21-Mar-2023: Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
Government of India is aware about the impact of climate change on agriculture and farmers’ lives. Extensive field and simulation studies were carried out in agriculture by the network centres located in different parts of the country. The climate change impact assessment was carried out using the crop simulation models by incorporating the projected climates of 2050 & 2080. In absence of adoption of adaptation measures, rainfed rice yields in India are projected to reduce by 20% in 2050 and 47% in 2080 scenarios while, irrigated rice yields are projected to reduce by 3.5% in 2050 and 5% in 2080 scenarios. Climate change is projected to reduce wheat yield by 19.3% in 2050 and 40% in 2080 scenarios towards the end of the century with significant spatial and temporal variations. Climate change is projected to reduce the kharif maize yields by 18 and 23% in 2050 and 2080 scenarios, respectively. Climate change reduces crop yields and lower nutrition quality of produce. Extreme events like droughts affect the food and nutrient consumption, and its impact on farmers.
Government of India has formulated schemes/plans to make agriculture more resilient to climate change. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is one of the Missions within the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The mission aims at evolving and implementing strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate.
To meet the challenges of sustaining domestic food production in the face of changing climate, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India launched a flagship network research project ‘National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture’ (NICRA) in 2011. The project aims to develop and promote climate resilient technologies in agriculture, which addresses vulnerable areas of the country and the outputs of the project help the districts and regions prone to extreme weather conditions like droughts, floods, frost, heat waves, etc. to cope with such extreme events. Short term and long-term research programs with a national perspective have been taken up involving adaptation and mitigation covering crops, horticulture, livestock, fisheries and poultry. The main thrust areas covered are;
- identifying most vulnerable districts/regions,
- evolving crop varieties and management practices for adaptation and mitigation,
- assessing climate change impacts on livestock, fisheries and poultry and identifying adaptation strategies. Since 2014, 1888 climate resilient varieties have been developed besides 68 location specific climate resilient technologies have been developed and demonstrated for wider adoption among farming communities.
16-Mar-2023: Features, Details and Status of Inter-Linking of Rivers
The National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development was formulated by the Government of India in 1980. The NPP comprises of two components, viz; Peninsular Rivers Development Component and Himalayan Rivers Development Component.
Under the two components of NPP, a total of 30 link projects have been identified; 14 link projects under Himalayan Rivers Development Component and 16 link projects under Peninsular Rivers Development Component. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work of Interlinking of Rivers under the NPP. Out of 30 identified link projects under the NPP, Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) of all the 30 links have been completed, while Feasibility Reports (FRs) of 24 links and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of 8 links have also been completed.
The Ken-Betwa Link project (KBLP) is the first link under the NPP for which implementation has been initiated. The Government of India approved the implementation of the project in December, 2021 with an estimated cost of ₹ 44,605 crore (year 2020-21 price level) with a Central Support of ₹ 39,317 crore through a Special Purpose Vehicle, viz; Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA).
Under the NPP, link projects cover many districts of North India which are in the grip of drought. The KBLP will benefit the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Uttar Pradesh (UP), which faces recurrent drought situation. The project will provide annual irrigation to an area of 10.62 lakh hectare (8.11 lakh hectare in MP and 2.51 lakh hectare in UP) in the Chhattarpur, Tikamgarh, Panna, Sagar, Damoh and Datia districts of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur districts of Uttar Pradesh in Bundelkhand region as well as to the Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen districts of Madhya Pradesh. The project will also provide 194 Million Cubic Metre (MCM) of water for enroute drinking water supply to a population of 62 lakh (41 lakh in MP and 21 lakh in UP) and generate 130 Megawatt (MW) of power (103 MW of hydro power and 27 MW of solar power).
The Government has made vigorous efforts by pursuing the inter-linking of rivers (ILR) program in a consultative manner and has accorded it top priority. DPRs of link projects, upon completion, have been shared with the concerned States and efforts made at various levels for the States to reach a consensus. A “Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers (SCILR)” has been constituted in September, 2014 for the implementation of ILR programme. The implementation of the ILR link projects depends upon the concerned States to reach a consensus on related issues.
Peninsular Rivers Development Component: The scheme is divided into four major parts:
- Interlinking of Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery rivers and building storages at potential sites in these basins. This part involves interlinking of the major river systems where surplus from the Mahanadi and the Godavari are intended to be transferred to the needy areas in the south, through Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery rivers.
- Interlinking of west flowing rivers, north of Bombay and south of Tapi : The scheme provides for taking water supply canal to the metropolitan areas of Mumbai; it also provides irrigation in the coastal areas in Maharashtra.
- Interlinking of Ken-Chambal: The scheme provides for a water grid for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and interlinking canal backed by as many storages as possible.
- Diversion of other west flowing rivers : The high rainfall on the western side of the "Western Ghats" runs down into numerous streams which discharge into the Arabian Sea. The construction of an interlinking canal system backed up by adequate storages could be planned to meet requirements of new areas on the western side as also for transfer of some waters towards east to meet the needs of drought affected areas.
Himalayan Rivers Development Component: The Himalayan Rivers Development Component envisages construction of storages on the principal tributaries of Ganga and the Brahmaputra in India, Nepal and Bhutan along with interlinking canal systems to transfer surplus flows of the eastern tributaries of the Ganga to the West, apart from linking of the main Brahmaputra and its tributaries with the Ganga and Ganga with Mahanadi and further south.
Several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, are affected by temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees Celsius higher than normal.
(Imaginary depiction)
- Bhuntar in Himachal recorded a new high of 29.7 degrees Celsius due to dry spell since February 12.
- Bhuj in Gujarat recorded the maximum temperature of 40.3 degrees Celsius.
- Delhi experienced the warmest day of the season with a maximum temperature of 29.8 degrees Celsius.
- 37-39 degrees Celsius was recorded in Saurashtra, Kutch, and southwest Rajasthan.
- 24-27 degrees Celsius was recorded in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand.
Possible reasons for abnormal seasonal changes in temperature in India:
India is a country known for its diverse weather conditions. The climate is characterized by two main seasons, namely the summer and winter. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing trend of abnormal seasonal changes in temperature. This has led to concerns and debates among scientists, environmentalists, and policymakers.
Global warming:
The primary reason for the abnormal seasonal changes in temperature in India is global warming. The Earth's temperature has been steadily rising due to the increased amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun, causing the Earth's temperature to rise, which results in abnormal seasonal changes in temperature causing frequent dry spells regionally which in turn influence the average temperatures.
El Niño and La Niña in the Pacific Ocean:
El Niño is a weather pattern that causes warm water to move towards the eastern Pacific, which results in changes in the weather patterns across the globe. La Niña is the opposite of El Niño and causes cooler water to move towards the eastern Pacific. Both of these weather patterns can cause abnormal seasonal changes in temperature in India.
Deforestation:
Deforestation is the removal of trees from forests for commercial or developmental purposes. This has a direct impact on the climate as trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Deforestation leads to an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which results in an increase in temperature, causing abnormal seasonal changes in temperature.
Other causes
Urbanization:
India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and with economic growth comes urbanization. Urbanization results in the creation of concrete jungles, which absorb more heat than natural surfaces like forests and water bodies. This leads to a phenomenon called the "Urban Heat Island Effect," which causes an increase in temperature in urban areas, resulting in abnormal seasonal changes in temperature.
Industrialization:
Industrialization is another reason for abnormal seasonal changes in temperature. Industrial activities like mining, manufacturing, and transportation emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which results in an increase in temperature. Industrialization also results in the destruction of natural habitats, which further exacerbates the problem of abnormal seasonal changes in temperature.
All the above reasons have a direct or indirect relationship with each other and play an interconnected role in influencing the weather and climatic changes.
Abnormal seasonal changes in temperature in India are a cause for concern as they can have adverse effects on the environment, agriculture, and human health. It is essential to understand the reasons for these changes and take appropriate measures to mitigate their effects. Measures such as reducing carbon emissions, promoting afforestation, and implementing sustainable urbanization policies can help in the long run.