Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Agriculture: Strategies for Sustainable Development in South Asia

Climate change is an increasing issue in the twenty-first century, threatening people’s lives and livelihoods worldwide (Vatsa et al., 2023). It has a significant impact on agriculture (Fahad et al., 2023). Climate changes, such as rising temperatures, rainfall variations, droughts, floods, and cyclones, have an enormous effect on the agricultural sector, causing uncertainty in farmers’ livelihoods and threatening a country’s food security and economic growth. South Asia, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, is extremely sensitive to climate change consequences because of its diverse agro-climatic zones and substantial reliance on agriculture (IPCC, 2013). Agriculture generates the most jobs and contributes significantly to the region’s GDP. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that South Asia will experience a temperature increase of 1.56–5.44 °C by 2080, depending on future development scenarios (IPCC, 2007). It will impact crop yields and agricultural productivity. For instance, Lobell et al. (2012) indicate that a 1°C increase in temperature could reduce rice yields by about 10% and wheat yields by 7% in South Asia.

As countries in the region begin to respond to climate-related risks in agriculture, such as through national action plans or policies, there currently needs to be more focus on local-level dynamics in agricultural systems. Smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to stresses and shocks such as rainfall variability, droughts, floods, and cyclones (Bhattacharyya & Werz, 2012). Farmers in South Asia constantly search for strategies to adapt to climate-related risks in agriculture. Adaptation to climate change encompasses any action aimed at decreasing vulnerability and bolstering the resilience of a system (Adger, 2006; Vogel & Meyer, 2018). Consequently, the actual effects of climate change are significantly influenced by the system’s adaptive capacity. Indeed, effective adaptation strategies can mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture. Farmers in South Asia at the farm level opt for various on-farm and off-farm adaptive strategies to cope with climatic shocks in agriculture. Moreover, the national governments of the different countries have initiated several agricultural innovations and policies to encourage the adoption of climate-smart agricultural innovations.

These adaptation strategies at the farm level include both traditional practices and modern innovations. Traditional practices often involve altering planting calendars, selecting more resilient crop varieties, and adopting water conservation techniques such as rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation systems (Fahad et al., 2023). These approaches have been refined over generations to cope with local climate variability. In recent years, modern technologies have also played a crucial role in enhancing adaptive capacity. Precision agriculture techniques, for example, utilize data-driven approaches to optimize inputs such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides, thereby increasing efficiency and resilience to climate stresses (Vatsa et al., 2023). Additionally, the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, including agroforestry, integrated pest management, and sustainable soil management, has gained traction across the region (IPCC, 2013).

These practices not only contribute to climate resilience but also promote long-term sustainability by achieving a number of sustainable development goals (SDG). First, by implementing climate-resilient agricultural practices and technologies, South Asian countries can enhance agricultural productivity and ensure food security despite climate variability (IPCC, 2013; Fahad et al., 2023). This contributes directly to SDG 2 targets, i.e., aims to end hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition. Second, Smallholder farmers, who constitute a significant portion of the population in South Asia, rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods (Bhattacharyya & Werz, 2012). By improving agricultural productivity and resilience, countries can lift farmers out of poverty, create more resilient rural economies, and promote inclusive economic growth (Lobell et al., 2012). Hence, this will promote SDG 1, of no poverty, and SDG 8, of decent work and economic growth. Third, Climate-smart agricultural practices not only enhance productivity but also conserve natural resources such as soil and water, contributing to ecosystem resilience and biodiversity conservation, which promote SDG 15 (Fahad et al., 2023). Last, SDG 13 focuses on climate action, urging countries to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Adaptation strategies in agriculture, such as adopting climate-smart practices and enhancing resilience, are critical steps toward mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on food production and livelihoods in South Asia (Adger, 2006; Vogel & Meyer, 2018).

Furthermore, national governments in South Asia have recognized the urgency of addressing climate impacts on agriculture and have implemented various policies and initiatives. These include subsidies for climate-resilient seeds and technologies, support for agricultural insurance schemes, and investments in rural infrastructure such as roads and market facilities to improve farmers’ access to markets and information (Bhattacharyya & Werz, 2012). However, challenges remain in scaling up these adaptation strategies. Limited access to credit and markets, inadequate extension services, and fragmented land holdings hinder the widespread adoption of climate-smart practices among smallholder farmers (Lobell et al., 2012). Addressing these barriers requires concerted efforts from farmers, governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

Against this background, the IFMR Graduate School of Business, Krea University,  in collaboration with the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) and Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), invites papers from the PhD scholars and early career researchers (within 5 years of the PhD) for a three-day conference on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Agriculture: Strategies for Sustainable Development in South Asia The submissions can be in the areas listed below, but not limited to it.

Conference Objectives

The conference aims to address the following key objectives:

1. To explore climate change’s impact on South Asia’s agriculture.
2. Discuss effective adaptation strategies at the farm and policy levels.
3. To share knowledge and best practices on climate-smart agriculture.

Key Themes and Focus Areas

The conference will cover several key themes and focus areas to comprehensively address climate change adaptation and resilience in agriculture in South Asia:

Policy and Governance: Exploring national and regional policies, frameworks, and governance mechanisms that support climate adaptation in agriculture. This includes the role of government initiatives, public-private partnerships, and international cooperation.

Technological Innovations: Highlighting the latest technological advancements in precision agriculture, climate-smart practices, and data-driven farming techniques that enhance resilience and productivity.

Traditional Knowledge and Practices: Examining the role of indigenous knowledge and traditional agricultural practices in climate adaptation and how these can be integrated with modern innovations.

Financial Mechanisms and Insurance: Discuss financial tools, insurance schemes, and investment strategies that support smallholder farmers adopting climate-resilient practices.

Capacity Building and Extension Services: Addressing the importance of strengthening extension services, farmer training programs, and capacity-building initiatives to promote widespread adoption of adaptive strategies.

Sustainable Livelihoods and Gender: Focusing on the socio-economic aspects of climate adaptation, including the impact on livelihoods, gender equity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

Sustainable Development Goals and Climate-Smart Agriculture: Understanding climate-smart agricultural practices that promote sustainable development goals.

Conference Dates: 17-19, March 2025

Last date for Full Papers Submission: January 15, 2025

Final Acceptance: Feb 10, 2025

Financial Support:

Selected participants will receive travel support to travel within the South Asian region and accommodation to support their participation in the conference. Participants shall be responsible for arranging their visas, if necessary. Selected participants will be required to submit a scanned copy of a bona-fide certificate.

 Paper Submission Guidelines:

• Scholars are required to submit a full paper for the conference, with a maximum of 8,000 words (excluding references and tables). The paper should provide sufficient details about the background of the study, theoretical considerations/assumptions, research questions, methodology, nature of evidence, conclusions, and implications, and 4-5 keywords.
• In addition to the full paper, Scholars are also required to submit an abstract of 300 words.
• The paper must be the original work of the scholars. All papers will be checked for originality using Turnitin/URKUND/DrillBit.
• All submissions must be in PDF format. The formatting should be done in Times New Roman font, size 12 for regular text and bold for headings, with 1.15 line spacing and justified alignment.
• The author’s name or affiliation should not be mentioned in the paper. The title of the paper should be used as the filename.
• Along with the full paper, scholars are also required to submit their latest Curriculum Vitae.

Organizing Committee:

• Govindapuram Suresh, Assistant Professor, IFMR Graduate School of Business, Krea University | Organizer, INET-YSI
• Dinamani Biswal, Organizer, INET-YSI | Assistant Professor, HSS, NIT Silchar
• Sunanda Nair-Bidkar, Director, South Asia, INET
• Christina Kujur, Organizer, INET-YSI
• Bikram Barman, Coordinator, INET-YSI