Conservation agriculture offers a potential solution to the emerging challenges of natural resource degradation in the Indo-Gagnetic Plains. Whilst significant effort has gone into the development and dissemination of new technologies, including climate smart practices, adoption has been slow.
Older farmers have a tendency towards traditional practices and the migration of youths from farming has meant that new technologies and innovative farming methods are rarely being adopted on farms.
To address some of these issues, efforts have been made to motivate young farmers to join together through cooperatives. Leading agriculture organisations from across the world including the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research are working together to bring young farmers in India closer in order to create suitable institutions for young people to share and buy assets and knowledge.
Objectives:
The young farmer’s cooperatives aim to empower youths to make important decisions about the future of farming in India, enabling them to buy new technologies and share useful advice on implementing new farming methods.
This will hopefully increase the adoption of sustainable farming methods and climate-resistant crops to increase climate mitigation on the ground.
Results:
- More than 3000 people including top policy planners have been exposed to this work and its promotion of climate smart technologies.
- Through capacity building, the young farmers have now demonstrated and disseminated climate smart technologies to nearly 430 farmers who have benefited from an improved income of app. US$ 127 to 315/ha/crop season.
- Youth cooperaties received a special acknowledgement from the Chief Minister of Haryana in 2012 who announced incentives for the adoption and promotion of climate smart and resource-efficient technologies, primarily CA-based technologies and machinery.
References:
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/how-secure-gains-made-agricultural-production-changing-climate
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/unfolding-results-CCAFS-research-into-action