New Delhi: Climate change is already cutting into India’s food supply, disrupting farm-to-market systems and driving up food prices, with losses now running into billions of dollars a year, according to a report published Wednesday.
For instance, heat stress alone costs India an estimated Rs 2,661 crore annually in lost milk production, equivalent to approximately 1.8 million tonnes of milk, or about 2 per cent of the national output, said the report.
Titled ‘From Risk to Resilience Climate Change, Ecology and the Future of Indian Agriculture’, the report has been published by Climate Trends, a Delhi-based climate research organisation.
It consolidates existing evidence on climate and ecological risks facing India’s food production, and sets out policy pathways for an agro-ecological transition to a more sustainable food system.
According to the report, approximately 40 per cent of India’s livestock population is vulnerable to extreme weather events, while 45 per cent of crop-producing land lies within areas exposed to significant flood risk.
Moreover, research shows that over the past five decades, an increase of 1 degree Celsius in temperature has reduced national average all-crop yields by approximately 8 per cent.
In a statement, Dr Palak Balyan, research lead at Climate Trends, said, What this paper clarifies is that India’s food losses are not just a farming problem. They are a systems problem.
Fixing this requires more than improved weather forecasts. It needs sustained investment in storage, extension services and market access, so farmers aren’t left absorbing these losses alone, she said.
The report also highlights the need to move beyond yield-centric approaches towards restoring soil health, conserving water, diversifying cropping systems and reducing dependence on chemical inputs.
This must be supported by stronger institutional frameworks, integrated climate risk management, accessible adaptation finance for smallholders, and the ado
