FCF India’s Post

https://lnkd.in/dq_kCD2G India enjoys a unique geography that sustains its diverse agricultural needs. But this may not last long, according to a study done under Network Project on Climate Change by ICAR et al. As per the report, rain-fed rice yields in India were projected to go down by 20% by 2050 and by 47% by 2080, while irrigated rice yields were projected to slide by 3.5% by 2050 and by 5% by 2080. Similarly, the yields of wheat, maize, and soybean were also projected to go down up to 40%, 23%, and 13%, respectively by 2080 due to climate change. #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #India #ICAR #Agriculture

🌏 India needs #climatesolutions that tackle the interconnected challenges of food security and escalating climate change. 🍃 How can we sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes for small and marginal farmers, women, and farmers from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes? 💻 How can we support critical mechanisms for farmers transitioning to non-chemical agriculture? 🤝 How can we create local, context-specific, and place-based agricultural responses? Read #EarthExponential’s technical note on ‘Farms’ to understand how climate solutions enhance resilience to climate risks, ensure development co-benefits like increased incomes and nutrition security, and reduce the sector’s GHG emissions. Read more at https://lnkd.in/dCMdydD6

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has warned that climate change could have a devastating impact on #foodgrainproduction in India. According to their estimates, there could be a decline of up to 47% in foodgrain production by the year 2080. ICAR attributes this potential decline to the adverse effects of #climatechange, including rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns. These changes could significantly affect the yields of key crops like rice, wheat, and maize. In the absence of adoption of adaptation measures, rain-fed rice yields in India were projected to go down by 20% by 2050 and by 47% by 2080, while irrigated rice yields were projected to slide by 3.5% by 2050 and by 5% by 2080. Similarly, the yields of wheat, maize and soybean were also projected to go down up to 40%, 23% and 13%, respectively by 2080 due to climate change. Such a sharp reduction in foodgrain production poses a grave threat to food security in India. With the country's ever-growing #population, ensuring an adequate and stable food supply is becoming increasingly challenging. On a positive note, the government is pushing for more research into climate change and over 1600 scientists, research scholars and students from different parts of the country are engaged to undertake focused research in the field of climate change. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dWCjAzgf  

🍃 Farmers across India are reporting that climate change is adversely affecting the quality of the betel leaf. The hugely popular plant, consumed by millions of people in South Asia, is struggling amid erratic rainfall and unusual temperature fluctuations. Learn more: https://loom.ly/o9STlME #climatechange #betelleaf #southasia #asia #farmers #climate

Did you know rice is both impacted by and contributes to climate change? Growing rice uses a significant amount of freshwater and creates methane emissions. However, it is crucial for global food security. Discover how Bayer's transformational direct-seeded rice system can feed more people sustainably, while also conserving water resources and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change: We are seeing agrarian distress our societies cannot imagine, leave alone respond to. Here are the headlines from a series of 8 reports (May 10-17) in The New Indian Express (see PDF for set of articles). This covers just 8 crops in parts of just one state. Tamil Nadu. Will our societies come out on the other side with our rural populations not worse off than now? Seems most unlikely 😞 1. https://lnkd.in/g9pF4k6S Scorching heat, water scarcity halve betel leaf yields in Tamil Nadu: Because of the production loss, the revenue earned by the farmers does not cover the expenses incurred to raise the crop. 2. https://lnkd.in/gGq9PQjE It’s a sour season for grape farmers in Tamil Nadu: Grape farmers in distress as extreme heat affects flowers; farming cost remains same but yield may fall by up to 80% this year 3. https://lnkd.in/gKtgY9-Z High heat, low water; Farmers go coco nuts in Tamil Nadu: Farmers say the groundwater which was available at a depth of 80 to 100 feet earlier has now dropped to a depth of 200 feet 4. https://lnkd.in/guFqMcvt Extreme climate casts a long shadow on tea production in TN's Nilgiris: Worst summer in past seven decades hits yield of thousands of small tea planters in Nilgiris valley; red spider mites add to woes 5. https://lnkd.in/gkNm9Xud: Not so pulpy mango business: The drastic drop in yield has led to a significant reduction in procurement by mango mandi owners, who supply fruits to the pulp industry. 6. https://lnkd.in/g4UkxQgr Drumstick drought: Climate change cuts crop yields in half in TN's Aravakurichi: This would have been the time of celebration for farmers but the sweltering heat has played spoilsport, leaving the otherwise resilient crop wilting in the adverse weather conditions 7. https://lnkd.in/gMEzGiJz When nature goes bananas: The long-spell of intense heat followed by rains and gale has left banana farmers of the fertile Theni worried as the crop yield has reduced by half, affecting exports and livelihood 8. https://lnkd.in/gzDhfPU7 Burnt flowers to cashew crunch: As summer peaked earlier than usual, cashew flowers got burnt before maturing into fruit, leading to farmers incurring huge loss. #climatechange #climatechangeagriculture #climatechangetamilnadu #farmdistress

A study at ICRIER by Reena Singh and Ashok Gulati, states that the subsidies should no longer prop up the villains of this climate tale but support the heroes: legumes, oilseeds, maize, vegetables, fruits, millets, and low-carbon food-grains. This will not only reduce Indian agriculture’s carbon footprint but also lead to better health outcomes through a diverse range of nutritious foods, and help India achieve the nutritional target under the sustainable development goal by 2030. #climatechange #india #agriculture #icrier https://lnkd.in/di-4DHfw

The World Bank estimates by the end of this decade, climate shocks alone could drive 132 million more people into extreme poverty; by 2050, the risk of hunger and malnutrition could rise by 20%.  One of COP28 climate summits' priorities will be to put “nature, people, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action.” This article highlights the importance of smallholder farmers' ability to cope with changing conditions as an action to improve access to food security. Solutions include: 1. Naturally climate-smart and nutritious crops. 2. More resilient, lower-emission small-scale livestock production. and multiple examples of initiatives by CGIAR worth looking into!