CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGRICULTURE (CRA)

News: India is fast-tracking the expansion of climate-resilient agriculture to counter the growing threats posed by climate change to food security, rain-dependent farming, and farmers’ incomes

About

• Farming systems that sustainably increase productivity
• Enhance adaptation to climate variability
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions where possible
• Ensure long-term food security

Integrates:

• Climate-tolerant & genome-edited crops
• Bio-inputs (biofertilisers, biopesticides)
• Precision irrigation & soil health management
• AI-based agro-advisories

Key Trends

• 51% of India’s net sown area is rainfed, producing ~40% of food
• 75%+ rainfall occurs in just 4 monsoon months
• Rising heat stress, floods, droughts, salinity reducing yield stability

SIGNIFICANCE OF CRA

• Food security: Protects against 10–40% projected yield losses in staples
• Rainfed vulnerability: Shields small & marginal farmers from erratic monsoons
• Resource sustainability: Conserves groundwater, restores soil organic carbon
• Income stability: Reduces risk of total crop failure and poverty traps

MAJOR INITIATIVES

• NICRA: Climate-resilient technologies in 448 villages
• Crop Diversification: Millets, pulses, oilseeds, agroforestry (PM-RKVY, AICRP-IFS)
• Per Drop More Crop: Micro-irrigation subsidies (up to 55%)
• ICAR & KVKs: Demonstrations, advisories, seed & fodder banks
• BioE3 Policy: Biotechnology-led climate solutions

Key Challenges

• High upfront costs for small farmers
• Poor quality control of bio-inputs
• Slow lab-to-land transfer of resilient seeds
• Digital divide in rural areas

Way Forward

• Fast-track climate-smart & genome-edited seeds
• Strengthen bio-input regulation & traceability
• Promote integrated landscape management