Govt studying effects of climate change on crops

The government today said it has initiated several projects to develop high-temperature tolerant superior foodgrain varieties and also to study the impact of climate change on agriculture.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has initiated a project on impact, adaption and vulnerability of Indian agriculture to climate change at different ICAR institutes and universities during 10th plan period (2002-2007), Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

He said, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, and Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad have conducted studies on effects of climate change, including rise in temperature and carbon dioxide, on production of rice and other crops.

Meanwhile, National Wheat Programme of Directorate of wheat Research, Karnal, has identified superior genotypes possessing high temperature tolerance, which are being used in breeding programme, the minister said.

Further more, he said, the National Action Plan on Climate Change was released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 30, 2008, outlining a strategy to meet the challenges of climate change.