New Delhi: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has launched a flagship network project—National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)—aimed at promoting climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices. This was informed by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Saturday.
The NICRA initiative assesses the impact of climate change on agriculture—including crops, horticulture, livestock, and fisheries—and develops technologies to mitigate the associated risks. So far, 2,900 varieties have been released under the project by ICAR, out of which 2,661 varieties have shown tolerance to one or more biotic and abiotic stresses.
To enhance seed quality and availability, the government is implementing the Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP). In 2024–25, ₹270.90 crore was allocated under SMSP, of which ₹206.86 crore has been released to States and Union Territories. Notably, ₹141.46 crore was channelled into the Seed Village Programme.
Thakur added that the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is playing a pivotal role in making Indian agriculture more climate-resilient. Its initiatives include the Per Drop More Crop scheme for micro-irrigation, the Rainfed Area Development programme to encourage Integrated Farming Systems, and the Soil Health Card (SHC) and Soil Health Management (SHM) schemes, which assist farmers with soil nutrient recommendations.
Furthermore, schemes like the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Agroforestry, and the National Bamboo Mission also support climate-adaptive agriculture.
To promote organic farming, the government is running the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) across all States (excluding the North East), and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) exclusively in NE States.
Under PKVY, farmers receive ₹31,500 per hectare over three years, including ₹15,000 as Direct Benefit Transfer for organic inputs. Under MOVCDNER, assistance of ₹46,500 per hectare is offered, with ₹32,500 earmarked for organic inputs, including ₹15,000 via Direct Benefit Transfer.
These combined efforts are aimed at strengthening India’s agricultural resilience against climate change and supporting small and marginal farmers with end-to-end solutions.