NICRA – National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture

NICRA – National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture

Introduction

The National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is a flagship network project launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India in February 2011. This mega project was conceived in response to the growing challenges posed by climate variability and climate change that threaten India’s agricultural productivity and food security, particularly affecting small and marginal farmers in vulnerable regions.​

Background & Significance

Climate change poses unprecedented challenges to Indian agriculture, with studies predicting yield reductions of 4.5 to 9.0% depending on warming magnitude and distribution. India’s predicted temperature rise ranges from 0.5–1.2°C by 2020, 0.88–3.16°C by 2050, and 1.56–5.44°C by 2080. Since agriculture contributes approximately 17.4% to India’s GDP, a negative impact on production translates to roughly 1.5% of GDP loss per year.​

Primary Objectives

NICRA operates on three major objectives:​

1. Strategic Research: To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock, and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through development and application of improved production and risk management technologies

2. Technology Demonstrations: To demonstrate site-specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks

3. Capacity Building: To enhance the capacity of scientists and other stakeholders in climate resilient agricultural research and its application

Four Core Modules

NICRA is structured around four strategic modules aimed at making farmers self-reliant:​

• Module I – Natural Resource Management: Interventions including in-situ moisture conservation, water harvesting, recycling for supplemental irrigation, improved drainage, conservation tillage, artificial groundwater recharge, and water-saving irrigation methods

• Module II – Crop Production: Introduction of drought and temperature-tolerant varieties, timing adjustments for rabi crops, water-saving paddy cultivation methods (SRI, aerobic, direct seeding), frost management, staggered community nurseries, custom hiring centers, and location-specific intercropping systems

• Module III – Livestock and Fisheries: Community fodder production during droughts/floods, improved fodder storage, preventive vaccination, improved shelters for heat stress reduction, and management of fish ponds during water scarcity

• Module IV – Institutional Interventions: Strengthening or initiating structures like seed banks, fodder banks, commodity groups, custom hiring centers, collective marketing groups, weather index-based insurance, and climate literacy through village weather stations

Implementation Structure

The scheme is implemented across 151 climatically vulnerable districts through multiple channels:​

• 121 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)

• 23 Coordinating Centers of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA)

• 7 ICAR institutes serving as technology transfer divisions

Strategic research involves 21 ICAR institutes, with 7 core institutes housing state-of-the-art research infrastructure: Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) Hyderabad, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) New Delhi, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) Bangalore, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Karnal, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Cochin, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) Bhopal, and ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Shillong.​

Key Features & Unique Aspects

NICRA stands out for its comprehensive approach:​

• Brings together all agriculture sectors (crops, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, natural resources) on a common platform

• Critical assessment of districts for vulnerability to climatic stresses and extreme events

• Installation of state-of-the-art equipment like flux towers for measuring greenhouse gas emissions

• Rapid germplasm screening including wild relatives for drought, flood, and heat tolerance through phenomics platforms

• Integrated modeling approach for assessing climate change impacts

• Special emphasis on livestock and fishery sectors previously underrepresented in climate change research

• Documented adaptive traits in indigenous resilient breeds

• Thorough understanding of crop-pest/pathogen relationships and emerging biotypes

Outputs & Outcomes

The scheme targets to deliver:​

• Climate resilient technologies including climate-smart crop varieties and livestock breeds

• Improved preparedness for minimizing climate variability impacts through site-specific technology demonstration

• Policy frameworks promoting climate resilient agriculture, especially for small and marginal farmers

• Strengthened research infrastructure for climate change studies

• Trained scientific manpower in climate change research

• Empowered farmers capable of coping with climate variability

• Enhanced agricultural resilience in vulnerable regions

Capacity Building Impact

Over six years, NICRA organized over 10,130 capacity building programs benefiting 4.2 lakh stakeholders across the country, disseminating resilient practices, location-specific mitigation and adaptation strategies, and training in farm machinery operation and community resource management.​

PIB

Daily Insights