This article concerns the collaboration between the Government of India, the Government of Odisha, and the World Bank. They have agreed to a $165 million loan for the Odisha’s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture as of October 24th, 2019.
Project Objectives
The primary goal of the project is to assist small landholding farmers by increasing their resilience against adverse climatic conditions. The approach involves enhancing access to climate-resilient seed varieties and production technologies. In addition, the project aims to increase farmers’ income by encouraging diversification towards more climate-resilient crops and improving access to better water management and irrigation services.
Benefits and Implementation
The project, which will be implemented in rural areas prone to drought and heavily reliant on rainfed agriculture, is expected to impact approximately 125,000 smallholder farmer households in 15 districts of Odisha. Additionally, the project plans to rehabilitate 532 water tanks to achieve the following goals:
1. Enhance productivity at the farm level.
2. Encourage farmers to shift from food grains (particularly paddy- a water guzzler crop) to high-value and more nutritious products such as fruits and vegetables.
3. Practice aquaculture in rehabilitated tanks to help farmers access affordable and quality fingerlings, and promote improved aquaculture practices and post-harvest management.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
The project falls under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) of the government. Its aim is to meet the sustainable agriculture-related targets of the SDGs by 2030. The NAPCC constitutes eight national missions that symbolize multi-pronged, long term, and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.
Table: Facts about Climate Change in Odisha
| Year | Drought Frequency | Cultivated Area Prone to Droughts |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-Present | Every 2 years | 70% |
| 1970s | Every 5 years | 40% |
The Need for the Project
Since 2009, the frequency of droughts in Odisha has escalated from once every five years to once every two years. Approximately 70% of the total cultivated area is exposed to droughts compared to 40% in the 1970s. In Odisha, agriculture also contributes significantly to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for around 25% of the GHG emissions in the state. These erratic and extreme weather conditions are responsible for reducing yields and declining incomes of farmers.
Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
Greenhouse gases are those that absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range. The main GHGs include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. They create the Greenhouse Effect, which is the process by which radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s surface.
A Brighter Future
The project is anticipated as a game-changer for the State, with potential to create a more resilient agricultural sector, enhance food security, increase farmers’ incomes, and decrease the GHG footprint of the sector.
