Farmer in Haryana. Credits: Divya Pandey/ IFPRI
Agriculture is highly vulnerable to even short term weather change, therefore even a small shift in climate poses direct threat to farmers, who not only have to secure his livelihood but also need to produce sufficient food to feed the growing population. Despite significant achievement in food grain production, farmer’s today face the challenge of deteriorating land, water and soil, along with growing impact of climate change thus deepening the complexity for their sustainability.
With major presence of small holder farmers, who are vulnerable to the changing climate shocks need timely support to ensure their food security but they also need to be prepared for uncertain future. Efforts are needed to develop interventions on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) to counter climate change risks. CSA brings in together improved technologies, value added advisory services, application of information and communication technology, and agricultural insurance, which improves the adaption capacity of farmers against climate change and also minimize the greenhouse gas emission. Overall, CSA (i) raises agricultural productivity and farm income, (ii) minimizes risk that arise due to climate change, and (iii) reduces Green House Gas emissions.
Signals of the shifting climate change are visible across the country, but the extent of damage differs, therefore government policies, new technologies and adaptive measures should blend together to reach farmers. Process such as, training of trainers to develop capacities of progressive farmers, NGOs working with farmers and the extension workers on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a step forward.
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) as part of on-going research work with Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and with collaborators Centre for Good Governance in Hyderabad and DNS Regional Institute for Cooperative Management in Patna is organizing training workshop in July. The three days training workshop will cover (i) orientation about climate change and its impact, (ii) the need for CSA as resilient mechanism, and (iii) financing opportunities in CSA. Trainees under such programs will be encouraged to disseminate the need based knowledge on CSA to a large number of farmers in their communities.
