Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Securing India''s Food Future

Why is it in News?

Climate change is increasingly affecting India''s agricultural sector through irregular rainfall, rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. Strengthening climate-resilient agriculture has become essential to ensure food security, protect farmers'' livelihoods, and promote sustainable agricultural growth.

What is Climate-Resilient Agriculture?

Climate-resilient agriculture refers to farming practices that improve agricultural productivity while enhancing the ability of crops and farming systems to adapt to climate change. It focuses on sustainable resource management, efficient use of water, improved soil health, and adoption of climate-smart technologies.

Importance for India

Agriculture supports nearly half of India''s workforce and remains crucial for the country''s economy and food security. Climate-resilient farming helps reduce crop losses, improves farmers'' income, conserves natural resources, strengthens rural livelihoods, and ensures long-term agricultural sustainability.

Challenges

Indian agriculture faces several challenges, including erratic monsoons, declining groundwater levels, soil degradation, excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers, fragmented landholdings, and increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Limited access to technology and climate information further affects agricultural productivity.

Government Initiatives

The Government of India has introduced several initiatives to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture, including the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Soil Health Card Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), and the promotion of natural farming and micro-irrigation.

Way Forward

Building a climate-resilient agricultural system requires scientific farming practices, efficient irrigation, crop diversification, improved weather forecasting, greater investment in agricultural research, and wider adoption of climate-smart technologies. Strengthening farmers'' awareness and institutional support will be key to ensuring sustainable agricultural development.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q. With reference to Climate-Resilient Agriculture, consider the following statements:

1. Crop diversification helps reduce climate-related agricultural risks.
2. Micro-irrigation improves water-use efficiency in agriculture.
3. Climate-resilient agriculture focuses only on increasing crop production without considering environmental sustainability.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 1 and 2 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B

Explanation

• Statement 1 is correct because crop diversification reduces dependence on a single crop and improves resilience against climate variability.
• Statement 2 is correct because micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation improve water-use efficiency.
• Statement 3 is incorrect because climate-resilient agriculture promotes both agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.