The way forward

As many as 26 countries signed the Sustainable Agriculture Policy Action Agenda at the CoP26 summit to set a course of action to protect food systems and prevent loss of biodiversity against climate change.

India did not sign the agenda as its Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is already operational to deal with the issue of climate change in the agriculture sector.

At the present inflection point, when the agricultural sector across the planet is threatened by the adversities brought by climate change, these initiatives seem to be in the right direction.

While Indian agriculture is adversely impacted by the vicissitudes of climate change, the sector also is a significant contributor to GHG emissions. As per the Third Biennial Update Report submitted by the Government of India in early 2021 to the UNFCCC, the agriculture sector contributes 14 per cent of the total GHG emissions.

Within the sector, 54.6 per cent of GHG emissions were due to enteric fermentation, followed by 17.5 per cent from rice cultivation, 19.1 per cent from fertiliser applied to agricultural soils, 6.7 per cent from manure management, and 2.2 per cent due to field burning of agricultural residues. Therefore, effective mitigation measures and appropriate adaptation technologies must be taken to reduce GHG emissions from the agriculture sector.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research and International Agricultural Research Centres of the CGIAR system (a France-headquartered public agricultural innovation network), including International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), have developed climate smart agricultural technologies and approaches to assist the agricultural sector to be less vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.

We present a list of strategies/pathways that could be prioritised in the policy agenda to make Indian agriculture resilient and sustainable in a changing climate.

Diversification

Diversifying from existing cropping systems — predominated by rice and wheat — to more nutritious and environment-friendly crops have often been suggested to address challenges of climate change and malnutrition. However, such a transition must protect the income base of the farmers.

Research findings have already shown the potential benefits of crop diversification, including to sorghum and millet, and particularly in those tracts where rice yields are low. Such diversification would not only increase the nutritional value of the food system, but also reduce inputs and GHG emissions.

For crop diversification to succeed, healthy and diversified diets need to be promoted and incorporated in the menu of Indian consumers. Reduction of food waste must also be internalised by a large section of consumers.

Agro-ecological approaches

Methane from rice-paddies, nitrous-oxide emissions, or nitrogen leaching from inefficient use of chemical fertiliser are key downsides of resource-intensive approaches to production. Agro-ecological approaches like natural farming offer a solution to these problems.

Managing crop-residue burning remains a huge challenge. Conservation agriculture offers solutions to such pernicious problems with good agronomy and soil management techniques such as no-till farming, crop rotation, in-situ crop harvest residue management etc.

Excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers pollutes the environment. The scientifically prescribed ratio of macronutrients (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) is already skewed in many states. Since the soil health card scheme of the government has penetrated throughout the country, site-specific, need-based nutrient management would be advisable to conserve the soil ecosystem.

Organic farming can be practised with supportive policy incentives, without compromising the profitability and income of farmers.

Scientific validation and demonstration of the abovementioned practices can bring wider adoption by interested farmers.

Water-use efficiency

Water used for Indian agriculture accounts for about 80 per cent of total freshwater resources and, therefore, efficiency savings would always be desirable for additional food production for a burgeoning population. Promotion of micro-irrigation practices has been localised in few states as of now, which should proliferate to larger crop areas.

We need to move from a supply-based to demand-based system to reach the huge micro-irrigation potential. Several new production methods and techniques along with specific agronomic practices — system of rice intensification (SRI), alternate wetting and drying (AWD), direct seeded rice (DSR) and furrow irrigation etc. — have been suggested by agricultural scientists and experts.

In-situ soil and moisture conservation with involvement of the community has successfully been addressed through the watershed management approach.

Convergence of schematic interventions for groundwater recharging, revival of traditional water bodies and creation of water harvesting structures would go a long way in conservation of water.

Renewable energy usage

India's ambitious renewable energy target (500 GW by 2030) must include the potential agriculture sector upfront. At present, the PM-KUSUM scheme of the government aims to improve irrigation access and raise farmers' income through solar-powered irrigation. However, with highly subsidised or free electricity to irrigate agricultural lands, farmers have not largely switched over to solar-powered irrigation.

Setting up of solar power plants on farmlands and solarising existing grid-connected pumps could earn additional income to farmers, besides making them net energy producers. Government policies must reorient to reduce agriculture's power subsidy bills and divert the money towards sustainable farm sector investments like solar power.

Digital agriculture

The new ICT and data ecosystems carry the potential to raise farm productivity and income by supporting the delivery of information and services, market integration and management of risks.

Proven support systems, like weather advisories and market intelligence, hold promise to make farming more profitable and sustainable. New agri-tech start-ups and farm enterprises are increasingly using digital tools to bring efficiency in agricultural marketing and manage risks. Public policies must keep these emerging trends in mind.

Research and innovation investments

To offset the impact of climate change on agriculture, increased resource allocation for research and innovation has often been prescribed.

Research on the contributions of various allied sectors of agriculture on GHG emissions will also be helpful for effective policy planning. For example, animal agriculture contributes the highest carbon emissions within the agriculture sector in India and therefore, life cycle assessment becomes pertinent.

Inadequate and sub-optimal investments may not yield desired results and, therefore, the government must commit enhanced outlay for agricultural research and innovation.

India, in its mitigation and adaptation efforts, must formulate and implement policies that make Indian agriculture climate resilient and sustainable. Post-cop26, India's ambitious commitments should reflect in its tangible and concrete actions. DTE

Views expressed are personal