Development of Climate-Smart Agriculture in South Asia

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Professor Vellingiri Geethalakshmi, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) (Photo by TNAU)

Prof. Vellingiri Geethalakshmi is Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), India.

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) was coined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2010. It encapsulates the need for agriculture in developing countries to undergo a significant transformation if the challenges of food security (in the face of climate change) are to be met.

In South Asia, Himalayan snow and ice that provide vast amounts of water for agriculture in the region are expected to decline by 20% during the next decade. Models suggest that climate change could lead to a decline in rice production by 14% in South Asia as well.

How should we in South Asia approach the concept of climate-smart agriculture?

South Asia is a very vulnerable region – it’s hosting 17% of the world’s population (1.6 billion people) in about 2.4% of the world’s land area. If we look at poverty levels in the region, 40% of the world’s poor people are residing here, as well as one fourth of the world’s hungry people and 40% of the world’s malnourished children.

In terms of vulnerability, nearly 50% of the region’s population depends on the agriculture sector and more than 80% of its farms are small and marginal. Food production needs to be increased by at least 60% before the mid mid-century. Specifically, people now need 2500 kilocalories instead of 1900 kilocalories.

According to the 2018 Report on State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, climate vulnerability and extremes are the key drivers. One of these impacts include global temperatures are projected to warm by about 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050.

However, in some countries like Afghanistan, temperature rises of more than two degrees Celsius has already happened and the country is also reporting a 27% reduction in rainfall from 1930 to 2010.

It is becoming very important to recognize that the agriculture sector is becoming highly vulnerable and we need to look into climate-smart agriculture initiatives. There should be climate action and this should happen immediately.

Is the concept of climate-smart agriculture economically viable for small farmers?

Greenhouse gas emissions are mainly happening because of the agriculture sector, but at the same time, the agriculture sector is getting impacted by greenhouse gas emissions.

Well, the concept has three important pillars – increasing productivity and incomes sustainably, enhancing the resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems, and reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gas emissions are mainly happening because of the agriculture sector, but at the same time, the agriculture sector is getting impacted by greenhouse gas emissions. For example, almost 5 to 5.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide result from this sector, which is almost 70.6% of the world’s total emissions.

Climate-smart agriculture will protect the environment and also save the livelihood of the farming community by increasing the productivity, sustainability, and income level of the farmer.

Prof. Geethalakshmi spoke with ADPC as part of its ‘Climate Talks’ panel discussion on Climate-Smart Agriculture in South Asia.

Watch the full panel discussion here.

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homolata

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Development of Climate-Smart Agriculture in South Asia

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