This month, representatives from nearly 200 countries will discuss a global climate action plan at COP28, or the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Delegates from across the world, including India, will meet at the conference under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), between November 30 and December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). They will contribute to the global action plan against climate change at a time when a rapidly warming planet is witnessing unprecedented extreme weather events, fires, floods, droughts and heat waves.
The impact of climate change is visible in the Indian subcontinent and this year India had to suspend exports of rice varieties other than basmati after excessive rains damaged crops. On the other hand, a review report published close to the 2023 UN-Water Conference included India among countries where significant groundwater depletion has been reported worldwide. It is increasingly obvious that the destabilized climate cycle has impacted not only food security but also the well-being of farming communities. It is especially important to provide equal livelihood opportunities to farmers in rural India with a multi-dimensional approach because their problems are even more complex.
COP28 United Arab Emirates | AP
Climate resilient agriculture (CRA) and sustainable agricultural practices, including micro-irrigation, could help increase not only food security by boosting production, but could also help improve biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. Most importantly, they could help farming communities better prepare for unstable weather and monsoon patterns and achieve economic stability.
That a community-first solution can bring together and empower many stakeholders has been demonstrated by over 9,000 marginal farmers in rural India who saw a gradual increase in their livelihoods by investing in community-run solar-powered micro-irrigation systems. community. Indian farmers are an intrinsic part of the country’s economy, as highlighted in a 2020 report by the McKinsey Global Institute. He stated that by 2030, agriculture could contribute around $600 billion to India’s GDP, but that vision cannot be met without “kisaan sashaktikaran‘ or empowerment of small farmers who are the backbone of the rural economy. Therefore, it is important to ensure that Indian farming communities have equal opportunities to grow and prosper.
Empowering smallholder farmers with an ‘Irrigation for All’ model can give them the control they want over water. With greater agency over water use, they can focus on better seeds, updated equipment and innovative farming techniques. Rural poverty is a cycle perpetuated by many factors and returning agency and power to farmers is one way to free them from rudimentary farming methods and reduced incomes.
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Take for example the story of Sunita Samad from Manhu, an area where most men migrate to cities for months to find work and women have to shoulder family responsibilities. Sunita, like most women in her village, grew kharif on a small agricultural plot and struggled with water scarcity. Despite the presence of a nearby river, there was no system to irrigate the arid land. When Sunita was appointed Sachiv of her Village Organization (VO), the community successfully implemented the ‘Irrigation for All’ method. Today, Sunita, along with 80 other households, can grow and harvest crops all year round. The new prosperity has also prevented the town’s men from emigrating.
A project like ‘Irrigation for All’ can make a difference, especially for small farmers like Sunita, who cannot afford irrigation systems and depend mainly on rain and fight not only against climate change but also against the consequences of monoculture. What community irrigation models achieve is working with experts within government and in the market and stakeholders like Sunita to create solutions that work at a micro level but solve macro problems.
For example, in Jharkhand, the TRI and the SRLM formed the State Irrigation Execution Cell (SIEC). SIEC collaborated with community stakeholders and market players to execute community-managed and solar-powered micro-irrigation systems. These systems use simple processes to extract surface water from streams and streams along with collecting rainwater and irrigating fields. This reliable access to energy and control of water has transformed more than 9,600 acres of unproductive smallholder farmers’ land, where crop yields have skyrocketed.
It is a scalable, sustainable and affordable model designed to provide hope to farmers across India struggling with water scarcity. It can rejuvenate unproductive lands and promote crop diversification, while fostering collaborative and inclusive farmer groups to make Indian agriculture more prosperous and sustainable. As world leaders gather to discuss climate action at COP28, Indian farmers are beginning to demonstrate how to break new ground with sustainable solutions designed to fit their needs and demographics.
About the author: Ashok Kumar is the Director of Agricultural Prosperity at Transform Rural India (TRI). All views/opinions expressed in the article are those of the author.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn