Novel Approach to Climate Change
Context:
- India experienced the warmest February and driest August since time-series temperature and rainfall data dating back to 1901 became available this year.
- It appears that this year will go down as a record in the history of climate change. Its impacts are no longer limited to only harming wheat crops weeks before they are harvested or slowing down the timing of kharif sowings.
Climate change: what is it?
- However, since the 1800s, burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas has been the primary cause of climate change, which has been predominantly caused by human activity.
Climate change’s effects on:
- The weather
- increased mean temperatures
- Extended periods of drought
- Stronger wildfires
- severe and frequent storms and cyclones
- Unpredictable growth seasons: Farmers have long faced the issue of managing the unpredictable monsoon, perhaps dating back to the early days of agriculture.
- However, monsoon failures alone do not explain climate change. Rather, it has to do with fewer days with rain and longer dry spells that are broken up by heavy precipitation and sharp temperature swings.
- Effect on non-farm activities: As a result of the poor monsoon, rural incomes were negatively impacted, which in turn affected sales of fast-moving consumer products, tractors, and two-wheelers. This has an impact on non-farm companies.
- Decreased soil health Healthy soil is full with insects, bacteria, fungus, and microorganisms that support crop health. It also has a good moisture and mineral content. However, strong heatwaves and variations in precipitation brought on by climate change might deteriorate soil quality.
Adjusting corporate operations to the shifting circumstances brought on by climate change:
- Less-manageable uncertainties are created for businesses accustomed to planning production and building supplies based on recognised demand patterns by the milder summers, shorter winters, and unseasonal precipitation.
- To ensure that there is always adequate inventory to sell throughout the year, product portfolios must be diversified. Consider a successful “season” to be a bonus.
Developing and carrying out the agricultural strategy with growth in the economy in mind:
- It’s not only companies and farmers. Climate change has to be taken into account by economic authorities when creating growth and plan models.
- In relation to extreme weather events, there needs to be increased investment in information regarding all possible outcomes and probability of occurrence across industries.
- In a future of both adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, such information generation—which extends to breeding of temperature stress-tolerant or drought-resistant crops and timely forecasting of major storms and heat waves—is crucial.
Conclusion:
- Getting everyone on board makes sense because adaptation is something that is more immediately relevant because climate change isn’t sparing anyone, not even the major FMCG companies.
- Let the government, business, meteorologists, scientists studying agriculture, and experts in disaster management collaborate to develop a national climate adaption plan for India.
