Climate Change Poses Severe Threat to India’s Paddy Production

India’s rice-growing regions face increasing vulnerability to climate change, with rainfed paddy yields projected to decline by 20% by 2050 and 47% by 2080, according to a study by the National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Key Findings on Paddy Vulnerability
• Rainfed rice yields may drop by 20% by 2050 and 47% by 2080 without adaptation strategies.
• Irrigated rice yields could decline by 3.5% by 2050 and 5% by 2080 due to climate-related factors.

Government’s Efforts Through NMSA
The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), launched in 2010, aims to address these challenges by:
• Promoting sustainable farming practices to enhance climate resilience.
• Implementing climate adaptation measures to safeguard agricultural productivity.
With India being one of the world’s largest rice producers, these findings underscore the urgent need for climate-resilient agricultural techniques to protect food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers.