Again, climate change is a problem all over the world but that problem does not affect
everyone in the same way. India is not estranged from the fact that the FAO of the United
Nations has recently stated that poor farmers are worst affected in the climate change
impacts. The report, titled "The Unjust Climate: “Measuring the Impacts of
Climate Change on Rural Poor, Women, and Youth,” shows effects of climate
change are described based on how it impact the vulnerable groups.
Key Findings:
- Economic Impact: World's poor suffer 5% income loss by heat stress and 4.4% by floods. Global warming could cut farm earnings in India by up to 15 percent by 2050. These cutbacks in income may result in the standard of living and food insecurity.
- Social and Health Implications: Climate change is no longer confined to simple loss of money but affects the livelihoods and wellbeing of people. Livelihood stress in poor farmers increases with climate change because they cannot afford healthcare, and there is no social protection system in most developing countries.
- Vulnerability of Women and Youth: The worst affected are women and youths in the rural areas. For instance, women form the core of the agricultural workforce but have very little access to input and decision-making. The young people are therefore living an endangered life mostly due to challenges in accessing education and employment.
Climate change?
Climate Change is defined as relatively rapid variations in the climate systems of the earth,
which result from human actions. In other words it is a significant and lasting change in the
average weather pattern of the earth. Some of the causes are; use of fossil fuels, forest
clearance and industrial activities, which contribute to the emission of the greenhouse gases.
It contains gases that cause them to be retained in the atmosphere resulting to the cases of
global warming which is a type and concern of climate change. These are effects such as
global warming, melting of polar ice caps, and increased levels of flooding and frequent
natural disasters. Climate change affects ecosystems, plants, animals and man and therefore
presents a problem for future generations.
The FAO report on the impact of climate change on poorer farmers in India includes several
key recommendations for mitigation:
Strengthening social protection
For the support of vulnerable groups, the need in the enhancement of social security
indicators has been disclosed by the report. This could include giving farmers loans, crop
insurance and easy access to medical facilities to enable them to deal with impacts of climate
change.
Access to Climate-Resilient agriculture
There is need to encourage the use of climate friendly systems in farming. This encompasses
development and awareness of appropriate drought tolerant crops breeds, and good water
conservation strategies, and of recommended farming practices that can survive harsh
weather conditions.
Sustainable Land Management
As stated in the components of the report, a sustainable land management practices is
highlighted. Drawing of strategies of soil conservation, afforestation and reforestation to
ensure soil strength and prevent the vice of land degeneration as key strategies of ensuring
that the agriculture produces enhance their resilience in production.
Investment in rural infrastructure and technology
It is for this reason that investment in rural infrastructure and technology as a way of helping
to build resilience is appropriate. This encompasses a need to extend the effective water
control mechanisms, put in place ways of predicting disasters such as floods and droughts as
well as make available quality seeds and agri-food machinery and equipment.
Community Education as well as Training
Awareness creation and doing capacity building among farmers to improve climate change
adaptation knowledge remains paramount. According to this report, there is need to conduct
farmers’ workshops and training activities in order to provide them with the knowledge and
tools of practicing climate-smart agriculture.
Gender and Youth Inclusion
The report points out that apparently, the exceptional focus should be made concerning
women and youth living in rural areas. Ensuring women get access to the necessary
resources and decisions, as well as educating the youth and allowing them to get proper
workplace, it would increase general stability of rural areas.
Overcoming Weaknesses in State and Non-state Institutions
It is an indication that improving the institutional capacity for climate adaptation as well as
mitigation at local and national contexts is vital. This involves expanding cooperation with
other levels of government, INGOs, NGOs, and the private sector.
How climate change is influencing the aspects of agriculture?
Climate change is exerting considerable pressure to agriculture with both short and long
term consequences for farming, food production and farmers.
Changing Weather Patterns
- Unpredictable Rainfall: In the current weather patterns; areas that used to experience rainfall now experience draught while those that used to experience less rainfall is now experience flooding. This scenario causes unpredicted changes in the planting and harvesting seasons and the implication of which is reduced crop production.
- Temperature Extremes: Rising temperatures impact plant growth, decrease yields, and quality of produce, and make plants more stressed out. Heat can cause crops to wither while extreme cold can harm crops in a number of ways depending with the variety.
Increased Pests and Diseases
- Pest Infestations: The climate change also makes warmer environment thus affecting the weather conditions in a way that fosters pest and diseases. This can lead to higher rates of infestation and consequently our having to treat for pests more often and with higher intensity.
- Disease Spread: World climate change helps the diseases to spread on plants and hurt crops yield and production. For instance, fungal diseases develop in warm and moist conditions while such conditions are frequently caused by climate change.
Reduced Water Availability
- Droughts: Drought conditions make it hard for farmers to water their crops because water sources become scarce after a long dry season. The use water can also be limited, which will affect crop production and farmers are left with no option than to use other sources of water that is less effective.
- Groundwater Depletion: Use of groundwater for irrigation during dry season contributes to reduction of available stock in aquifers hence worsening the water deficit situation in future.
Soil Degradation
- Soil Erosion: Pests and diseases can reduce the fertilizer value of the soil due to the destruction of soil structure by water during the heavy rains and floods. Such erosion also contributes to wastage of the fertile top soil that is very much needed in the plantation of crops.
- Nutrient Depletion: Alterations in rain and temperature can impact the status of nutrients in the ground and make it harder for crops to get the requisite nutrients to for growth.
Impact on Livestock
- Heat Stress: Climatic change affects livestock by enhancing heat stress whereby temperature influences production, decreasing milk production rates, and increasing mortality of animals. Even producing offspring also gets an impact by heat stress in animals.
- Water and Feed Scarcity: The effects of drought for example may see availability of water and or feed to the livestock being affected by change in weather patterns.
Economic Implications
- Increased Costs: They will have to spend more on water supply and using pest control, and on acquiring resilient varieties of crop that can withstand the prevailing climate changes. There are additional costs which can put pressure on comparatively meagre resources.
- Income Uncertainty: Lower yield of crops and poor performance of animals normality imply income risk for the farmers. Swing is also characteristic of market prices of agricultural products, which can increase or decrease, which will only deepen such uncertainty.
Climate change is also very dangerous to agriculture because it compromises production through
affecting crop, livestock production, and farmer’s lives. Managing such changes requires the
application of climates smart agriculture practices, efficient water resources management
and improving on sustainable farming systems. When these challenges are addressed the impacts
of climate change to agriculture and food security in the future generations can be easily
addressed. The consequences of climate change on agriculture have been felt the world over
and the Government of India is no exception. Here are some key initiatives:
National Policy on Climate Change (NPCC)
The NAPCC formulated in 2008 envisages eight national missions for the promotion of
sustainable development and combating of climate change. Such missions are the National
Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) aimed at raising awareness of Plant Growth
Regulation Act, 2006 adapted set of measures for agricultural activity that can satisfactorily
deal with climate change challenges and raising farmers’ adaptive capacity.
Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme (PMCI)
The PMCI gives out insurance for crops that aim at helping the farmer recover from losses as
a result of natural disasters, pest, and diseases. Its positive impact includes enabling farmers
to get compensation for their losses and regain their ability to practice climate-smart
farming.
Soil Health Card Scheme
The Soil Health Card Scheme of the Indian Government is to test the health of the soil and
advise the farmers on the nutrient scarcity and correct utilization of the available resources.
This assists farmers to enhance the soil nutrient capacity and output hence increasing their
crops resistance to climate change.
National innovation on climate resilient agriculture (NICRA)
NICRA is a network project of the ICAR as an extension of the adopted climate change
adaptation measures in advance agricultural practices. The project envisages
implementation through research, technology demonstration and capacity development for
the farmers coping with the climate change.
In Agroforestry and afforestation programs
The government has encouraged the practice of agroforestry, and afforestation to reduce the
stock of carbon and improve on soil health. These self-help programs aim at making farmers
to establish trees and enhance proper use of soil as a way of minimizing impacts of climate
change.
Water Management Initiatives
Interventions that seek to enhance water usage like Jal Jeevan Mission as well as PMKSY
seek to ensure farmers’ aces to water and water conservation structures. It assists farmers to
overcome shortage of water and also foster productivity of agriculture in a sustainable
manner.
Research and Development
The government has spent a lot of money putting up research efforts to produce climate
resistant crops and technologies. For instance, PM Narendra Modi has recently launched 109
climate smart, hybrid and nutritive induce crops to support the farmers in view of the
standby climatic conditions.
Learning, research and innovation
To ensure that the farmers have adequate capacity to implement the climate change
adaptation and adoption of new farming techniques, several training and multitude capacity-
building programs are commenced. The rationale of these programmes is to enable farmers,
in terms of knowledge and capacity, on how they can reduce the negative effects of climate
change.
The steps that the Government of India has proactively implemented to counter the effect of
climate change on agriculture are commendable. Through by these introduced measures, the
government want to increase the supply for food needs, raise the stability of food prices as
well as improve income of farmers. But still more work and cooperation is needed to address
the needs arising from climate change and support sustainable development of agriculture.