In News:

The Committee on Estimates (2024–25) has submitted its Sixth Report to Parliament, emphasizing the pressing need for a climate-resilient and ecologically sustainable agricultural system in India. The report presents a roadmap aimed at tackling the vulnerabilities posed by climate change, soil degradation, and unsustainable farming practices.

Key Challenges in Indian Agriculture:

1. Climate Vulnerability:

• Projected Yield Decline: Crop yields may fall by 4.5% to 9% in the medium term due to climate-induced stresses.
• District-Level Risks: Out of 310 climate-vulnerable districts identified by the IPCC,
  • 109 are at ‘very high risk’,
  • 201 are categorized as ‘highly vulnerable’.

2. Soil Health Crisis:

• Extent of Degradation: Nearly 30% of India's land suffers from soil degradation.
• Root Causes: Excessive chemical inputs (urea and pesticides) and loss of organic matter have disrupted nutrient cycles and reduced fertility.

3. Economic Pressures: The Green Revolution model now shows diminishing returns, with rising input costs contributing to farmer indebtedness and suicides.

Policy Shift Towards Sustainable Farming:

1. Natural Farming:

• National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF): Launched in 2023–24 as an independent scheme, expanding upon the earlier Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddati (BPKP).
• Focus: Chemical-free agriculture, soil regeneration, and farmer self-reliance.

2. Organic Farming Initiatives:

• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Promotes cluster-based organic farming using Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) for certification.
• MOVCDNER: Aims to develop organic value chains in the North Eastern Region, leveraging traditional practices and rich biodiversity.

Challenges in Transition:

• Yield reductions during the initial switch.
• Complex and often expensive certification procedures.
• Weak market linkages and poor consumer awareness.
• Training and knowledge gaps among farmers.
• Financial risks for small and marginal farmers lacking safety nets.

Recommendations of the Committee:

• Integrate climate-resilient agriculture into national schemes like PM-KISAN, MGNREGA, and RKVY.
• Provide green subsidies to farmers offering ecological services.
• Establish a national agroecological transition framework combining research, training, and market access.
• Empower Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) with digital tools and decentralized funding for field-level implementation.

Scaling Up Climate-Resilient Strategies:

National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA):

• Launched: 2011 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Objective: Equip farming systems to adapt to climate variability.

Key Components:

1. Strategic research on climate-tolerant varieties.
2. Technology demonstrations in vulnerable districts.
3. Capacity building for farmers and extension staff.
4. Infrastructure enhancement at research institutions.

Notable Achievements in NICRA Villages:

• 2,900+ climate-resilient varieties developed (e.g., heat-tolerant wheat, drought-resistant rice).
• 28–37% rise in crop productivity.
• 10–12% increase in livestock productivity.
• 35–40% higher farm incomes compared to non-NICRA areas.

Way Forward:

• Expand NICRA initiatives to cover more vulnerable districts with dedicated funding.
• Create agroecological clusters to support localized natural/organic farming models.
• Simplify and support organic certification and branding to enhance marketability.
• Promote ministerial convergence among Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Development departments for cohesive implementation.