The Government of India, through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is advancing climate resilient agriculture under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project, which focuses on assessing the impact of climate change on agriculture while promoting future-ready farming technologies to meet rising food grain demand.
ICAR conducted a district-level risk and vulnerability assessment across 651 predominantly agricultural districts, following Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) protocols.
The findings revealed that 310 districts are vulnerable to climate risks, including 109 categorized as “very high” vulnerability and 201 as “highly” vulnerable.
To strengthen Climate Resilient Agriculture, District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACPs) have been developed for all 651 districts. These plans address weather aberrations and recommend location-specific climate-resilient crops, varieties, and management practices for use by State Departments of Agriculture.
Under the NICRA framework, climate resilient agriculture is being implemented through on-ground demonstrations in 448 model climate resilient villages spread across 151 climatically vulnerable districts.
These demonstrations are facilitated through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), focusing on enhancing farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate variability.
Key interventions supporting Climate Resilient Agriculture include capacity building for village-level seed banks and community nurseries.
Climate-resilient crop varieties such as drought- and flood-tolerant rice, wheat, soybean, and mustard have been demonstrated across NICRA villages to mitigate risks associated with extreme weather conditions.
Further strengthening Climate Resilient Agriculture, training programmes are being conducted under the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) to educate farmers on improved agricultural practices.
Over the last decade (2014–2024), ICAR has released 2,900 crop varieties, of which 2,661 are tolerant to biotic and/or abiotic stresses.
To expand the reach of Climate Resilient Agriculture, technical assistance is also being extended to small and marginal farmers in additional vulnerable districts beyond the 151 currently covered.
Community-led institutions such as Village Climate Risk Management Committees, along with seed and fodder banks, have been established through a participatory approach.
Climate Resilient Agriculture: Promoting New Technologies in Agriculture and Allied Sectors
ICAR has further strengthened Climate Resilient Agriculture by establishing 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the country to promote new technologies in agriculture and allied sectors.
These KVKs have trained over 18.56 lakh farmers through various programmes aimed at enhancing resilience and productivity.
The Government is also leveraging advanced technologies to accelerate Climate Resilient Agriculture. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT-enabled systems are being deployed to improve crop productivity, sustainability, and farmer livelihoods.
The “Kisane-Mitra” voice-based AI chatbot supports 11 regional languages and assists farmers with queries related to PM-KISAN and other schemes. It handles over 20,000 queries daily and has responded to more than 95 lakh queries so far.
In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched “Bharat VISTAAR,” an AI-powered multilingual digital platform providing real-time advisory, market rates, weather updates, and access to government schemes through a single interface.
The platform currently supports Hindi and English, with plans to expand to 11 languages, and includes a 24×7 AI assistant, “Bharati,” offering immediate support via phone.
The National Pest Surveillance System, powered by AI and Machine Learning, further enhances Climate Resilient Agriculture by detecting pest infestations early.
The system is currently used by over 10,000 extension workers and supports 61 crops and more than 400 pests, helping reduce climate-induced crop losses.
Additionally, AI-based analytics using field photographs and satellite imagery are being utilized for crop-weather matching and monitoring sowing patterns, strengthening the overall framework of Climate Resilient Agriculture.
ICAR has also launched “KISAN SARATHI,” an ICT-based platform delivering digital advisories to farmers on crop selection, pest management, and yield optimization.
The platform has registered over 2.75 crore farmers from more than 3.43 lakh villages, further supporting the expansion of Climate Resilient Agriculture across India.
The promotion of drought-resistant and high-yield seed varieties has been intensified under this comprehensive approach, ensuring that Climate Resilient Agriculture continues to address environmental variability while supporting sustainable agricultural growth.
