Small farm holders and climate change: Overcoming the impacts in India

Abstract

Small farm holdings, which are the main source of food, nutrition and livelihood security in India, are exposed to numerous stresses. Their capacity to serve as engines of growth is further compromised by climate change impact. This chapter helps develop an understanding of the dynamic nature of small farm holdings, which, based on the geographic location and economic development of the state, have differentiated capacity to change from subsistence to profitable to commercial farming. A suite of climate-smart agro-technologies, which impart resistance and resilience to the farming enterprise by improving the use efficiency of water, fertilizer, pesticides and energy, are suggested. The chapter also outlines policies to mobilize institutions and resources that will enable small farm holders to grow faster through building databases on climate change impacts at the household level; building human capital; linking farming-nutrient health, and propagation of the concept of bio-industrial watersheds to take care of the population moving out of agriculture, to retain them remaining within the rural surroundings, is outlined.