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Agri ministry identifies climate-resilient, carbon-neutral farming as top priority
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Saturday, 21 February, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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The Union Agriculture Ministry has identified climate-resilient, carbon-neutral, and regenerative farming as top priorities to combat resource degradation and ensure sustainable food security.
Central to this initiative is the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which has released 2,900 crop varieties between 2014 and 2024. Significantly, 2,661 of these are engineered to tolerate biotic and abiotic stresses, such as drought, floods, and pests.
As per the ministry, through the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project, the Ministry has mapped 310 climatically vulnerable districts. Among these, 109 are classified as ‘very high’ and 201 as ‘highly’ vulnerable.
To boost adaptation, ICAR is demonstrating location-specific technologies including zero-till wheat sowing, aerobic rice, and direct seeding across 151 districts covering 448 ‘Climate Resilient Villages’.
The project also focuses on local self-reliance by building village-level seed banks and community nurseries. These ensure that drought- and flood-tolerant varieties of staples like rice, wheat, pulses, and millets are readily available to farmers.
Complementing these technical shifts, the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is conducting nationwide training to modernise farming practices. This multi-pronged strategy marks a decisive shift toward protecting India’s agricultural backbone against a warming planet.
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