Lok Sabha Question No. 715 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-25
Subject: Effects of Climate Change on Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan, Pradyut Bordoloi, Adoor Prakash, Vincent H Pala, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, K. Muraleedharan, Anto  Antony, A. Chellakumar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 715

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th  JULY, 2023

## EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FARMERS

715. SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN : ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: SHRI ANTO ANTONY: DR. A. CHELLKUMAR: SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN: SHRI VINCENT H. PALA: SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA: SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  or  has  conducted  any  research  linking climate change induced weather events and farmer suicides in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  measures  to  build  resilience  amongst farmers to abnormal weather conditions particularly amongst small-scale farmers;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure agricultural productivity in light of the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  projected  reductions  in  crop  yields due to change in temperature and rainfall in the coming years;
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  meet  the  goals  set  in  the  Adaptation agenda at the recently concluded COP27 of increasing yield by 17% while reducing farm level greenhouse gas emissions by 21% and
- (e) Whether any specific steps have been taken to promote flood resilient agriculture in climate vulnerable regions such as the North-East and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a)     Specific study or research on linking climate change induced weather events and farmer suicides has not been carried out.

To  protect  the  farmers  from  such  events,  Government has  introduced  flagship yield  based  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  along  with  weather  index based  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop  Insurance  Scheme  (RWBCIS)  from  Kharif 2016.   The  scheme  aims  at  supporting sustainable  production  in  agriculture  sector  by way of providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen  natural  calamities,  adverse  weather  incidence  and  to  help  in  stabilize  the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.  Comprehensive risk insurance to  farmers  is  provided  against  unpreventable  natural  calamities  such  as  drought,  dryspells, flood, hailstorm, inundation etc. under the scheme for entire crop cycle including pre-sowing to post-harvest losses. Since inception of the scheme in 2016-17 to 2022-23, 4,814 lakh famer applications have been enrolled over an area of 3,479 lakh ha. for a sum insured of Rs. 14,37,645  crore. Claims of Rs. 1,35,248 crore have already been paid to 1,346 lakh farmer applications which includes partial claims for Kharif-22 also (As on 30-04-2023).

(b) & (c) The Government has taken several measures to build resilience amongst farmers  to  abnormal  weather  conditions  including  amongst  small-scale  farmers.  To protect the farmers from abnormal weather conditions ICAR in collaboration with India Meteorological Department (IMD) is issuing Agromet advisories twice a week (Tuesday and  Friday)  to  around  6  crore  farmers  of  the  country  through  Gramin  Krishi  Mausam Seva  program.  The  Central  Government  has  set  up  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate Change (NAPCC) which provides an overarching policy framework for climate action in the country. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is one of the Missions within  the  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change  (NAPCC).  The  mission  aims  to evolve  and  implement  strategies  to  make  Indian  agriculture  more  resilient  to  the changing climate.  NMSA was approved for three major components i.e. Rainfed Area Development (RAD); On Farm Water Management (OFWM); and Soil Health Management (SHM). Subsequently, four new programmes were introduced namely Soil Health Card (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) and Per Drop More Crop. In addition  to  aforementioned  programmes  under  NMSA,  restructured  National  Bamboo Mission (NBM) was launched in April 2018.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India has launched a flagship network project namely National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)to promote climate resilient agricultural practices. NICRA project is a multi-sectoral, multi-location program carrying the major mandate of addressing climate change and variability, and addressing range of stake holders needs across the country. Research, demonstration and capacity building are  the  three  major  components,  besides  providing  policy  briefs  on  several  aspects related to agriculture and climate change.

The  salient  achievements  of  ICAR  on  climate  resilient  agriculture  include  the following;

-  In  total,  1888  climate  resilient  crop  varieties  including  891  of  cereals,  319  of oilseeds, 338 of pulses, 103 of forage crops, 182 of fibre crops, 45 of sugar crops, and 10 of other crops have been developed.
-  Participatory  technology  development  of  climate  resilient  practices  has  been undertaken  involving  farmers  in  risk  assessment,  demonstration  and  adaptation techniques  in  151  clusters  covering  454  villages,  with  a  footprint  of  2.13  lakh households, on 2.36 lakh hectares of land.
-  68  climate  resilient  technologies  have  been  demonstrated  in  454  villages  on 15857 farmers' fields during 2014-23.
-  88 biocontrol agents, 31 biopesticides and 41 Biofertilizers have been documented and circulated. Drip fertigation schedules for 35 crops and cropping systems  for  achieving  higher  water  and  nutrient  use  efficiency  have  been standardized.  Also  District  Agriculture  Contingency  Plans  (DACPs)  for  650 Districts have been developed.
- (d)      In the COP27 held at Egypt during 6 th  -18 th  November, 2022, it was decided to establish four-year joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security. The detailed work plan on the proposed elements is to be finalised by the COP Secretariat.  However,  no  goals  were  set  to  decrease  greenhouse  gas  emissions from agricultural sector or increasing agricultural yield.
- (e)        As  part  of  the  Technology  Demonstration  Component  (TDC)  of  National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), technologies which can minimise the  impact  of  flood  have  been  demonstrated  in  four  districts  of  Assam,  viz.,  Dhubri, Dhemaji,  Darrang  and  Nalbari.  Flood  tolerant  rice  cultivars  and  short  duration  toria, improved planting techniques to minimise the impact of water logging, improved breeds of  animals,  elevated  housing  systems  for  small  ruminants  and  poultry  etc.  have  been identified as promising technologies for these Districts.

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