Indian Agricultural Scenario and Food Security Concerns in the Context of Climate Change: a Review

This paper presents a brief review of the trends in foodgrain production in India, the determinants of its growth and domestic foodgrain supply projections to draw inferences about the future foodgrain production trends. The foodgrain supply forecasts are examined in relation to the likely demand of foodgrains to answer whether India would have a situation of food surplus or deficit. The paper summarizes the supply and demand side aspects of food security in the context of climate change- covering on one hand, the climate change impact on availability and stability of food supplies and on the other, its likely influence on the access and utilization dimensions of food demand.food security; climate change

Measuring Sustainability with Macroeconomic Data for India

This paper investigates certain macro data on the Indian economy to draw inferences on the sustainability of the economic growth experienced over the last couple of decades. Interpreting sustainability in terms of the maintenance of different forms of capital to ensure that future consumption levels are at least as high as current levels, estimates of investment have been made using theoretically consistent models and data relevant to the Indian context. Subsequently, the paper investigates the extent to which the investment that has taken place over a thirty year period (from 1976-77 to 2004-05) has been aligned with the consumption path. Investment estimates are found to be a reliable indicator of sustainability of the future consumption path and average future consumption is likely to be higher than current consumption. The findings reveal that while capital formation in manufactured assets has been fuelling wealth accumulation in the economy, there has been a rise in the degradation of natural capital stocks. However, considering the aggregate picture, taking note of investment in human capital, produced capital and the depreciation of natural capital, there has been net wealth accumulation in the economy. Per capita wealth has been rising over the period, with a sharp rise observed from the mid 1990s onwards.sustainable development, investment, Future Consumption, Per Capita Wealth, Human and Natural capital

Wzrost niskowęglowy: zrównoważoność i rozwój technologiczny z perspektywy Indii

This paper provides an Indian perspective on the issue of technology transfer, in the specific context of tackling climate change. The paper examines how technology transfer issues have panned out when developing countries have had to meet standards laid down in international agreements. In addressing climate change, the efficacy of the CDM as an instrument to facilitate technology transfer is analysed. The socio-political and economic analysis of implementing the clean development mechanism provides useful insights. An indicative exercise on India’s export vulnerability in the face of alternative regulatory regimes such as imposition of carbon tariffs demonstrates the importance of technology transfer mechanisms between the developed and developing countries. The attainment of sustainable development through forward looking mechanisms of technology transfer will improve India’s contribution to a global solution for climate change.Artykuł przedstawia doświadczenia związane z transferem technologii w kontekście przeciwdziałania zmianom klimatycznym na przykładzie Indii. Transfer technologii może przynieść oczekiwane rezultaty,  gdy kraje rozwijające się sprostają standardom zawartym w międzynarodowych porozumieniach. W kontekście zmian klimatycznych i transferu technologicznego została przeanalizowana skuteczność instrumentu CDM (Clean Development Mechanism, mechanizm czystego rozwoju).  Uwzględniono aspekty społeczno-polityczne i ekonomiczne.  Przykład wrażliwości indyjskiego eksportu w obliczu alternatywnych systemów regulacyjnych, takich, jak nałożenie podatku węglowego, ukaże znaczenie mechanizmów transferu technologii pomiędzy rozwiniętymi a rozwijającymi się krajami. Osiągnięcie rozwoju zrównoważonego przy pomocy wybiegających w przyszłość mechanizmów transferu technologicznego pozwoli powiększyć wkład Indii do globalnego rozwiązania problemu klimatycznego

Assessing costs and benefits of climate change adaptation

This work was carried out by the Himalayan Adaptation, Water and Resilience (HI-AWARE) consortium under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) with financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development and the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.This paper provides a review of existing studies of the region and an assessment of climate-related risks for different climate change scenarios. This is an essential step towards understanding what adaptation measures are required in the region, and how effective these are likely to be, including their cost effectiveness. Risk has been defined in various ways in the literature. Risks for disaster contexts typically refer to the likelihood of severe alterations in normal functioning traceable to a hazardous event, when physical hazards combine with socioeconomic vulnerabilities and lead to widespread adverse outcomes

Common land : commercialization vs conservation

This policy brief is based on SANDEE working paper no. 15-06, "Common property resources as development drivers : a study of a fruit cooperative in Himachal Pradesh, India"Across South Asia, many rural people use common land to harvest naturally-growing plants, grow crops and feed their livestock. Increasingly this activity is being commercialized as farmers move to sell the produce they obtain. Despite the importance of this development to village people, its overall effect is uncertain and there are fears that it will damage the environment

Cost-benefit analysis for R. Mayur, Khulna

PowerPoint presentationMeeting: June 18-20, 2013The presentation maps economic values for ecosystem services provided by the River Mayur, Khulna, in terms of direct and indirect uses and values. It proposes some econometric variables to consider in mathematical modelling, while weighing costs and benefits for different interventions. It also reminds the audience at the Institute for Economic Growth, Delhi, that “there is no eligibility or distribution criteria that can be justified on scientific grounds only. The choice is a political choice, with significant distributional consequences.” Findings suggest a fresh water ecosystem is a feasible option

Indian Agricultural Scenario and Food Security Concerns in the Context of Climate Change: a Review

This paper presents a brief review of the trends in foodgrain production in India, the determinants of its growth and domestic foodgrain supply projections to draw inferences about the future foodgrain production trends. The foodgrain supply forecasts are examined in relation to the likely demand of foodgrains to answer whether India would have a situation of food surplus or deficit. The paper summarizes the supply and demand side aspects of food security in the context of climate change- covering on one hand, the climate change impact on availability and stability of food supplies and on the other, its likely influence on the access and utilization dimensions of food demand

Does Cassava-Based Farmers’ Sociodemographic Characteristics and Perception Predict Adaptation Strategies to Climate Variability in Rain Forest and Derived Savannah Ecosystems of Nigeria?

The study assessed the sociodemographic characteristics of cassava-based (CB) farmers’ and their perception of climate variability as predictors of their adaptation strategies. The study covers cassava-based farmers in both the rain forest and derived savannah ecosystems of Nigeria. The study described the farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, their perception of climate variability, adaptation strategies and their socio-demographic factors influencing climate variability adaptation strategies. A cross-sectional survey using a multistage sampling procedure, was used to sample 400 cassava-based farmers in the study area. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit (MVP) regression. Results indicated that 71.68% of the CB farmers were males, married (85.21%), had primary school certificates (30.08%) and received trainings in local adaptation strategy technologies (62.41%) and climate adaptation strategies (65.16%). Majority (68.67%) felt climate variability implied low yield and reduced water supply for farming activities in some years (69.42%). Most (85.21%) CB farmers combatted climate variability through water management practices, 68.17% utilised weather forecast information while 44.86% adapted planting and harvesting time to target peak produce prices. Farmers’ perception and their socioeconomic characteristics that predicted their climate variability strategies included access to extension training (p<0.01), experience of previous season’s low yield (p<0.01), membership of professional associations (p<0.01), farming experience (p<0.10) and credit access (p<0.10). Cassava-based farmers’ climate variability perception and their sociodemographic characteristics predicted their climate variability adaptation strategies. Enhancement trainings and improved formal credit access are veritable ways to minimise the adverse effects of climate variability on cassava production in the study area. Keywords: Climate, Perception, Adaptation, Cassava farmers, Ecosystem, Multivariate probit. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/10-11-04 Publication date: November 30th 202

Cost effective adaptation to flood : sanitation interventions in the Gandak river basin, India

Given the acute deficits in sanitation in the region, the study looks at technology options that demonstrate how climate risk management can be integrated with development targets for poor and marginalized households. The cost-effectiveness of technology options is altered substantially when the costs of current and future flood events are incorporated into the equation. The study reveals that engineering or construction cost-based norms can under-estimate the benefits of integrating climate risks into infrastructure design, and the importance of capturing non-marketed benefits in such assessments. Findings indicate that policy interventions need to be sensitive to interaction effects between technology and climate change