India's Agricultural Adaptation Policy Response: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

This arc tracks India's decisive policy shift toward Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) following a series of climate shocks in 2025. It began with record-breaking heatwaves threatening the wheat harvest and was followed by ICAR warnings of extreme soil erosion due to erratic rainfall shifts (up to 26% increase in Rabi rain). By mid-2025, the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates demanded a 'systemic transformation' of the agricultural sector. This legislative pressure culminated in early 2026 with the government accelerating advanced CRA initiatives, including genome-edited crops and soil-microbiome mapping, to safeguard farm incomes and food stability.

How This Story Evolved

Heat threatens wheat production (Mar 2025) & ICAR warns of soil risks (Mar 2025) → Parliamentary Panel demands systemic transformation (July 2025) → Govt accelerates CRA efforts (Jan 2026) → Agencies publish new impact assessments (Feb 2026)

1. 2025-03-10: India's Wheat Production Threatened by Climate Change
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change threatens India's wheat production.

   Key Facts:

   • February 2025: Hottest February in 124 years for India
   • Cause: Rising temperatures
   • Impact: Threatens wheat yield and quality
   • Contributing factor: Indian Ocean warming delaying wheat sowing
2. 2025-03-20: Increase in Kharif & Rabi Rainfall to Lead to Soil Erosion: ICAR Report
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Increased rainfall will lead to higher soil erosion and rising salinity.

   Key Facts:

   • Report by: ICAR
   • Increase in Kharif Rainfall: 9–10.1% by 2050 and 5.5–18.9% by 2080
   • Increase in Rabi Rainfall: 12–17% by 2050 and 13–26% by 2080
   • Impact: Higher soil erosion and rising salinity
3. 2025-07-26: Parliamentary Panel on Climate-Resilient Agriculture
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Parliamentary panel highlights need for climate-resilient agriculture due to projected yield decline.

   Key Facts:

   • Crop yields are projected to decline by 4.5% to 9% in the medium term
   • 310 districts are vulnerable to climate change
   • 109 districts categorized as 'very high risk' by the IPCC
4. 2026-01-02: Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) Efforts Accelerated
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India accelerates Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) for food security.

   Key Facts:

   • Focus: Scaling Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)
   • Goal: Sustainably increase productivity, enhance adaptation to climate variability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure food security
   • India is accelerating Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)
   • Includes use of biofertilizers and biopesticides
   • Involves soil-microbiome analyses
   • Includes development of genome-edited crops for drought, heat, salinity, or pest pressures
5. 2026-02-10: Climate Change Impact Assessment
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources.

   Key Facts:

   • Indian meteorological and environmental agencies published reports on climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources.
6. 2026-02-17: Maharashtra Task Force to Address Climate Change, Farmer Suicides
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Maharashtra task force to address climate change and farmer suicides.

   Key Facts:

   • A 10-member committee comprising eight government officials and two experts, constituted by the Commissioner of Agriculture of Maharashtra
   • Aims to study social, economic, psychological and agriculture-related factors which lead to farmers' distress and suicides
   • Find implementable solutions for climate change related agricultural distress issues
   • Improve loan distribution mechanism, irrigation and water management, minimum support price system and mediator-free markets, crop rotation, social security measures and control of seed quality and crop insurance.
   • Maharashtra reported 781 farmer suicides in the first nine months of 2025
7. 2026-02-22: Kerala launches project to combat climate change in agriculture.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Kerala launches 'KERA' project to combat climate change in agriculture.

   Key Facts:

   • KERA project: ₹2,365 crore initiative.
   • Supported by the World Bank.
   • Increase in fruit and vegetable production: from 6 lakh tonnes to 19.6 lakh tonnes.
   • 15 new seed varieties developed.
8. 2026-02-23: Climate change impacts India's coffee farms
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change increases harmful heat days in India's coffee regions.

   Key Facts:

   • Climate change adds 30 extreme-heat days a year to India's coffee farms.
   • 30 extra days of harmful heat annually in India's coffee-growing regions between 2021 and 2025 due to climate change
   • India recorded approximately 118 days per year above 30°C (between 2021 and 2025)
   • India accounts for 3.5% of global coffee production
   • Increased temperatures and erratic rainfall observed by farmers

Genesis

Trigger

The record-breaking temperatures of March 2025, specifically the hottest February in 124 years, which directly threatened wheat yield and quality due to heat stress during critical growth stages.

Why Now

The crisis was compounded by Indian Ocean warming, which delayed wheat sowing, making the crop more vulnerable to the sudden onset of early spring heatwaves.

Historical Context

India has historically relied on the Green Revolution framework. However, this arc represents a pivot toward the 'Evergreen Revolution' or 'Climate-Smart' paradigm necessitated by the failing efficacy of traditional cropping patterns under shifting thermal regimes.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-07-26] Presentation of the Sixth Report by the Committee on Estimates

   It moved the discourse from 'scientific warning' to 'legislative mandate,' highlighting that 310 districts were now vulnerable.

   Before: Climate change was a peripheral scientific concern; After: It became a core national security and economic priority with specific district-level risk mapping.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Committee on Estimates
• India Meteorological Department (IMD)
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Key Concepts

Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)

An integrated approach to managing landscapes—cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries—that addresses the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change.

Current Fact: India accelerated CRA in January 2026, focusing on biofertilizers, biopesticides, and soil-microbiome analyses.

Soil-Microbiome Analysis

The study of the community of microorganisms living in the soil to improve nutrient uptake and plant resilience against environmental stress.

Current Fact: This technology was explicitly integrated into the CRA efforts accelerated in early 2026.

Genome-Edited Crops

Crops where DNA is precisely changed to enhance specific traits like heat tolerance or pest resistance without necessarily introducing foreign DNA (unlike GMOs).

Current Fact: Used as a key tool in the 2026 CRA scaling effort to counter climate risks.

Parliamentary Committee on Estimates

A committee of the Lok Sabha that examines the estimates included in the budget to suggest 'economies' and 'improvements in organization'.

Current Fact: Its Sixth Report (2024-25) provided the legislative impetus for agricultural transformation in July 2025.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of February 2026, Indian meteorological and environmental agencies have published updated impact assessments on agriculture and water resources, providing the data baseline for localized CRA interventions.

Likely Next

Expected rollout of district-specific 'Climate-Resilient Village' clusters and the commercial release of heat-tolerant, genome-edited wheat varieties developed during the 2026 acceleration phase.

Wildcards

Potential 'El Niño' or 'La Niña' fluctuations in 2026 that could either validate or overwhelm the newly implemented CRA infrastructure; potential trade-related policy shifts if wheat yields significantly underperform in the short term.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country
• Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
• Parliamentary Committees

Essay Angles

• The Geopolitics of Food Security in a Warming World
• Technology as a Shield: Can Science Save the Indian Farmer?
• Parliamentary Oversight in the Age of Anthropocene

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Context of India's preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). — This arc is the real-world evolution of the CSA concept, adding modern tools like genome editing and soil-microbiome analysis mentioned in 2026.
• Functions and composition of the Estimates Committee. — The arc highlights the Committee's role in suggesting 'alternative policies' (systemic agricultural transformation) as per its mandate.

Prelims Angles

• The Estimates Committee consists of 30 members, all drawn exclusively from the Lok Sabha (critical for Polity).
• ICAR projects a 13-26% increase in Rabi rainfall by 2080, which paradoxically increases soil erosion risk.
• Wheat requires 10-15°C for sowing and 21-26°C for ripening; February 2025 heat disrupted this thermal window.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Analyzing the 2025 agricultural crisis, discuss how Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) serves as a necessary evolution of the Green Revolution in India. What role do Parliamentary Committees play in shaping such environmental policy shifts?

Answer Structure: Intro: Mention the 2025 heatwaves and yield risks. Body 1: Detail the scientific aspects of CRA (biomicrobiome, genome editing). Body 2: Analyze the impact of soil erosion and salinity as reported by ICAR. Body 3: Discuss the role of the Committee on Estimates in providing legislative direction. Conclusion: Way forward via decentralized, district-specific adaptation.

Essay Topic: Agriculture in the 21st Century: Balancing Productivity with Planetary Boundaries.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The 2025 heat crisis transformed climate adaptation from a scientific suggestion into a legislative mandate, marking India's shift toward high-tech, soil-centric agriculture.

All Events in This Story (8 items)

1. 2025-03-10 [Environment & Ecology] — India's Wheat Production Threatened by Climate Change
   India's wheat production is at risk due to climate change, with February 2025 being the hottest in 124 years. Rising temperatures during critical growth stages threaten yield, quality, and food security.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change threatens India's wheat production.

   Key Facts:

   • February 2025: Hottest February in 124 years for India
   • Cause: Rising temperatures
   • Impact: Threatens wheat yield and quality
   • Contributing factor: Indian Ocean warming delaying wheat sowing
2. 2025-03-20 [Environment & Ecology] — Increase in Kharif & Rabi Rainfall to Lead to Soil Erosion: ICAR Report
   Based on an ICAR report, the Union Minister for Rural Development informed the Lok Sabha that climate change will lead to increased rainfall, resulting in higher soil erosion and rising salinity. The report projects a rise in Kharif rainfall of 9-10.1% by 2050 and 5.5-18.9% by 2080, and an increase in Rabi rainfall of 12-17% by 2050 and 13-26% by 2080.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Increased rainfall will lead to higher soil erosion and rising salinity.

   Key Facts:

   • Report by: ICAR
   • Increase in Kharif Rainfall: 9–10.1% by 2050 and 5.5–18.9% by 2080
   • Increase in Rabi Rainfall: 12–17% by 2050 and 13–26% by 2080
   • Impact: Higher soil erosion and rising salinity
3. 2025-07-26 [Agriculture] — Parliamentary Panel on Climate-Resilient Agriculture
   The Committee on Estimates (2024–25) presented its Sixth Report to Parliament, highlighting India's urgent need for systemic transformation in agriculture due to climate change. Crop yields are projected to decline by 4.5% to 9% in the medium term. 310 districts are vulnerable, with 109 categorized as 'very high risk'.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Parliamentary panel highlights need for climate-resilient agriculture due to projected yield decline.

   Key Facts:

   • Crop yields are projected to decline by 4.5% to 9% in the medium term
   • 310 districts are vulnerable to climate change
   • 109 districts categorized as 'very high risk' by the IPCC
4. 2026-01-02 [Agriculture] — Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) Efforts Accelerated
   India is accelerating efforts to scale Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) to counter climate change risks to food security and farm incomes. CRA involves farming systems that sustainably increase productivity, enhance climate adaptation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure food security. This includes using biofertilizers, biopesticides, soil-microbiome analyses, and genome-edited crops.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India accelerates Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) for food security.

   Key Facts:

   • Focus: Scaling Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)
   • Goal: Sustainably increase productivity, enhance adaptation to climate variability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure food security
   • India is accelerating Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)
   • Includes use of biofertilizers and biopesticides
   • Involves soil-microbiome analyses
   • Includes development of genome-edited crops for drought, heat, salinity, or pest pressures
5. 2026-02-10 [Environment & Ecology] — Climate Change Impact Assessment
   Indian meteorological and environmental agencies published reports on climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources.

   Key Facts:

   • Indian meteorological and environmental agencies published reports on climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources.
6. 2026-02-17 [Environment & Ecology] — Maharashtra Task Force to Address Climate Change, Farmer Suicides
   Maharashtra has formed a 10-member task force, comprising government officials and experts, to address agricultural distress caused by climate change and prevent farmer suicides. The task force will study socio-economic, psychological, and agricultural factors contributing to farmer distress and propose solutions, including improving loan distribution, irrigation, MSP systems, crop rotation, and social security measures.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Maharashtra task force to address climate change and farmer suicides.

   Key Facts:

   • A 10-member committee comprising eight government officials and two experts, constituted by the Commissioner of Agriculture of Maharashtra
   • Aims to study social, economic, psychological and agriculture-related factors which lead to farmers' distress and suicides
   • Find implementable solutions for climate change related agricultural distress issues
   • Improve loan distribution mechanism, irrigation and water management, minimum support price system and mediator-free markets, crop rotation, social security measures and control of seed quality and crop insurance.
   • Maharashtra reported 781 farmer suicides in the first nine months of 2025
7. 2026-02-22 [Agriculture] — Kerala launches project to combat climate change in agriculture.
   Kerala has launched the 'KERA' project, a ₹2,365 crore initiative supported by the World Bank, to address climate change challenges in the agricultural sector. Fruit and vegetable production has risen from 6 lakh tonnes to 19.6 lakh tonnes over the last decade, supported by 15 new seed varieties.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Kerala launches 'KERA' project to combat climate change in agriculture.

   Key Facts:

   • KERA project: ₹2,365 crore initiative.
   • Supported by the World Bank.
   • Increase in fruit and vegetable production: from 6 lakh tonnes to 19.6 lakh tonnes.
   • 15 new seed varieties developed.
8. 2026-02-23 [Environment & Ecology] — Climate change impacts India's coffee farms
   Climate change has added an average of 30 extra days of harmful heat annually to India's coffee-growing regions between 2021 and 2025. India recorded about 118 days per year above 30°C, the temperature threshold beyond which the heat harms the coffee plants. Farmers are observing increased temperatures and erratic rainfall, leading to reduced soil moisture and stress for coffee plants.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change increases harmful heat days in India's coffee regions.

   Key Facts:

   • Climate change adds 30 extreme-heat days a year to India's coffee farms.
   • 30 extra days of harmful heat annually in India's coffee-growing regions between 2021 and 2025 due to climate change
   • India recorded approximately 118 days per year above 30°C (between 2021 and 2025)
   • India accounts for 3.5% of global coffee production
   • Increased temperatures and erratic rainfall observed by farmers