Environment & Climate

Union Govt Assesses 109 Indian Farm Districts at Very High Climate Risk

30 July 2026UPSCSSCBank

In Brief

Centre reports half of 651 agricultural districts face high climate vulnerability.

The Union Government informed Parliament that approximately half of India’s 651 agricultural districts are vulnerable to climate change, with 109 districts categorized as being at very high risk. The comprehensive national vulnerability assessment underscores the escalating threat posed by extreme weather events, rising mean temperatures, and shifting monsoons to national food security.

The assessment was conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project. Using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment frameworks, the study analyzed exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity across rural districts to map vulnerability metrics for crop production.

Out of the 651 districts evaluated, 109 fall in the very high risk category, while 201 are classified under high risk. States in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, rainfed central India, and coastal belts showed the highest susceptibility to dry spells, flooding, and temperature spikes, threatening primary crops like wheat, rice, and pulses.

This report is vital for Environment & Agriculture topics in GS Paper III and SSC Geography sections. Expect potential questions on the NICRA initiative, climate-resilient agriculture techniques, or Mains questions on strategies to adapt India's smallholder agriculture to climate variability.

UPSC Study NotesHIGHGS3 — Environment & Agriculture

GS3 — Environment & Agriculture

📌 Exam Angle

Prelims can test the NICRA initiative, ICAR's vulnerability parameters (exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity), or IPCC assessment frameworks. Mains questions will likely evaluate how climate variability threatens food security and require concrete adaptation strategies for India's smallholder agriculture.

⚠️ Key Concerns

Nearly half of India's agricultural districts (310 out of 651) face high to very high climate vulnerability, directly endangering staple crops like wheat and rice. Small and marginal farmers lack the adaptive capacity and financial resources to absorb frequent dry spells, thermal stress, and unpredictable monsoons.

💡 Why It Matters

Unmitigated climate risks in primary agricultural zones threaten national food security and agrarian economic stability. This assessment demands an immediate policy shift toward climate-smart farming practices and sustainable resource management.

🔑 Must Remember

• Assessment was conducted by ICAR under the NICRA project using IPCC frameworks. • 109 districts are categorized as "very high risk" and 201 as "high risk" out of 651 evaluated. • Highest climate susceptibility is concentrated in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, rainfed central India, and coastal belts.

📝 Key Terms

NICRAICARClimate-Resilient AgricultureIPCC Vulnerability FrameworkAdaptive CapacityIndo-Gangetic PlainsRainfed AgricultureFood Security

Union Govt Assesses 109 Indian Farm Districts at Very High Climate Risk

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