Unseasonal rains and hailstorms in March and April caused severe damage to more than 10 million hectares of wheat, mustard, potato and other rabi crops. Independent estimates project damages to be as high as Rs.65,000 crore. In Haryana alone, standing crops in over 1.7 million hectares of land were affected. Unexpected rainfall late in the growing season can be even worse than droughts. It undoes all the investment, efforts and hopes of farmers nurtured through the season.

Unfortunately, climate models predict that such irregular weather events are likely to increase in the future, both in frequency and intensity. Unlike droughts, this problem cannot be mitigated by building structures such as tanks, ponds, tubewells and dams. What is needed is an institutional umbrella to protect farmers from unpredictable weather and helping them adapt to it.

Thus far, the Union government’s primary response has been a declaration of compensation to farmers. As part of an ongoing study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), we spoke to farmers in Haryana after the central government announced a 50% increase in compensation. Farmers were sceptical of this measure and said the patwari, or village accountant, rarely conducts a proper, unbiased assessment of damage. Only one of the 18 villages in the sample had an assessment conducted by the patwari. Furthermore, farmers in Karnal district suggested that the compensation system is flawed as money disbursement is tied to the plot number. The money automatically goes to the landowner; the tenant doesn’t benefit.

Even if these flaws in the compensation system are addressed, compensation can only be a part of a comprehensive adaptation strategy. In the midst of heated discussions on compensations, what is overlooked is the fact that the government’s other efforts have either failed or have had limited impact.

First, providing farmers with timely and accurate weather forecasts can vastly improve their preparedness to climatic events and enable them to make necessary changes in production practices. Almost every household in our sample in Karnal district had access to weekly weather forecasts on the Internet which enabled them to plan irrigation time and prevent crop damage. However, lack of information at the beginning of the cropping season prevented them from making crucial changes to agricultural operations such as planting an alternative crop, and advancing or delaying the sowing period to reduce potential damage.

Second, crop insurance must be actively promoted to serve as a prominent relief measure. Under the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS), farmers can insure crops against floods, droughts, hailstorms, etc., yet only about 25% of them do so.

There are several issues such as a lack of awareness about the modalities of crop insurance that limit the spread of crop insurance. More interestingly, many farmers who took loans through Kisan Credit Cards were unaware that it included compulsory crop insurance. Further, the few who were aware of the scheme, said insurance firms do not disburse claims unless 90% of the crop is damaged.

Lastly, measures that may effectively reduce loss of crops, such as improved storage facilities at the village level, should be adopted immediately.

The agriculture sector continues to be at risk from climate variability, be it drought or excessive rainfall. However, much of the loss can be avoided, and farmers’ distress reduced, by strategically addressing gaps in these systems. The government must collaborate with the private sector and local communities to work towards initiating a sound strategy that provides a safety net for farmers and the agricultural sector.

Source - www.livemint.com