BRAIN STORMING SESSION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE

Gene Campaign organised a brainstorming session with civil society groups to discuss the impact of climate change on agriculture. The small group consisted of representatives from Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), NABARD, UNDP, WWF, IIM- Ahmadabad, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Action Aid, Aravalli Research Foundation (ARF), NGOs like CEOCDECON from Jaipur and PAIRVI. The meeting was held at Indian International Centre (IIC) on 27^th of August - 2009.

After an introduction by Dr. Suman Sahai (Gene Campaign) outlining the anticipated impact of global warming and climate change impact on agriculture, the session discussed topics like farm forestry, restructuring biogas plants for energy production from methane, reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation – (REDD), land use land use change and forestry – (LULUCF), and renewing tank irrigation in hillock deccan traps region to increase efficiency of irrigation for thirsty corps. Funding programs for reducing emissions floated by NABARD were also discussed.

Some highlights :

• Murali Dhar – (WWF) explained the benefits of using of GIS for construction of watersheds and alignment of contours in deccan traps region to store water. He shared the experiences of using cost effective methods of adaptation and mitigation strategies in cotton, sugarcane and rice cultivation in water thirsty deccan traps region.

• J.P.S Dabas – (IARI) shared his views in preparing user friendly models for Biogas to mitigate methane gas emissions. The time and cost variability is calculated taking changed life style into account in designing biogas plant. He also explained the benefits of practicing garbage recycling for the production of energy.

•  Sukhpal Singh – (IIM - Ahmadabad) explained the importance of estimating methane released from livestock as the livestock has huge potential to release methane, so that mitigation can be done effectively. The main aim is to find methods to reduce the release of methane as it is a major green house gas (GHG).

• Raman Mehta – (Action Aid) discussed the complexity between Annexure I and Annexure II countries about LULUCF. India seeks afforestation in REDD program but Japan says no to this afforestation. It supports to prevent degradation of forest. New concept REDD-PLUS is going to consider biodiversity and plantation crops in India as forests and planning to pay for it. As of now only companies are given incentives under REDD program in developing countries. UNFCCC wants to study economical viability in replacing land to forest and making the forest to stand.

• M.S Haque – (NABARD) explained programmes for watershed development. NABARD wants to encourage 5% of trees under horticulture i.e. around 65000 hectors through watersheds. These programs help to gain carbon credits. NABARD has cooperation with Germany in watershed and forest planning. It is encouraging forest plantation with Poplar a very fast growing tree. Prosopis cineraria are best for forestry program. Horticulture and silvicultural are also considered as good carbon sequesters. NABARD is giving loans for cultivation of Pongamia pinnata for biodiesel and funded about 31600 hectors under joint forest management (JFM) program. NABARD is providing solar lanterns to poor people with very low interests through rural banks and also helping to set up wind energy plants in Rajasthan to produce clean energy.

• Manoj Dabas – (ARF) explained the loss of biodiversity as a symptom which is due to lack of communication between forest and forest users. So the gap has to be filled and advised merging of farm forestry with agriculture to obtain economic benefits for rural people.