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

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.