THE CONTEXT: Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is a crucial solution to address global food security challenges exacerbated by climate change. With agriculture contributing 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related disasters causing $2,908 billion in economic losses between 1998 and 2017, CSA aims to increase agricultural productivity, build resilience to climate change, and reduce emissions.
THE DEFINITION: Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscapes—cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries—that addresses the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change. CSA is not a set of universally applicable practices but rather a context-specific approach tailored to meet local needs and challenges.
THE SIGNIFICANCE:
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- Food Security: With 690 million people suffering from hunger and needing to produce 70% more food by 2050 to feed 9 billion people, CSA offers sustainable solutions to increase productivity.
- Climate Change Mitigation: Agriculture contributes 19-29% of global greenhouse gas emissions. CSA practices aim to reduce this impact through carbon sequestration and emission reduction techniques.
- Climate Change Adaptation: CSA enhances resilience to climate variability, which is critical as climate-related disasters caused $2,908 billion in economic losses between 1998 and 2017.
- Sustainable Development: CSA aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, promoting green and climate-resilient agri-food systems.
CURRENT HUNGER STATISTICS
The world faces significant food security challenges, as evidenced by the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024:
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- Global GHI score: 18.3, classified as “moderate hunger.”
- Undernourishment: 733 million people globally lack access to sufficient calories.
- Child malnutrition: 148 million children under five are stunted, 45 million are wasted.
- Child mortality: Almost 5 million children die before reaching the age of five due to hunger-related causes.
- Acute food insecurity: 281.6 million people across 59 countries faced crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity in 2023.
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IN INDIA:
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- Conservation Agriculture: It is based on three principles: minimum soil disturbance (zero/reduced tillage), permanent soil cover (retaining crop residues), and crop diversification (rotation/intercropping). Benefits include improved soil health, water conservation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced resilience to climate change.
- Zero-Tillage Techniques: Zero-tillage involves sowing crops without plowing, preserving soil structure and moisture. It reduces input costs by 80%, prevents soil erosion, and enhances carbon sequestration. For example, wheat sowing after rice harvest in Punjab is advanced by 10-12 days using zero-tillage, avoiding yield losses due to terminal heat stress.
- Agroforestry: Agroforestry integrates trees with crops or livestock systems, enhancing biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and resilience. In India, programs like the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry under the National Agroforestry Policy promote species like poplar and eucalyptus for economic and ecological benefits.
- Precision Farming: Precision farming uses technologies like GPS and GIS to optimize inputs such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Examples include variable rate technology (VRT) for nutrient application and remote sensing for crop health monitoring. Adoption in states like Maharashtra has improved resource use efficiency.
- Drip Irrigation: Drip irrigation delivers water directly to plant roots, reducing water use by 30-70% while increasing yields. Promoted under schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), it is widely adopted in Maharashtra for sugarcane cultivation.
- Solar-Powered Irrigation: Solar pumps provide a sustainable alternative to diesel pumps, reducing costs and emissions. Risks include groundwater overexploitation; thus, regulations are needed. For example, Gujarat promotes solar irrigation through the Suryashakti Kisan Yojana.
- Efficient Livestock Management: Practices include improved feed efficiency, biogas production from manure, and breeding climate-resilient livestock. Integrated livestock systems in Rajasthan have enhanced incomes while reducing methane emissions.
- Crop Diversification and Rotation: Crop diversification reduces dependence on monocultures like rice and wheat while improving soil fertility. Initiatives like the Crop Diversification Programme encourage shifts to pulses, oilseeds, and millets in Punjab and Haryana.
CHALLENGES TO CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE (CSA) ADOPTION IN INDIA:
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- Climate Variability: Rainfed rice yields will decline by 20% by 2050 and 47% by 2080 without adaptation measures. Wheat yields could reduce by 19.3% in 2050 and 40% in 2080 due to rising temperatures. Kharif maize yields may drop by 18-23% in similar scenarios.
- Threats to Coastal Agriculture: Sea levels along the Indian coast have risen 8.5 cm over the past 50 years, threatening low-lying agricultural areas. Crops like cashews in Kerala and irrigated paddy in East Indian coastal areas are severely affected by salinity and erratic rainfall patterns.
- High Implementation Costs: Precision farming tools (e.g., GPS, GIS), drip irrigation systems, and solar-powered pumps involve high initial capital outlays. Financial institutions often perceive CSA financing as risky due to uncertain returns. Only a small fraction of global climate finance is allocated to agriculture—less than 4%.
- Fragmented Policies: While India has several initiatives like the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), these programs often operate in silos without integrated implementation strategies.
- Exclusion from Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Despite agriculture’s significant contribution (14.5%) to India’s greenhouse gas emissions, it is excluded from India’s NDCs under the Paris Agreement.
THE WAY FORWARD:
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- Strengthening the Policy and Regulatory Framework: Harmonize existing agriculture, water, and climate policies under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to create a unified policy framework. Align central schemes (e.g., Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana) with state-level climate-resilience goals, improving policy coherence. To ensure consistent financial support, create climate-smart agriculture funds under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
- Promoting Research, Development, and Dissemination of Climate-Resilient Technologies: Linking Lab to Land by strengthening Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and agricultural universities to demonstrate new technologies directly in farmers’ fields, bridging the gap between scientific innovation and on-ground adoption. Localised trials to customise seeds and techniques to different agro-climatic zones (e.g., high rainfall areas in Kerala vs. arid regions in Rajasthan).
- Leveraging Precision Agriculture, Digital Tools, and Early Warning Systems: Utilise satellite imagery, weather forecasting, and GIS to predict rainfall variations, pest outbreaks, and disaster vulnerabilities. Use drones, remote sensors, and soil testing to deliver targeted fertilisers and pesticides, reducing both cost and environmental impact. Deploy real-time data for parametric insurance solutions (e.g., index-based crop insurance) to offer timely pay-outs.
- Expanding Financial Mechanisms: Combine public grants with private and philanthropic investments in dedicated climate-smart funds to enhance the affordability of CSA solutions. Redirect fertilizer subsidies to climate-smart practices, ensuring optimal resource use while maintaining farm-level profitability. Leverage satellite-based yield estimation to simplify insurance claim procedures under schemes like PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana).
- Strengthening Capacity-Building: Regular on-site demonstrations, farmer field schools, and e-learning modules on CSA. Upskill panchayat leaders, District Magistrates, and block-level officers to mainstream CSA in local development plans. Engage women, youth, and self-help groups (SHGs) in planning and leadership roles to foster equitable and sustained adoption.
THE CONCLUSION:
Climate-smart agriculture is not merely a suite of practices; it is a holistic pathway encompassing policy reform, technological innovation, financial mechanisms, institutional capacity, and robust value chains. India’s pursuit of CSA must address the full spectrum of challenges—escalating climate variability, high capital costs, fragmented extension systems, and policy gaps—through integrated and forward-thinking interventions.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 ‘Climate Change’ is a global problem. How India will be affected by climate change? How will the Himalayan and coastal states of India be affected by climate change? 2019
Q.2 How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered by science-based technologies? 2020
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a transformative solution to address the twin challenges of food security and climate change. Critically analyze.
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