National Innovation On Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has informed that 7 climate resilient varieties and 650 district agricultural contingency plans have been developed under National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India launched a flagship network project ‘National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture’ (NICRA) in 2011.
The project aims at strategic research on adaptation and mitigation, demonstration of technologies on farmers’ fields and creating awareness among farmers and other stakeholders to minimize the climatic change impacts on agriculture.
In the strategic research, the main thrust areas covered are (i) identifying most vulnerable districts/regions, (ii) evolving crop varieties and management practices for adaptation and mitigation, (iii) assessing climate change impacts on livestock, fisheries and poultry and identifying adaptation strategies.
In the strategic research, the main thrust areas covered are:
- Identifying most vulnerable districts/regions;
- Evolving crop varieties and management practices for adaptation and mitigation; and
- Assessing climate change impacts on livestock, fisheries and poultry and identifying adaptation strategies
The project consists of four components viz. Strategic Research, Technology Demonstration, Capacity Building and Sponsored/Competitive Grants.

To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through development and application of improved production and risk management technologies
To demonstrate site specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks
To enhance the capacity building of scientists and other stakeholders in climate resilient agricultural research and its application

Strengthening the existing network research on adaptation and mitigation (food crops, horticulture, livestock and fishery) with more infrastructure and capacity building;
Setting up of high through put phenotyping platforms and temperature, CO2, ozone gradient facilities at identified locations/ institutions including North East region;
Strengthening research on climate sensitive crops like cotton, maize, sugarcane, onion, etc. which are critical for India’s farm GDP/exports but not covered in the XI Plan;
Projected impacts on water availability at the river basin level and participatory action research at large number of sites on evolving coping strategies through water saving technologies;
Evolving a national level pest and disease monitoring system to assess the changing pest/disease dynamics under changed climate (both in crops and livestock);
Strengthening crop simulation and climate scenario down-scaling modeling capabilities at major Institutes and a dedicated unit at IARI, New Delhi;
Piloting the operationalization of the district/block level agromet advisory services through KVKs/district line departments and contingency plans during droughts and floods; and
Expanding the technology demonstration and dissemination to 130 vulnerable districts of the country

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National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)