There are sudden climatic changes and other issues, which are becoming more frequent, but there is no proposal before the government for creation of a National Agriculture Disaster Management Scheme, the Parliament was told on Friday.
“However, every Ministry/Department is mandated to prepare a Disaster Management plan under Sections 36/37 of Disaster Management Act, 2005. Accordingly, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a National Agriculture Disaster Management Plan (NADMP) to include key aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction that address climate change adaptation and sustainable development goals related to the agriculture sector,” Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told Rajya Sabha.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has launched a flagship network project ‘National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture’, aiming at strategic research on adaptation and mitigation, demonstration of technologies on farmers’ fields, and creating awareness among farmers and other stakeholders.
Tomar also listed out the steps taken in the field of climate smart agriculture that include, developing climate resilient varieties for different abiotic and biotic stresses in major crops with eight climate resilient varieties released in rice, green gram, maize and lentil developing and popularising 65 location-specific climate resilient/smart technologies for wider adoption among the farming communities, preparing 650 district agricultural contingency plans and sensitising state officials for preparedness through 54 state-level interface meetings and developing, evaluating, and commercialising implements (raised bed planter-cum-herbicide applicator, maize harvester, zero till planter, etc.) for small farm mechanisation suiting to dryland ecologies.
He also said the steps included climate smart technologies developed involving farmers in risk assessment and adaptation techniques in 151 clusters covering 446 villages, with a footprint of 2,13,421 households, on 2,35,874 hectares, capacity building programmes involving 5.15 lakh people comprising researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs, line department officials, policy makers and NGOs in the field of climate resilient agriculture, and promotion of climate smart agriculture under the central sector schemes of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Soil Health Mission, National Bamboo Mission, and Sub Mission on Agro Forestry.
