Climate Change and India's Farmers: An FAO Insight

Context:
The FAO’s recent report, "The Unjust Climate: Measuring the Impacts of Climate Change on Rural Poor, Women, and Youth," highlights how climate change disproportionately affects poor farmers in India. Key findings show the severe impact of climate-induced issues like heat stress, floods, and droughts on marginalized communities.

About FAO:

• UN Agency: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized UN agency established in 1945, headquartered in Rome.
• Mission: It focuses on defeating hunger, improving nutrition, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
• Key Objectives:
  • Eradicate Hunger: Ensures everyone has access to safe, nutritious food.
  • Sustainable Agriculture: Promotes environmentally friendly farming to preserve natural resources.
  • Improve Rural Livelihoods: Supports rural farmers, especially women, by providing tools, knowledge, and market access.
  • Tackle Climate Change: Advocates climate-resilient farming practices to protect food systems.

Key Findings of the Report:

1. Income Disparities:
   • Poor households globally lose 5% of income due to heat stress and 4.4% due to floods.
   • In India, rural poor households are highly vulnerable because they depend heavily on climate-sensitive agriculture.
2. Structural Inequalities:
   • Poor farmers face deeper income losses during climate crises.
   • They allocate more resources to sustaining agricultural production, reducing off-farm employment opportunities.
3. Impact of Heat Stress and Floods:
   • Climate change widens the income gap globally.
   • Floods increase this gap by $21 billion annually, while heat stress adds over $20 billion.
   • In India, poor households experience a 33% reduction in off-farm incomes due to rising temperatures.

Policy Recommendations:

• Expand Social Security: Introduce anticipatory social protection programs to support vulnerable communities before extreme weather events.
• Address Gender Barriers: Promote workforce diversification, mentorship, and initiatives to empower women and youth in rural areas.
• Gender-Transformative Approaches: Challenge discriminatory social norms and empower women to make economic decisions.

NITI Aayog's Response:
India is addressing climate challenges through several key initiatives:

• National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA): Helps farmers adapt to extreme weather conditions with crop-specific solutions.
• Employment Guarantee Schemes: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme ensures economic security.
• Food Distribution Programs: The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provided free food grains during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Increased Women’s Participation: Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) show a significant rise in women’s workforce participation, signaling progress toward gender equality.