2380 High-Yielding Crop Varieties Introduced in Last 9 Years in Response to Climate Change

The government has introduced 2,380 crop varieties over the past nine years aimed at assisting small and marginal farmers in coping with climate change. These varieties, designed to combat both climatic stress and pests, constitute 80% of the total.

Additionally, the government has endorsed 68 location-specific climate-resilient technologies to be widely adopted in farming communities. It has also devised agricultural contingency plans for 650 districts, aiding policymakers in responding to delayed monsoons and extreme weather events, allowing them to allocate resources effectively.

A government study reveals a projected decline in major crop production over the next two decades due to climate change.

The increased frequency of extreme weather, irregular rainfall, and drought has led to diminished grain yields, impacting small farmers and contributing to increased farm indebtedness and outmigration.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Arjun Munda informed Parliament that various research models predict a decline in the production of key food crops such as rice, wheat, maize, and soybean in the absence of adaptation measures.

Simulation modelling studies presented in Parliament indicate potential reductions in irrigated rice yields by 3%, rainfed rice yields by 7 to 28%, wheat yield by 3.2-5.3%, and maize yield by 9-10%.

Conversely, soybean yield is expected to increase by 2.5-5.5% between 2020 and 2039. The government's efforts in introducing resilient crop varieties and technologies are crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.