India showcases climate-resilient food systems at UN Human Rights Council
Geneva, June 22
India has highlighted its efforts to build climate-resilient food systems and strengthen food security while addressing the impacts of climate change at the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
During his intervention, Arvind Kumar of the India Water Foundation stressed that transforming food systems is essential to ensuring fundamental human rights, including the rights to food, health, a clean environment, and a life of dignity.
Kumar said India recognises the strong link between climate change and food insecurity and has adopted a range of measures to address the challenge.
He noted that the country has developed more than 1,900 climate-resilient crop varieties, including a rice variety that requires 25 per cent less water.
India has also released 109 high-yielding biofortified crop varieties across 61 crops to improve nutrition and protect farmers' livelihoods, particularly in communities most vulnerable to climate-related risks.
Highlighting recent policy initiatives, Kumar said the Indian Cabinet approved the National Mission on Natural Farming in 2024. The centrally sponsored programme, with an outlay of approximately USD 290 million, aims to promote ecosystem-based agricultural practices and support around 10 million farmers across the country.
He also outlined the role of the India Water Foundation in advancing sustainable and resilient food systems. The organisation works through policy advocacy, research, knowledge sharing, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to promote climate-resilient agriculture, nutrition security, sustainable livelihoods, and ecosystem restoration.
According to Kumar, the Foundation collaborates with farmers, researchers, civil society organisations, and policymakers to strengthen food security, enhance resilience to climate change, and improve the well-being of vulnerable communities.
The intervention underscored India's commitment to integrating climate action with food security and human rights objectives while advancing sustainable agricultural practices to address emerging global challenges.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive numbers, but I wonder about ground-level implementation. In my visits to Indian villages, farmers still struggle with access to these new seed varieties and training. The policy is great on paper, but translation to reality remains a challenge. Hope the natural farming mission actually reaches the 10 million farmers promised.
As someone from a farming family in Punjab, I'm cautiously optimistic. The 25% less water rice variety is a game-changer for water-scarce regions. But we need more than announcements - proper distribution channels, affordable seeds, and timely monsoon predictions. Still, it's heartening to see India positioning itself as a global leader in climate-resilient agriculture. 💚
Biodiversified crops and natural farming - this is exactly what the world needs! India showing the way while developed nations still debate climate action. The 1,900 varieties is a staggering stat. But I'm curious: are these varieties made available to small and marginal farmers? That's where the real impact will be measured.
Good to see India's commitment at UNHRC, but let's not forget the ground reality - farmer suicides still happen, MSP issues persist, and climate change is hitting our agriculture hard. The 1,900 varieties sound impressive, but need to see if they actually reach the fields. Hope this isn't just another photo-op for global diplomacy. 🙏
This is the kind of integrated approach we need - linking food security, climate resilience, and human rights. India's natural farming mission budget ($290M) is modest compared to agri-subs
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