Better prospects ahead for climate change research on Livestock and Poultry
Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan
Climate change impacts on Agriculture are being witnessed all over the world, but countries like India are more vulnerable in view of the huge population dependent on agriculture and allied sectors. Coping with climate change is critical for agriculture to sustain 4 percent growth rate. Climate change will reduce productivity by 4.5-9 percent which in turn will reduce 1.5 percent reduction in GDP per year. In order to meet the emerging threats of food security, agriculture productivity must be increased. Moreover Agriculture is one of the eight missions identified by Prime minister’s National action plan for climate change. Indian Council of Agricultural Research identified climate change as one of the 20 high priority platforms for 12th plan. National initiatives are taking place to create a platform for research, knowledge dissemination and knowledge management in the areas of impacts of climate change in Agriculture and allied sectors.
Back ground
National Project on Climate Change was started as an ICAR network project during the 10th plan period(2005), Climarice(Norway), World Bank (2009), NGOs(Oxfam,DA), ICRISAT, IWMI and ACCER are doing pioneering research in the areas of climate change research.
Current status
National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture(NICRA) was launched by ICAR on 2nd February 2011.The Scheme has an out lay of Rs 350 Crores for 11th Plan; out of which 200 Crores is allocated for 2010-11 and 150 Crores for 2011-12.Major objectives of this project are to enhance the resilience of Indian Agriculture covering crops, Livestock, Poultry and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through development and application of improved production and risk management technologies, demonstrate site specific technology packages on farmers fields for adapting to current climatic risks and enhance capacity building and knowledge dissemination process.
Major components of the scheme are strategic research on adaptation and mitigation, technology demonstration and dissemination, capacity building and sponsored competitive research to fill the critical gaps.
Climate Change research in Agriculture sector, objectives of the proposed climate change platform, research priorities in Livestock, fisheries, Poultry, natural resource management, Technology demonstration, dissemination, knowledge management and community mobilization were discussed in detail during the two day meeting. Inputs/proposals from the participants for identifying the themes or 12th Plan period were also finalized.
Prospects for Livestock and Poultry sector
Climate change adaptation studies with regard to Livestock and poultry sectors have immense potential in the study. Compared to crop sector, not much works have been done in this sector. Currently NDRI is one of the strategic institutions doing climate change research in the dairy sector.
Potential areas are Technology development, Technology dissemination, Capacity building, Climate change adaptive studies on small ruminants especially in Coastal and hilly areas, Development of livestock breeds which can tolerate multiple climatic conditions, Reliable hazard warning system, Establishing Weather stations, Environmental chambers, Village level livestock based climate risk management programme, Integrated projects, Market intelligence, Disease forecasting system and Knowledge dissemination system for livestock and poultry farmers in the areas of feeding, management, disease control and marketing
Major themes identified for the 12th Plan
Livestock sector
Impact assessment of climate change on livestock health, production and adaptation strategies, Identification of protein biomarkers responsible for adaptation and heat stress, Measurement of Methane level, Emergence of new diseases( including zoonotic diseases) and vectors, Study on Carbon and water foot prints, Soil profiling in terms of availability of micro nutrients, Nutritional management in terms of enhancing productivity with concurrent reduction of Methane level, Water quality and quantity management and Study on multiple adaptive traits including local habitats particularly from climate vulnerable areas are some of the major themes coming under Livestock sector.
Moreover Identification of fodder varieties suitable for different climatic stress conditions-Bio prospecting, Integrated approach in livestock management particularly under hilly ecosystem, Metabolic diseases, Development of database on physiological and biochemical parameters, Studies on stress related molecular markers, Molecular characterization of common breeds of livestock and poultry, Modulation of feeding regimen to improve rumen function, Rumen biogeography of native breeds, Farm waste management system- on farm nutrient management, Documentation of Indigenous knowledge practices, Strengthening of disease surveillance, Capacity building, Developing knowledge dissemination system, Nutrition and extension strategies and Environmental impact on production and reproduction require more attention while formulating climate resilient livestock sector.
Poultry sector
Nutritional modulations of climate change, Performance of birds under different THI and management conditions, Poultry waste management, Health management, Vaccination stress and Development of data base are the potential areas of research coming under poultry sector.
Conclusion
Livestock and Poultry form one of the major areas identified under four modules of NICRA. Augmentation of fodder production during draught/floods, improving productivity, shelter management, vaccination programmes, etc are the major strands coming under this sector. Technology dissemination and demonstration play a key role in livestock sector. Strengthening linkage for technology dissemination is the need of the hour. Institutional interventions will help to address some of the major climate change issues. Need based Survey, collection of base line data, identification of climate related vulnerables, selection of specific technology models, documentation of the feedback, Reliable hazard warning system and creating awareness at the village level will help to enhance resilience of livestock production in the vulnerable parts of the country.
Recently a National level stakeholder’s consultation workshop on climate change platform was held at CRIDA, Hyderabad from 19th-20th September 2011 to assess the current status and to formulate the road map for the 12th Plan.
