Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
production systems can increase the capacity of the system to adapt to unexpected or
changing climate events, as they harbour higher levels of genetic diversity, and so are more
able to respond to variation in their environment.
Mainstreaming agrobiodiversity initiative led by Bioversity International and partners, is
linking farmers to the seeds they need to face changing climatic conditions. This tricot-based
crowd sourcing approach puts farmers in the role of citizen scientists, testing, observing and
comparing different varieties, trying new farming techniques, and experimenting with
different crop rotations to see what works for them. They evaluate different qualities of each
variety such as yield, resilience, nutrition, taste and resistance to pests and diseases. The idea
is to stimulate farmers to experiment with different landraces and varieties, while linking to
geographical tools to make these efforts more targeted and more efficient. The approach also
focus on strengthening local seed supply systems and the establishment of community
genebanks, seed fairs, field evaluation trials (mother and baby trials that allow need based
participatory selection), diversity fora and other adaptive technologies that enable farmers to
benefit from diversity rich solutions. This also includes identification of suitable crop
diversity to address such challenges, greater awareness and information on varietal adaptation
based on scientifically sound evidence and its validation by farmers and communities. We
have also develop successful value chains that improve farmers income and livelihoods
through mainstreaming actions.
T2-03O
Ecosystem based Cropping System for Climate Change Adaptation – An
Experience from Odisha Millets Mission
Susanta Sekhar Chaudhury*, Biswa Sankar Das, Pulak Ranjan Nayak, Abhishek
Pradhan, Bikash Das
Programme manager (Research) Watershed Support Services Activities Network (WASSAN),
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
* sushantasekhar@rediffmail.com, susant@wassan.org
Ecosystem-based approaches are becoming increasingly important as they can provide
multiple benefits and are often considered cost-effective solutions as compared to
technological approaches to tackling climate change. The underutilized cultivated species like
millets, whose survival is dependent not only upon their resilience and adaptation but also on
our own ability to recognize and promote sustainably their use in a context of changing
markets, food trends and life styles. Out of an estimated portfolio of 30,000 edible plant
species recorded worldwide, humankind depends upon just 12 crops for the bulk of its
nutritional requirements. On the other hand, underutilized species (wild or cultivated), may
hold as well as the key to future agro-ecosystem diversification and climate change
146 | Page
Ecosystem based approaches for climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, integrated farming system models,
Land degradation neutrality