8.56 ndian onom
been taken to ensure mainstreaming of women in agricultural strategies suitable to their local
agriculture sector: conditions. The CSA aims to tackle three main
Earmarking at least 30 per cent of the objectives—
budget allocation for women beneficiaries (i) Sustainably increasing agricultural
in all ongoing schemes and programmes. productivity and incomes;
Initiating women centric activities. (ii) Adapting and building resilience to
Focus on women self-help group (SHG) climate change; and
by delivering micro-credit and right (iii) Reducing and/or removing greenhouse
information together with involving gas emissions wherever possible.
them in the decision-making bodies. Though, this new concept is at a nascent
Recognising the critical role of women in stage in India, the Government has already
agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture started taking policy initiatives in this direction.
and Farmers Welfare has declared 15th At present, climate resilient technologies are
October of every year as Women Farmer’s being demonstrated in 153 model villages
Day. under KVK (Kisan Vikas Kendra) covering 23
Indian farm sector needs a gender specific states under National Innovations on Climate
policy framework to adjust with the existing and Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). In addition, 623
emerging realities in the sector. Such a nuanced contingency plans have been prepared to manage
policy intervention will not only enhance food various weather aberrations such as droughts,
security but promote gender equality, extension floods, cyclones, hailstorms, heat and cold waves.
services, sustainability and all-round development
in the rural areas. looKInG AHeAd
Though the share of agriculture and allied sector
clImAte smArt AGrIculture in gross value added (GVA) is on decline, the
Climate change can impact the farm sector latest Economic Survey 2017-18 suggests that in
in different ways—increased variability in the process of inclusive growth in the country, the
temperature, rainfall, extreme weather events like sector will remain an engine of broad based growth.
drought and flood. These incidences ultimately This will not only reduce inequalities and poverty
hit the farm community in a very negative way. but will also strengthen food security.
To fight out these uncertainties development of At present, the agriculture sector of the
a climate resilient agro-system is the need of the country is experiencing structural changes which
hour. are opening up new challenges and opportunities.
It is in this backdrop that the new concept of The initiatives taken by the Government in
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged.83 this regard are multi-dimensional and oriented
It is an approach that helps to guide actions towards transforming the sector—
needed “to transform and reorient agricultural Agricultural marketing
systems to effectively support development and Initiation of technology
ensure food security under changing climate”. It Adoption of Direct Benefit Transfer
aims to provide stakeholders the means to identify (DBT) mode for timely delivery of
83. Economic Survey 2017-18, Vol. 2, pp. 113-114, extension services, credit and other inputs
Ministry of Finance, GoI, N. Delhi. to small and marginal farmers.