NEWSLETTER January - June, 2011

Abstract

Towards climate resilient agriculture..., Climate variability and change have become key concerns for sustainable growth of farm productivity in our country. Weather aberrations during the last decade have significantly dented the agricultural GDP. Droughts, floods, cyclones, heatwave and cold-wave are regularly occurring in some part or other of the country every year reducing food grain production, fodder availability to livestock and fish-catch. Considering the growing importance of climate variability on agriculture and allied sectors, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has initiated a net-work project on climate change (NPCC) during X Five Year Plan which was continued in the XI Plan. Although studies through this project have helped in understanding the impact of climate change on various sectors of agriculture like food grain production, horticulture output, milk yield from livestock and fish-catch both from fresh water and marine sources, it was realized by the council that much larger efforts towards climate change adaptation and mitigation of is required which provides technologies that enable farmers to cope with current climate variability and future climate change. Accordingly, a new scheme entitled National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) was launched during February, 2011 with an integrated approach on vulnerability assessment, strategic research on adaptation and mitigation and demonstration of available technologies to cope with climate variability in 100 most vulnerable districts of the country. The details of the scheme are summarised in this issue. It is strongly hoped that NICRA will pave way for development of appropriate climate resilient technologies and policies in future.