"ICAR says knowledge of climate change impact in India is 'fragmentary'"
There are no conclusive studies in India on the prospective impact of climate change on the agriculture sector including livestock and fisheries. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Seeding a policy without the dirt on climate change Then, how can the government be tailoring its policies to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture.
The government is moving towards the 12th Plan with a strategy that has potential to affect the country's food security and make it dependent on imports in the long term.
The simple requirement of farmers on the ground is advanced and accurate information on weather. Coastal States seek policies to sustain productive and protective habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands and fisheries. Hilly States want development of traditional forest land to indigenously manage natural resources. High-altitude States prefer integrated soil and watershed management in a farming system mode to sustain them through the year. But the government has done precious little towards this.
Rather than the top-down policy shifts that could jeopardise food security, there is pressing need for honest location-specific research in partnership with small and marginal farmers to assess over a period of time the impact of climate change.
Instead of being driven by international funding, such research should be driven by the needs of farmers.
The government is moving towards the 12th Plan with a strategy that has potential to affect the country's food security and make it dependent on imports in the long term.
The simple requirement of farmers on the ground is advanced and accurate information on weather. Coastal States seek policies to sustain productive and protective habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands and fisheries. Hilly States want development of traditional forest land to indigenously manage natural resources. High-altitude States prefer integrated soil and watershed management in a farming system mode to sustain them through the year. But the government has done precious little towards this.
Rather than the top-down policy shifts that could jeopardise food security, there is pressing need for honest location-specific research in partnership with small and marginal farmers to assess over a period of time the impact of climate change.
Instead of being driven by international funding, such research should be driven by the needs of farmers.
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