06 Jun 2022|Noida | Amity University, Noida
International Training Program on “Building Capacity to Enhance Farmer's Capabilities to Address the Challenges of Climate Change using Climate Smart Agriculture Strategies”, at Amity
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Amity Food & Agriculture Foundation (AFAF), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida Campus has organized an International Training Programme on “Building Capacity to Enhance Farmer's Capabilities to Address the Challenges of Climate Change using Climate Smart Agriculture Strategies” under sanctioned Asia Pacific Network (APN) Project from Monday, 6th to 10th June, 2022, in Hybrid Mode.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Kadambot Siddique, Prof. of Agriculture, Chair & Director, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, said, “Considering the change in climatic conditions and its impact on agriculture output, there is an urgency to develop new adaptive approaches of agriculture to address this challenge. The recently developed Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) approach appears promising to feed growing world population under climate change. The CSA concept relies on three components: productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. Climate Change is a global problem, however, it is important to work on it at national and local level. Promoting the skills of the farmers and providing them with the right kind of training will serve as a solution to the problem. Different training programs for farmers have focused on these aspects however present alarming situation demands an integrated approach to address the massive challenge of climate change.”
Citing the reasons for Challenges in Agriculture induced by Climate Change, Md. Dr. Saleh Ahmed, Chairman, Kernel Group of Companies, Bangladesh, stated, “Increasing global temperature, rising sea levels and melting polar ice caps result in land submergence, salinity intrusion, severe drought, frequent and more intense floods- all of which drastically impact agricultural productivity, food security and the livelihoods of millions of people in the affected regions. Experts of climate change, agriculture and other relevant fields of the South Asian countries came together to identify climate resilient technologies and practices which farmers can adopt in their fields to keep the productivity trends upward despite climatic hazards. The climate resilient technologies need to be selected on the basis of the agro-ecological systems of the respective regions. The selection criteria of climate smart technologies should prioritize the potential of the technologies to improve productivity, increase resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Smita Barkataky, FOCUS Project Coordinator, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), New Delhi, averred, “Over the years, the work of FAO in India has gone well beyond the realm of food production, covering issues like access to food and nutrition, livelihoods, rural development and sustainable agriculture. With the looming impact of climate change and outbreaks of new strains of pests the work of FAO has become even more complex, making it an important knowledge partner to assist the country with informed decision-making. At the same time, India also adds great value to FAO work, providing technical expertise to other countries, also acting as an important source of development lessons. With increasing population, the problem of food is also increasing. In future, 60 per cent more food will be required for consumption according to the population and if 60 per cent more food is not produced, the problem of hunger and malnutrition will become common in the country. Therefore, it is imperative to find innovative solutions to the existing problems of Climate Change in Agriculture.”
Dr. Hemant Borgaonkar, Member, Asia Pacific Network Project, said, “The problem of climate is a serious problem because of which food and agriculture are being adversely affected. APN’s mission is to support a cohesive and interactive community of global change researchers, policymakers, practitioners and civil society across the Asia-Pacific region through innovative and transdisciplinary approaches that draw upon the extensive network of science-policy practitioners. An integral part of its mission is to support and promote the scientific investigations of changes in the Earth’s life support systems and their implications for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Sharing her views on the occasion, Dr. Balvinder Shukla, Vice-Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, stated, “Agricultural research is very important to find sustainable solution to the problem of Climate Change and the way in which it is impacting agriculture. Farmers must adopt new technologies to protect their crops and land and enhance fertility. By undertaking unprecedented research in this field, the challenges can be addressed successfully.”
Welcoming the guests, Dr. Nutan Kaushik, Director General, Amity Food & Agriculture Foundation, Amity University Noida, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Agriculture is one of the main and most important sectors of our country, on which the livelihood of farmers depends. The Training programme will be highly beneficial for the farmers to combat the problems of Climate Change and its impact on Agriculture. By adopting Climate Smart Agriculture Strategies which include an integrated approach for managing landscapes—cropland, livestock, forests and fisheries, to address the challenges of food security and accelerating climate change, farmers can overcome the problems and make their crops better.”
During the five-day, training programme, various sessions on different topics such as “APN Project Interventions for Enhancing Farmers Capabilities to Adapt Climate Change: Indian experience”, "Impacts of climate change on mountains biodiversity and ecosystems: A case study from Wakhan National Park, Afghanistan", “Grower groups emerging role in farmer learning and future challenges” and “Climate Change Impacts in Bangladesh Agriculture”, will be conducted amongst others.