FAO report on impact of climate change on farmers

Source: This post on FAO report on impact of climate change on farmers has been created based on the article “Secretary (DEPwD) inaugurates “Climate change impact harsher on poorer farmers in India: FAO report “ published in The Hindu on 17^th October 2024.

Why in news?

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported recently that poor households globally lose an average of 5% of their total income each year due to heat stress and 4.4% due to floods, in contrast to relatively better-off households.

Findings of the study

1. Income Loss from Heat and Floods: Poor households globally lose an average of 5% of their income annually due to heat stress and 4.4% due to floods.

2. Structural Inequalities: The report suggests that structural inequalities make poor households more vulnerable to climate stressors, which exacerbates income disparities.

3. Effect on On-Farm Income: Rural poor in India experience varying impacts on their farm income depending on the type of climate stress. Droughts and similar events prompt poor households to allocate more time and resources to agricultural production as off-farm job opportunities decline.

4. Reduced Total Income: Poor households tend to have lower overall income compared to those not exposed to significant climate stressors.

Policy Recommendations for Mitigating Impact

Expand Social Security: The report calls for a broader social security net to mitigate the adverse effects of climate stress on poor farmers.

Anticipatory Social Protection: Scaling up social protection programs to prepare for extreme weather events can help reduce the reliance on negative coping strategies and prevent poverty induced by these events.

Workforce Diversification: Enhancing non-farm employment opportunities and addressing gender barriers in these fields can help improve economic resilience.

Government Response and Initiatives

National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA): NICRA was launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2011 to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration.

Contingency Plans and Employment Schemes: India has contingency plans for all agricultural districts and was the first to implement an employment guarantee scheme as a social safety net for farmers.

UPSC Syllabus: Agriculture