Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August released 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops. The new environment-friendly varieties are expected to be highly beneficial in reducing expenditure and increasing profits on farmers yields. The 109 varieties of 61 crops include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops. They include cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and commercial crops.
The release of new seeds is an important initiative to counter the impact of climate change on agriculture. Whereas the agriculture’s contribution to climate change is considerable, the sector is likely to bear the brunt of changes in weather and climate patterns in a major way. Climate change poses a multitude of challenges to agriculture. Shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns directly affect crop yields, threatening food security for millions. Droughts, floods, and hurricanes disrupt growing seasons, leading to significant economic losses for farmers.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), climate change could push an additional 100 million people into hunger by 2030, if countries fail to adapt to new agricultural practices. Says Sangeeta Dawar from Bayer Crop Science, “Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we all face today. According to a global survey of 2,000 farmers, 75 per cent recognize the reality of climate change and agree that adaptation is necessary.”
As climate change intensifies, India's nearly 120 million farmers—most with less than 5 acres of land—are seeing their livelihoods threatened by erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and increased pest infestations. As India is among the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, the new climate resilient seeds are essential in ensuring the well-being of farmers, people as well as export.
The economic implications of climate change on agriculture cannot be overstated. Farmers who adopt climate-resilient practices are better equipped to manage the risks associated with climate variability. Besides, adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices enhances resource efficiency. Speaking at the second edition of the Rith Summit organised by Arya.ag, India's largest integrated grain commerce platform, in strategic partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in New Delhi, Subhadeep Sanyal from Omnivore, an Indian start up in the agriculture said, “In agriculture, if we don't prioritise sustainability in relation to nature, it will directly impact our assets and, consequently, the market. Economic sustainability is a key factor for us when evaluating investments, with our focus being on increasing farmers' income and providing them better access to finance.”
Chattanathan Devarajan, Co-Founder of Arya.ag, emphasised on the importance of Public-Private Partnerships to reduce food loss, fostering multi-stakeholder collaborations for climate action, and developing a digital platform for sustainable sourcing. “We enabled Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models in collaboration with the state governments of Uttar Pradesh and Assam to contribute to climate action. These initiatives have reduced food loss by 7 per cent, enabled the conservation of 12 million litres of water, and saved 48,000 kgs of fertilisers.” Adds Raman Wadhwa, Director of DAY-NRLM at the Ministry of Rural Development, “Collaboration is key to making our efforts more climate-resilient. No one can tackle this alone; we need multi stakeholder partnerships to drive climate action. The climate crisis is an urgent threat, and the economic cost will be enormous if we don't act. However, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity.”
As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, the agricultural sector stands at a critical crossroads. The urgency for climate-resilient agriculture has never been more pronounced. With rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, and increasing frequency of extreme weather events, the need for sustainable agricultural practices is essential not only for food security but also for the health of our ecosystems and economies.