”Agriculture, superior practices among all, is a magnificent combination of growing crop and their production followed by harvesting & storage. Many climatic factor and parameter are directly indirectly involving in this phenomenon. Even a slight change in required condition will led to the reduction of agricultural production. It is very sensitive practice…” She used to start a lecture on these topics time and again in my childhood. She is my teacher, mentor, & everything: my mother. There is no synthetic food that has ability to resolve the problem of hunger till date & won’t be later on too. We must take care crop like a baby child she used precedence on it. She is totally dedicated and working on it. I used to love her feeling and beautiful words though there is cognitive conflict between us. My aim was to be a good doctor; she used to insist me to be a dirt playing agriculturist. Nowadays, I can feel rumors & rigorous scenario of our mentality.
It is utmost essential to be acquainted with our mentality, attitude & behavioral showoff, at least for the shake food security. Guardian wanted to see their child as a doctor in any possible way or as an engineer, pilot etc. We are not fortunate to see the preferences for agriculture. Though there are no demarcations of human desires, we can’t set it either. It’s their right what should they want & what not to but the concern is what if we few concerned people unable to produce enough for nine billion mouth? What if population exceeds than food availability and we remain as such? How long will we survive with the food scarcity? What if children took plate for food and we can’t give them as a guardian? This will be a Nightmare… we have to think twice thrice and get in involved to resolve this problem immediately.
Sustainability is the key word for life support. What we have today is the precious gift of nature; our responsibility is to handover it to the next generation without or less deteriorating its quality. On the other side we have to use same resources to produce food for nine billion mouths. It is a perplexity but we can make it right in a very correct way. Every developed nation is running after climate impact on agriculture, sustainability, food security & most preferably for nutritional security too. They are worrying for nutritional content & hygiene of their daily diet. It matters them even if 0.1 % change in protein content of lentil & 0.001% decrease in farm tomato production. We can see their dedication. In contrast, we have other melancholic situations of immense hunger. Still we didn’t care. We can analyze the present scenario and population growth rate considering the present population growth rate there will almost 70% people will be hungry in next coming decade, if we remain dormant. In addition to this, we have immense challenge of climate alteration these days.
There has been great instability in agriculture sector because of climatic irregular pattern and their influence. It can neither be neglect the role of crop to alter the climatic pattern nor the impact of climate on crop; both are interlock with each other. Regardless to disclose that the contribution by agriculture and forestry sector for climate change is greater which almost 20%. We have no choices left, it compels us to flow with its motion; adaptation of climate change but in a very smart way. We did research and analyze about the past situation and constraint. We have it on our filing system in office only-very shameless situation.
The nature is much smarter than us; we must trick the nature this time, if we not, we will fail. For this, we have to be astute & accept climate smart agriculture. Climate Smart and sustainable agriculture is mutually come up for zero hunger and for longevity of agriculture sustainability. Adaptation of IPNM (Integrated plant nutrient management) believe to be utmost important. Similarly, Strategic use of climate finance, Addressing the capacity, Support the enabling environment for climate smart agriculture, Main streaming climate change in domestic budget (awareness), Promotion of private capital for climate smart agricultural investment believed to a smart way to Climate Smart Agriculture. Practice of climate smart agriculture, starting from village along with the practice of community bonds institution. Maximum exploration and extension of available improved technique, introduction of disease pest resistant variety to local farmer through series of action, training, broadcasting of sowing date fertilizer dose for on-season agricultural crop and the research activity in the farmer’s field are the primal part of CSA.
Similarly, enhancing the farmer’s knowledge especially in related with adaptation and their skill enhancement, establishing climate information service for community awareness and acting as the information desk for climate change and its impact and their management. In addition to this, village development plan & climate smart agriculture institution/bonding development through farmer’s active participation. Promotion of land management and fertility management as well as soil conservation is another important factor for CSA implementation. It seems tedious task for us but it can lead us to ultimate path for more agriculture production and its sustainability. In addition to this, adverse effect of climate could be minimized up to certain limit.
At last, what we have to do is in our port, we have well developed common sense and genuine motive. Nine billion is a lot of mouth to feed and the responsibility is knocking with expectation of genuine help from us. If you could-do it, if not let it free from your vague activity. Commit for: saving life, biodiversity and no food wastes. Are you ready??
-Kamal chhetri
Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science
Tribhuvan University