Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
Methodology
With this background, the ICAR launched a major Project entitled, National Initiative on
Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) during 2010-11 with an outlay of Rs.350 crores for
the XI Plan with the following objective to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture
covering crops, livestock, and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through the
development and application of improved production and risk management technologies, to
demonstrate site-specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current
climate risks and to enhance the capacity building of scientists and other stakeholders in
climate-resilient agricultural research and its application.
Results
The present study has been undertaken to assess the impact of the Technology Demonstration
Component (TDC) of the NICRA programme being implemented by the Krishi Vigyan
Kendra, Bhagalpur, Bihar running under the administrative umbrella of Agricultural
University, Sabour, Bhagalpur. The performance of NICRA-interventions taken up during
Kharif-2022 has been assessed for two villages having sizeable areas (12.50 – 17.39 %) and
farmers (11.0 – 23.81%) under rainfed agriculture and compared with non-NICRA intervened
farmers in the villages. The rainfall characteristics of the district during Kharif-2022 have
been experienced as the drought year having total rainfall of 535.2 mm (45-61%) against the
yearly amount of 1173.3 mm, total Kharif rainfall of 330 mm (14.54%) against normal of
955.40 mm. During the major transplanting (paddy) months of July and August 2022, the
district has only received a total rainfall of 43.60 (14.1%) & 77.00 mm (29.28%) respectively
with three dry spells (710 days:01 & 715 days:02) which resulted in 15.20 days of delayed
transplanting and the leap stage has been impacted with heavy weed infestation (28.5%)
along with 35% decrease in transplanting area with a coverage of 36.6 acres. Concerning the
variable weather condition, the NICRA-interventions such as transplanting by short-duration
rice varieties; Sahbhagi, Sabour Harshit & Sita has been undertaken in three villages along
with other climates resilient technologies like the introduction of paddy or Sabour Shree with
DSR in the medium irrigated land significantly situated in the NICRA villages. Along with
the technologies demonstration component on paddy varieties, for cattle, de-warmer &
chelated mineral mixture along with PPR-vaccinated in goats have been demonstrated. There
has been a significant in area production, productivity, and B: C ratio due to the NICRA
intervention despite the drought stress experienced by farmers during Kharif-2022 in
comparison to the non-NICRA farmers in the villages.
Conclusion
The project has made a significant initial impact and was well-received in most of the
districts. Technologies such as on-farm water harvesting in ponds, supplemental irrigation,
Climate resilient agriculture for risk mitigation
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