Climate change and Agriculture | Direct and Indirect Subsidies | Agriculture Resource

Climate and Agriculture

Issues -

• Rice production is going down due to adverse climate chage. Rice being imp nutritional food to feed the country can delay the SDG1 goal.
• United Nations' State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2018 states that due to climate change Hunger is increasing in the world. Maize, millet and Sorgum is more climate resilient and as against this rice is more vulnerable to it.

Solution - 

• Alternate crop system will save water, soil from degradation and food availibility.
• Maize, millet and Sorgum can help in SDG1 goal.
• Awareness program about climate and how to tackle the food production issue and these alternative grains, often clubbed as “Smart Food”.. eg
•  India celebrated 2018 as the national year of millets. (Moreover, India's proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023 has been approved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO))
• ICRISAT which conducts research on six highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops, recently discovered important factors for heat and drought tolerance in chickpea.

* International seed testing association founded in 1924. First Congress is being held in Hyderabad in Asia.

produces internationally agreed rules for seed sampling and testing, accredits laboratories, promotes research, provides international seed analysis certificates and training, and disseminates knowledge HQ in Switzerland

* Kisan credit card (KCC) - 1998 to provide timely credit support implemented by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks and Cooperatives to farmers for their cultivation purpose later extended to non agri farmers too.

Under KCC facility, Interest subvention is available for animal husbandry and fisheries farmers @ 2% PA at the time of disbursal of loan and additional interest subvention @ 3 % pa provided by NABARD & RBI.

Fish, Poultry & Dairy Farmers (individual & groups/partners/sharecroppers/tenant farmers), Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups and Woman group are eligible under extended KCC scheme.

* Nutrient based subsidy rate got approved by cabinet committee of economic affairs chaired by PM which was proposed by Dept of fertilizer.

Fertilizer subsidy expenditure is 2nd highest after food subsidy n as it is dependent on import of petroleum the subsidy is required to b given by govt.

However we should be force on domestic production n fertilizer use should go down as it is depleting the quality of soil health n fiscal health.

The correct recommended ratio of fertilizer is 4:2:1 for nitrogen, phosphorous n potash but this is not followed properly.

* Karan vedanta - new hybrid wheat variety also known as DBW-187 can be used where full irrigation facility is gud.

High in protien n iron, resistant to yellow rust n wheat blast n high heat tolerant by Indian institute of wheat n barley research under ICAR. 

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