Adaptation of agricultural strategies for climate change mitigation

TP RAJENDRAN Visiting fellow

Research & Information System for Developing Countries

Core IV B, India Habitat Centre Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003

Agriculture

Agriculture is human aspiration and endeavour to utilise natural resources and commercially produce food commodities such as field & horticultural crops, livestock and fisheries (fish and non-fish).

Sustainable Agriculture Attempting the rocking boat in turbulent waters to move forward at the desired velocity !!

Sustainable national food production plan for INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM demands a) Redesigning of strategies in the management of natural

farm resources b) Recast of state & UT - agricultural development plans c) Convergence of all players for implementation

Promoting access to knowledge, technology and hands-on support on sustainable agriculture; learning from best practices

ISSUE -1

What ICAR-CRIDA put on our table is the knowledge quotient. ICAR collaborates with the DAC & FW as well as DAHDF for placing adequate technical knowledge in the agricultural farms of the states & UTs. Enhance farmers’ skills to innovate the refined agricultural technologies to fit into the socio-economy of the farms.

How do we anticipate sustainability in Indian agriculture that is expected to be challenged by periodic weather aberrations and non-coordinated agricultural development plans? Which are our tested models in each state & UT?

Adapting agriculture to meet the challenges of climate change

ISSUE -2

Influence of gross climate aberrations on crop and animal metabolism that may affect the commodity’s nutritional quality is an arising concern. If nutritional quality is to be secured in the food basket of people, what adaptation and mitigation efforts are designed in the national agricultural development plan for 2020 & beyond?

Climate change and nutritional quality of agricultural commodities

Invasive alien crops (recent wheat blast of this season) and animal pests Invasive weed species Outbreak of native pests in crops

Health of Indian agriculture under climate change scenario

•Problem resolution for mitigation •Quick fix and sustainable solutions

Addressing issues and concerns in maintaining genetic diversity

ISSUE -3

Presently the crop varieties and animal breeds are secure in the country under ICAR. Their availability for crop and breed improvement is ubiquitous to all R & D systems. Let us keep in mind that research to improve for specific traits is time consuming and cannot be for immediate mitigation plans.

ICAR Vision 2030 and 2050 have adequately spelt out its strengths in terms of anticipatory research in the direction of developing well-adapted crop varieties and animal breeds along with attendant production technologies for the impending weather aberrations and upheavals. Research Fund-flow has shrunk over plan periods in spite of escalating costs of agricultural R&D.

Supporting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for adoption of Sustainable agriculture methods and practices

ISSUE - 4

Indian small farm-holding system have not so far been designed into FPOs in all states & UTs. Rainfed and dryland farm holdings cannot aggregate into FPOs due to evident socio-economic [SE] situations. The FPO concept needs improved designing to uniformly absorb biological farming technologies [BIOTECHNOLOGY OF INTEGRATED FARMING]. The Technology delivery system has to be redesigned to cater to FPOs

Packaging agri-inputs such as seeds / breeds / semen, biofertilisers, biological control agents, health management inputs etc. & sustained microbial activity of soil are the components of the knowledge spectrum.

Agricultural farming systems are biologically intensive processes Knowledge on successfully innovating the biology in each component is significant. Empower farms to innovate the knowledge spectrum to fit into their prevailing SE standing.

It demands escalated skills to innovate these under changing climate environments of dry land, rainfed and irrigated farms.

Conclusions: Redesign the modern farming technologies to fit into the FPO concept by each of the state & UT. Servicing of the sustained delivery of the knowledge of the agricultural technologies need war-front strategies. State agricultural development plans needs redesigning to absorb these structural changes under existing government schemes: – RKVY, NFSM, TMOP, MIDH, Animal & Fisheries development schemes etc.

The last thought

Choice for states and UTs to recast and overhaul agricultural structure & machinery or create brand-new innovating system

Acknowledgement

The opportunity given by •Research & Information System for Developing Countries •National Institute of Transforming India

RIS presentation