Punjab : Irrigated rice yield to decline by 3.5% by 2050: Min in LS
Union Minister Bhagirath Choudhary reported that climate change could reduce rainfed rice yields by 20% by 2050 and 47% by 2080, with similar declines for wheat and maize. The government, through ICAR’s Nicra project, has identified 310 highly vulnerable districts and implemented mitigation measures, including weather alerts, advisory services, and district-specific contingency plans to help farmers adapt.
Bathinda: Irrigated rice yield is projected to decrease by 3.5% by 2050 and 5% in 2080, according to Union minister of state for agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary in a recent Lok Sabha reply on the impact of climate change on agriculture.The National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (Nicra) study, using simulation models, revealed that rainfed rice yields could drop by 20% by 2050 and 47% by 2080. Similarly, wheat yield in rainfed areas may fall by 19.3% by 2050 and 40% by 2080, while maize yield could decline by 18% by 2050 and 23% by 2080, said the minister.The minister said that the govt, through the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) flagship network project Nicra, has assessed agricultural vulnerability in 651 agricultural districts. Of these, 109 districts are categorised as very high and 201 districts as highly vulnerable.To mitigate the impacts, the govt has implemented several measures. Weather alerts are issued through the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and state disaster units. The IMD, in collaboration with ICAR and state agricultural universities, provides biweekly Agro-Met Advisory Services to farmers, offering weather forecasts and crop advice, said the minister. Additionally, the govt has rolled out the District Agricultural Contingency Plan (DACP) for 651 districts, recommending location-specific interventions such as climate-resilient crops and best practices for farmers. These efforts, according to the minister, aim to help farmers adapt to climate challenges like heatwaves, droughts, and storms.
The minister’s response came after Lok Sabha member K Sudhakar asked whether there is any study report on the impact of climate change on agriculture in the country and whether any technological interventions are being planned by the govt for farmers to provide early warning of impending heatwaves, droughts, storms, or any other natural disasters.
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Source : The Times Of India
