Government eyeing to bring 60% of total wheat area under climate-resistant varieties

28 Sep 2023 Evaluate

The government is eyeing to bring 60 per cent of the total wheat area of 30 million hectare under the climate-resistant varieties as the rabi (winter) sowing season commencing from next month. The government has set a target in response to the strong El Nino conditions. Despite the challenges of climate change, the Union Agriculture Ministry has kept a target of achieving a record wheat output of 114 million tonne in the 2023-24 rabi season against the actual output of 112.74 million tonne in the year-ago period. Sowing of wheat, the main rabi crop, begins in October, while harvesting starts in March/April. 

There are certain changes in climate change that are affecting agriculture. Due to this government is adopting climate resilient seeds strategy. Faced with a heatwave in 2021, the government encouraged farmers in 2022 to go for heat-tolerant wheat varieties in 47 per cent of the total wheat acreage of 30 million hectares. Besides, the Center is urging states to push farmers to grow heat-resistant varieties. The availability of climate-resistant varieties in India is more than 800. These seeds need to be put in the seed chain as part of the seed rolling plan. The government has requested all states to identify specific areas and map varieties that can be sown.

There is still monsoon expected in October-November in certain states. IMD is still saying El Nino conditions are strong. The government is ready with a contingency plan for 450 villages. The ministry is working on a framework that will be rolled out across villages to make farmers understand the impact of climate change and how they respond. States needed to focus on narrowing down the yield gap in pulses while also stressing the need to share accurate farm data for estimating foodgrains production.


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