.  Capacity  building  programmes  are  conducted  to  educate  the  farmers  on various aspects of climate change for wider adoption of climate resilient technologies.

Several  schemes  have  also been  initiated under National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) by the Government to deal with the adverse climate situations in the agriculture sector. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme was launched in 2015-16 to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme is being implemented as a component under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) from 2014-15. RAD focuses on Integrated Farming System (IFS) for  enhancing  productivity  and  minimizing  risks  associated  with  climatic  variability. Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  Agroforestry  &  National Bamboo Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture. Further, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) provide a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop by way of providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen natural calamities, adverse weather incidence and to help stabilize income of farmers and ensure their continuation of farming.

(c) India Meteorological Department (IMD) runs an operational Agrometeorological Advisory  Services  (AAS)  viz.,  Gramin  Krishi  Mausam  Sewa  (GKMS)  scheme specifically  for  the  benefit  of  farming  community  in  the  country.  Under  the  scheme, medium range weather forecast for next 5 days at District and Block level and also subsequent week Meteorological Sub-division wise rainfall and temperature forecast are  generated  by  IMD.  Based  on  the  forecast,  130  Agromet  Field  Units  (AMFUs), located  at  State  Agricultural  Universities  (SAUs),  institutes  of  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) prepare Agromet Advisories every Tuesday and Friday for the Blocks and Districts under their jurisdiction and communicate Agrometeorological Advisory to the farmers. AAS being run by IMD is a step towards weather-based crop and livestock management strategies dedicated to reduce crop damage and loss due to unusual weather.

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