CURRENT FARMING METHODS ARE EXACERBATING CLIMATE CHANGE

Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) project is supporting transition of 850,000 farmers covering 377,801 hectares of land and operating in 3730 villages. "Natural farming is in harmony with nature. It is a holistic land management practice that leverages the power of photosynthesis in plants", says Mr. T Vijay Kumar, a retired IAS officer, who is the Executive Vice Chairman of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, a non-profit organization set up by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2014. Since 2016, this platform has been utilized to integrate and promote APCNF activities, aimed at fostering the overall development and empowerment of farmers. Excerpts from an interview with Mr T Vijay Kumar:

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How is climate change exacerbating current farming methods and impacting farmers?  

Earth has exceeded six of the nine planetary boundaries – the safe operating space for humanity. More frequent extreme weather events – prolonged droughts, excessive rainfall, and extreme temperatures – impact soil fertility, crop yields and nutrient density and worsen food systems. Current farming methods have led to land degradation, salinization, and excessive water extraction. Organic carbon content in Indian soils has decreased to 0.3 per cent from 1 per cent over the last 70 years, adversely affecting soil fertility, structure, water-retention capacity, and genetic diversity.   

What are the solutions to address this crisis?