Role of Climate Smart Agriculture in Enhancing Food Security

Context:

• This article is based on the news  “Need for climate-smart agriculture in India” Which was published in the Hindu. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) offers a viable solution to the world’s current challenges of climate change and food insecurity.

Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Security

• Consequences of Climate Change: Heat waves, flash floods, droughts, and cyclones, are detrimentally impacting lives and livelihoods
  • Southern continents are facing severe droughts adversely affecting agricultural production and the well-being of farmers. 
• Increased demand for food: The increasing global population and shifts in dietary patterns further compound the demand for food. 
• Inefficacy of traditional farming practices: Environmental factors are increasing the challenges faced by traditional farming methods, rendering them less productive. 

What is Climate smart agriculture?

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, Climate smart agriculture  is an approach for transforming food and agriculture systems to support sustainable development and safeguard food security under climate change.

Pillars or objectives of Climate Smart Agriculture:

• Enhanced productivity: Sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; 
• Resilience: Adapt and build resilience to climate change
• Reduced Emissions: Reduce/remove greenhouse gas emissions(GHG), where possible.” 

Also Read: State Of Food And Agriculture Report 2023

Climate Smart Agriculture Practices:

• Cultivating Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties
• Conservation Agriculture
• Agroforestry
• Water Management
• Integrated Pest Management
• Nutrient Management
• Livestock Management

Why World Climate Smart Agriculture needed?

• Agriculture as the backbone of Economy: It employs over 50% of the country’s workforce and contributes to about 17% of the GDP. 
• Climate change poses a significant threat to the sector’s sustainability creating the need for Climate smart agriculture.
• Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change: Addressing these dual challenges requires a comprehensive strategy, given the imperative to increase agricultural production by 60% by 2050 to meet the growing food demands.
• Substantial impact of climate change on crop productivity: Future climate change impacts on agricultural productivity could be significant.
  • India may face a crop yield decline of up to 9% between 2010 and 2039. 
  • To combat climate change and sustainably boost agricultural output and revenue, a radical reform of the agriculture industry is required. 

What are the advantages of Climate Smart Agriculture?

• Achieving SDGs: Climate smart agriculture aims to end hunger (Goal 2) and enhance environmental management aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals(SDG), through sustainable agricultural practices and rural development. 
• Mandate of NAPCC: The National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC) underscores the importance of Climate smart agriculture as a key component of India’s adaptation strategies. 
• Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement: Climate smart agriculture measures like agroforestry and carbon sequestration can help India meet its international climate goals.
  • The goal is to arrest  “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
• Reducing GHG Emissions: The agricultural sector contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for around 17% of such emissions in 2018. 
  • The implementation of Climate smart agriculture becomes pivotal in mitigating GHG emissions and preserving biodiversity.
  • The improved soil management practices associated with climate-smart agriculture can enhance soil organic carbon content by 0.3–0.6 percent annually contributing to better soil health and nutrient availability.
• Increasing agricultural  productivity: Climate smart agricultur promotes crop diversification, increases water efficiency, and integrates drought-resistant crops.
  • It can increase agricultural output while maintaining ecological stability.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Ecosystem-based approach of Climate smart agriculture coupled with diverse crop varieties, fosters coexistence between cultivated lands and natural habitats. 
  • This collaborative effort aids in preserving native plant species, maintaining stable pollinator populations and mitigating the impacts of habitat degradation.

What are the challenges associated with Climate Smart Agriculture?

• Creation of localized responses: It is challenging to generate local scientific knowledge to identify appropriate solutions to the region-specific agricultural challenges. 
  • India is divided into 15 agro-climatic regions based on parameters such as topography, soil, geographical formation, rainfall pattern, cropping system, irrigation, etc. 
  • Agro-climatic region-specific information is critical for understanding, evaluating, and addressing the challenge of climate change and its impact on agriculture in each region.
  • Uttar Pradesh organized the Conference of Panchayats (CoP) 2022 to enhance localized climate action in the state.
• Shortage of Agricultural Water Resources: It has become a rigid constraint on global food security and sustainable development of Climate smart agriculture. 
  • According to a study in the journal Earth’s Future, agricultural water scarcity is expected to increase in more than 80% of the world’s croplands by 2050.
• Challenges in adopting Climate smart agriculture technologies:  High input cost, lack of sufficient knowledge, lack of awareness about climate change issues, and lack of farmers-friendly Climate smart agriculture technologies are the major reasons behind this.
• Climate Variability and Climate Change: Climate variability and climate change have changed the distributions of light, heat, water, and other agricultural climate resources. 
  • This has a destructive impact on smallholder agriculture, reducing crop yield, income, and food insecurity.
• Agricultural GHG emissions:  It further expands challenges to the sustainable development of Climate smart agriculture.
  • Seven nations—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, India, and the United States—are estimated to be responsible for more than half of the world’s total soil emissions and 49% of the world’s total agricultural emissions.
• Information Resource Integration: Ensuring the security and standardization of agricultural information and data is crucial for the effective development of Climate smart agriculture.
  • However,  challenges such as low standardization, incomplete data collection, and the risk of misinformation pose significant obstacles to its long-term success.

Way Forward:

• Cooperative Or Community Farming: The smallholder farmers are extremely vulnerable to crop losses. 
  • Cooperative or community farming can be an apt solution for adopting Climate smart agriculture technology and practices to attain economies of scale.
  • According to the Agricultural Census 2015 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. The average size of operational holdings declined from 2.28 hectares in 1970-71 to 1.08 hectares in 2015-16.
• Application of Remote Sensing Techniques: Hyperspectral images help improve the identification and differentiation of crop nutrients, diseases, and canopy structures.
  • In addition, images, general reflectometry, and three-dimensional (3D) mapping of crop spectral dynamics provide insight into agricultural productivity. 
  • For example, the China Agriculture Remote Sensing Monitoring System can monitor crop growth, planting area, yield, and agricultural disaster information for staple crops in China.
  • Fertilizer and pesticide management in the field can be further enhanced by combining a wireless sensor network on the ground with a remotely operated aerial vehicle.
• Application of the Internet of Things (IoT): The IoT helps to collect data through different types of sensors, including environmental and crop parameters, such as temperature, humidity, pH value, leaf color, etc. 
  • The future development of the IoT for Climate smart agriculture needs to be strengthened in the following several aspects: 
    • IoT systems must have high adaptability and be customizable to local circumstances.
    • The network connection and farm infrastructure must be reliable.
    • The IoT sensor network must have a security strategy that is in sync with the cloud database.
• Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI can improve crop yield by accurately forecasting the optimum sowing and harvesting date, and monitoring crop health.
  • It also decreases agricultural input costs, such as fertilizers, chemicals, and irrigation. 
  • Thus, agricultural risks can be minimized by solving problems, such as insufficient precipitation, weed growth, and disaster losses.
• Improvement of Cropping Patterns: Multiple cropping patterns, crop diversification practices, and no-till agriculture can increase agricultural productivity and reduce GHG emissions.
  • Suitable dryland crops need to be introduced to reduce the submergence period in the annual planting cycle. 
  • Combining inorganic fertilizers with organic improves soil quality and crop productivity, especially for soils with low fertility. 
  • For example, biochar as a soil additive has great potential in fixing carbon, repairing soil, and improving soil quality and crop productivity
  • Direct seeding of Rice (DSR) should be promoted wherein rice seeds are sown directly into the field, as opposed to the traditional method of growing seedlings in a nursery, then transplanting into flooded fields.. 
• Soil Conservation: Techniques to reduce CO2 emissions are recommended, such as using crop residues, improving nitrogen utilization efficiency, and reducing planting.
  • Applying crop residues can increase soil organic carbon (SOC), enhancing crop yield.
  • SOC represents the amount of carbon retained in the soil after the decomposition of the organic content. 
• Awareness creation among farmers: There is a need for awareness among farmers and other stakeholders about the impact of climate change and the need for undertaking mitigation and adaptation activities, which can be incentivised through the GCP. 
  • Green Credit Program (GCP) is an innovative market-based mechanism incentivizing voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors.
• Agricultural Weather Index-Based Insurance: It applies the concept of financial instruments to the risk management of natural disasters, and attracts social funds to participate in the dispersion of agricultural natural risks.
  • It is simple to settle claims and promote, overcoming traditional insurance’s adverse selection and moral hazard, and reducing operating costs.
  • Crop insurance programs like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Integrated Agrometeorological Advisory Service (IAAS) have helped farmers maximize income from crop production by assisting them in coping with current, short-term climate-induced risk.

Conclusion:

Climate Smart Agriculture is crucial for India, offering a sustainable solution to the threats of climate change and food shortages through innovative practices and government initiatives.