Climate change a threat to farming

S. Narendra

Adire warning that preparing the country's agriculture to meet the extremes of weather fluctuations brooks no delay comes from this year's official Economic Survey that preceded the Union Budget.
That is not all. India's food security, protein needs, and crucially its efforts to redress widespread poverty all hinge on how urgently specific policies are designed and implemented by the Centre and the States, the Survey urges.
The Survey throws up for policy attention the following stark realities: = India-specific climate change study shows a dangerous trend - more number of days with high temperatures accompanied by corresponding

How will the myriad challenges posed by climate change be met? Raising this question, the Survey states that 'cooperative federalism,' through which GST law became operational, should be used to address the climate change issue.

decline in the number of days with low temperatures = Such extreme temperature variations occur in both Kharif (monsoon) and Rabi (winter crop) seasons.
= Turning to rainfall extremes, the number of dry days as well as wet days has increased steadily over time.
= E x p e c t e d l y , non irrigated areas (52 per cent), or rain-fed farming areas suffer greater effects of both (high) temperature and rain-fall (scarcity) shocks.
= Climate change has the potential to drastically reduce annual farmers' incomes by as much as 15 to 18 per cent; In rainfed farming, the loss could even go up to 20 to 25 per cent.

While such facts and figures are matters for grave concern, the situation on the ground according to official documents, is far more alarming. Out of the 190 million hectares of cropped area, the irrigation potential is 140 million ha. But actual gross irrigated area is 77 million ha out of this potential.

The rain-fed crops account for 48 per cent of the total area sown. Nearly 50 per cent of the total rural workforce and 60 per cent of live stock are concentrated in dry districts.

Proteins sources

India ranks first among the rain-fed agricultural countries of the world in terms of both extent and value of produce. A NITI Ayog paper draws attention to the fact India's main source of proteins such as coarse cereals ( the staple food of the rural workers and the poor which have now become popular as 'healthy foods' consumed by the higher income groups), are grown in rain –fed areas.

Ninety-two per cent of jowar, 94 per cent of bajra and 80 per cent of maize. 83 per cent of groundnut,78 per cent of soyabean are grown here. 73 per cent of cotton is produced under rain-fed conditions. However, productivity and production of all crops listed are much below the country's average.
The demand for food crops is growing along with India's population. The total irrigated area has remained static for decades at around 140 million ha and large food crop output increases cannot be expected to come from such regions.
Therefore, the additional food grains output (about 40 million tonnes) has to be coaxed out of of the rain-fed areas that are experiencing maximum adverse effects of climate change.
India has two agricultures, says the Economic Survey, to highlight the distortion casued by farm policies that favour irrigated

India's food security, protein needs, and crucially its efforts to redress widespread poverty all hinge on how urgently specific policies are designed and implemented by the Centre and the States

regions growing cereals, mostly in northern India. The other noncereal growing farming in central, western and southern India faces an entirely different set of problems that are yet to be addressed.
How will the myriad challenges posed by climate change be met? Raising this question, the Survey states that 'cooperative federalism', through which GST law became operational, should be used to address the climate change issue.
What it means is that the Centre designs a meta-policy on the subject ,advocates it to states with incentives for implementation. It may need creation of a special vehicle like the GST council in which the Centre and the states are represented.

Less rainfall

The NITI AYOG paper dealing with climate change challenges before Indian farming has put forward a more detailed plan. It calls for a paradigm shift in approaches to agriculture development, meaning that the approaches that brought about the Green Revolution of 1970s would not work in this case.
This paper strongly argues in favour of adopting the controversial GM crops. But this paper has many more useful policy suggestions which deserve to be debated and acted upon soon. A point to note for immediate action is that the climate pattern is varying from season to season making it difficult for farmers to adapt their practices.
Both agricultural scientists and relevant government officials have to gear up to help the farmers for meeting the immediate situation. A Survey suggestion that requires consideration is that farmer subsidies, including free power, have skewed the cropping pattern. Another serious effect is that they have caused serious depletion of ground water in a period witnessing less and less rainfall.

Telangana drought

Officials from the Telangana Ground Water department lament that the farmers in several parts have long forgotten the rain-fed crops and have had to switch to water-intensive crops like paddy and wheat because the market favours these. The gound water levels in the state plummeted by 2.78 metres during 2015. Bore-wells are drying up at most places.
Even the bore- wells in tank command areas and project command areas have gone dry.
Because of drought and reservoirs going dry, people are desperately relying on groundwater. But groundwater reserves take thousands of years to accumulate.

Because of drought and reservoirs going dry, people are desperately relying on groundwater. But groundwater reserves take thousands of years to accumulate. Despite restrictions on sinking new borewells, rig operators are continuing illegally.

Southern plight

Karnataka is second to Rajasthan in the total rain-fed agriculture area. Over eight million hectares of the total 12.3 million ha of cultivated land is rain-fed.The state has faced consecutive years of drought .
In 2017, 160 out of 176 taluks were declared as drought-hit. And such inclement weather affects the poorest farmers- 76 per cent of the state land holdings are less than two ha, with marginal farmers accounting for the majority. A newspaper report captured the plight of the southern states thus:' all four southern states –Karnataka,Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh,Kerala have been hit by failing monsoons.
With both the south west monsoon and the north east monsoon not making an appearance, except for a few occasional showers, even Kerala is all set to face the worst drought in over 100 years.

istinguished observer of public affairs. He has been India's Principal Information Officer and advisor to several Prime Ministers.



		EDITOR'S MAIL FROM THE EDITOR Economic Scene Farmers' community Rural India Tribal Community Education Need to focus on Higher Education Frontiers of science PNB Scam Law and order Growing inequality Job creation Sakala Syndrome Environment Sports management The Power of Yoga Art of living US STRATEGY DATELINE BEIJING SIGNS OF THE TIMES Issue:Mar' 2018 Subscribe Now	Economic Scene Climate change a threat to farming S. Narendra Adire warning that preparing the country's agriculture to meet the extremes of weather fluctuations brooks no delay comes from this year's official Economic Survey that preceded the Union Budget. That is not all. India's food security, protein needs, and crucially its efforts to redress widespread poverty all hinge on how urgently specific policies are designed and implemented by the Centre and the States, the Survey urges. The Survey throws up for policy attention the following stark realities: = India-specific climate change study shows a dangerous trend - more number of days with high temperatures accompanied by corresponding How will the myriad challenges posed by climate change be met? Raising this question, the Survey states that 'cooperative federalism,' through which GST law became operational, should be used to address the climate change issue. decline in the number of days with low temperatures = Such extreme temperature variations occur in both Kharif (monsoon) and Rabi (winter crop) seasons. = Turning to rainfall extremes, the number of dry days as well as wet days has increased steadily over time. = E x p e c t e d l y , non irrigated areas (52 per cent), or rain-fed farming areas suffer greater effects of both (high) temperature and rain-fall (scarcity) shocks. = Climate change has the potential to drastically reduce annual farmers' incomes by as much as 15 to 18 per cent; In rainfed farming, the loss could even go up to 20 to 25 per cent. While such facts and figures are matters for grave concern, the situation on the ground according to official documents, is far more alarming. Out of the 190 million hectares of cropped area, the irrigation potential is 140 million ha. But actual gross irrigated area is 77 million ha out of this potential. The rain-fed crops account for 48 per cent of the total area sown. Nearly 50 per cent of the total rural workforce and 60 per cent of live stock are concentrated in dry districts. Proteins sources India ranks first among the rain-fed agricultural countries of the world in terms of both extent and value of produce. A NITI Ayog paper draws attention to the fact India's main source of proteins such as coarse cereals ( the staple food of the rural workers and the poor which have now become popular as 'healthy foods' consumed by the higher income groups), are grown in rain –fed areas. Ninety-two per cent of jowar, 94 per cent of bajra and 80 per cent of maize. 83 per cent of groundnut,78 per cent of soyabean are grown here. 73 per cent of cotton is produced under rain-fed conditions. However, productivity and production of all crops listed are much below the country's average. The demand for food crops is growing along with India's population. The total irrigated area has remained static for decades at around 140 million ha and large food crop output increases cannot be expected to come from such regions. Therefore, the additional food grains output (about 40 million tonnes) has to be coaxed out of of the rain-fed areas that are experiencing maximum adverse effects of climate change. India has two agricultures, says the Economic Survey, to highlight the distortion casued by farm policies that favour irrigated India's food security, protein needs, and crucially its efforts to redress widespread poverty all hinge on how urgently specific policies are designed and implemented by the Centre and the States regions growing cereals, mostly in northern India. The other noncereal growing farming in central, western and southern India faces an entirely different set of problems that are yet to be addressed. How will the myriad challenges posed by climate change be met? Raising this question, the Survey states that 'cooperative federalism', through which GST law became operational, should be used to address the climate change issue. What it means is that the Centre designs a meta-policy on the subject ,advocates it to states with incentives for implementation. It may need creation of a special vehicle like the GST council in which the Centre and the states are represented. Less rainfall The NITI AYOG paper dealing with climate change challenges before Indian farming has put forward a more detailed plan. It calls for a paradigm shift in approaches to agriculture development, meaning that the approaches that brought about the Green Revolution of 1970s would not work in this case. This paper strongly argues in favour of adopting the controversial GM crops. But this paper has many more useful policy suggestions which deserve to be debated and acted upon soon. A point to note for immediate action is that the climate pattern is varying from season to season making it difficult for farmers to adapt their practices. Both agricultural scientists and relevant government officials have to gear up to help the farmers for meeting the immediate situation. A Survey suggestion that requires consideration is that farmer subsidies, including free power, have skewed the cropping pattern. Another serious effect is that they have caused serious depletion of ground water in a period witnessing less and less rainfall. Telangana drought Officials from the Telangana Ground Water department lament that the farmers in several parts have long forgotten the rain-fed crops and have had to switch to water-intensive crops like paddy and wheat because the market favours these. The gound water levels in the state plummeted by 2.78 metres during 2015. Bore-wells are drying up at most places. Even the bore- wells in tank command areas and project command areas have gone dry. Because of drought and reservoirs going dry, people are desperately relying on groundwater. But groundwater reserves take thousands of years to accumulate. Because of drought and reservoirs going dry, people are desperately relying on groundwater. But groundwater reserves take thousands of years to accumulate. Despite restrictions on sinking new borewells, rig operators are continuing illegally. Southern plight Karnataka is second to Rajasthan in the total rain-fed agriculture area. Over eight million hectares of the total 12.3 million ha of cultivated land is rain-fed.The state has faced consecutive years of drought . In 2017, 160 out of 176 taluks were declared as drought-hit. And such inclement weather affects the poorest farmers- 76 per cent of the state land holdings are less than two ha, with marginal farmers accounting for the majority. A newspaper report captured the plight of the southern states thus:' all four southern states –Karnataka,Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh,Kerala have been hit by failing monsoons. With both the south west monsoon and the north east monsoon not making an appearance, except for a few occasional showers, even Kerala is all set to face the worst drought in over 100 years. istinguished observer of public affairs. He has been India's Principal Information Officer and advisor to several Prime Ministers.