United nations Sustainable goals were adopted which urges countries to take urgent steps to combat climate change and its impacts. The areas of concern to india especially where agriculture is the predominant sources of livelihood are increase in mean temperature,excess or deficit in rainfall,weather uncertainty events,drought,sea level rise tsunami etc.
The rise in mean temperature of the order of 2-3 degree Celsius will lead to huge loss of wheat crops in india every year. The particular area of concern to our country are a rise in mean temperature and a possible rise in sea level.we have to insulate livelihoods from the adverse impact of unfavourable climate. Our strategy should be to maximize the production benefits of good monsoons and minimize the adverse impact of climate change. We need to plan and adapt various mitigation technologies and method to the local level itself.need to establish at panchayat level,climate risk management centres and train a cadre of community climate risk managers.
Attention will be require in equipping the disaster management task force to prepare itself better to deal with frequent floods and hailstorms.The greatest challenge will be for coastal areas.In those areas,mangroves forests should be conserved and their area be increased.Also, there is scope now for both bio-saline farming.
Another consequences of sea level rise will be the need for finding alternative places of living to those who are living near sea . they need to be provided with suitable place to live. There is also need for agriculture to make a contribution to reducing green house gas emissions.Involvement of women is particularly important since they suffer the most from the adverse impact of climate change as for example in area like collecting drinking water, fodder, fuel etc. Hence all the programmes relating to climate change adaption and mitigation must be gender sensitive.
Along with mitigation steps to be taken, reducing deforestation and promoting afforestation in a people centred manner will help to reduce the carbon dioxide burden in the atmosphere. Methane gas can be used to promote biogas plants. This will help both in reducing methane gas accumulation in atmosphere and at the same time,provide fuel and fertilizers to the farmers.At the local level,the most effecting method of contributing to low carbon development pathway is the principle of establishing bio-gas plants and farm pond in every farm.
Climate change can be a mega catastrophe if we do not take action now,both in the area of mitigation and adaptation.pre preparations to potential change in temperature, precipitation and sea level can help to introduce new technologies in farming. Climate change has already increased the volatility of prices of agriculture commodities. In the future it will be difficult to import food grains at an affordable prices.Therefore, the future will belong to the nations with grains and not guns.
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