Adaptation Finance- The Climate Resilient Strategy That Indian Farmers Need, And Soon.
Known for its maverick monsoons, India has been plagued by unpredictable rains and intensifying droughts and floods for years. Our country accounts for 10% of global extreme weather deaths, with 2,483 fatalities in 2023 alone.[1] Mass displacement of farmers as a result of climate change has increased over the last few years. In Bihar alone, 80% of flood-affected farmers migrate to states like Punjab and Delhi, fragmenting communities.[2]
The reason for such problematic weather? Global warming. An entire generation has already grown up hearing this term, but what many fail to realize is how some random greenhouse gases way up in the sky can affect an already exploited community down below.
The Flawed Structure of Indian Agriculture
The exploitative Zamindari system was abolished post Indian Independence, but its influence is not yet lost. Agricultural land is still leased by wealthy landowners to tenants, who are forced to pay exorbitant rent. Such marginalized farmers are extremely poor with low income and low literacy rates. For such farmers, crop failure due to weather can be dangerous.
According to various estimates, more than 3,00,000 farmers committed suicide between 1995 and 2014 as a result of crop failure or extreme debt.[3] Events like droughts and floods, or even a small delay in rainfall can prove catastrophic to a community already burdened by financial troubles. For these farmers, financial security through climate resilience is an urgent need.
The Barriers Keeping Farmers Out
Adaptation finance enables farmers to stay financially secure in the face of current and future climate change impacts through various government schemes and credit facilities. However, despite increasing government investment in initiatives such as NMSA, PMFBY and adaptation funds such as NAFCC, a large proportion of farmers remain vulnerable to financial hardships due to climate change.
Majhi Vasudhara Abhiyan in Maharashtra aims to involve mass people’s participation in climate change resilience.
The agricultural community in India is still largely illiterate, it is therefore difficult for farmers to be aware of existing financial schemes they can avail. This makes it easy for rich landowners to wrongfully corner benefits and avail schemes meant for farmers. Proper awareness campaigns need to be undertaken to make sure that government schemes and policies reach the targeted community.
Furthermore, many policies of both the Government and banks are not tailored to the diverse local needs of farmers and therefore fail to make an impact at the grassroot level.
State governments often lack the funds required to adapt their farmers to climate change. In Gujarat, for example, many programs and policies towards climate change adaptation have been impeded by a lack of funding.[4]
Extensive surveys need to be conducted and local communities need to be encouraged to take part in the policy-making and implementation phase in order to create real impact.
Adaptation finance is not just about tamping down on current climate issues, it is about making sure that we can withstand the storms to come. Ensuring that Indian farmers successfully adopt climate resilient farming techniques through adaptation finance requires massive efforts in areas such as education, efficient policy implementation and generating awareness.
References:
[1],[2]
https://ceedindia.org/from-floods-to-drought-the-2025-climate-story-of-india/
[3]
https://ras.org.in/index.php?Article=the_crisis_of_the_small_farm_economy_in_india
[4]
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