Roundtable Meet Focuses on Building Climate-Resilient Rainfed Agriculture

A roundtable meeting organized by the JSW-Time of India Earth Care Initiatives 2011 and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) was held in 16 August to identify adaption and mitigation strategies to manage the risk and protect the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers who live in the rainfed regions. Noted experts and scientists at ICRISAT discussed various topics to 65 participants such as the local impacts of climate change at regional/subregional levels, capacity building of all stakeholders including policymakers, development of climate-ready crops using new science tools, and building local institution and enabling policies to ensure equitable and inclusive development of smallholder farmers.

ICRISAT Director General William Dar opined that "Rainfed farming systems are the hot spots of poverty and are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change," in his inaugural address. He also advocated for a holistic approach integrating the adoption of climate-resilient crops and various soil, water and nutrient management strategies, with supporting policies and institutions.

The original news can be viewed at http://www.icrisat.org/newsroom/news-releases/icrisat-pr-2011-media17.htm