A day-long seminar on climate resilience and energy efficiency in agriculture held here on Saturday pointed out that the paddy farmers of Palakkad, the granary of Kerala, are the biggest victims of climate change faced by the State.
The seminar organised jointly by the Energy Management Centre (EMC) of the State government and the Department of Agriculture Development and Farmer’s Welfare underscored the necessity of chalking out and implementing comprehensive survival projects.
Part of a series of 14 seminars being conducted in all districts across the State, the event was organised to tackle the impact of climate crisis on the State’s agriculture sector. It was held in association with ASAR, a climate research and communications organisation, and EQUINOCT, a joint venture between the alumni of IIT Bombay and NIT Calicut.
Presenting the topic, agriculture and climate expert Usha Soolapani said that the government should formulate a comprehensive climate resilience policy, in consultation with the farmers, research organisations and departments concerned, to salvage paddy farming in the State.
“The farming model put forth by Krishi Bhavan, Alathur, is one of the best to overcome the challenges posed by climate change. It is worth emulating,” she said. Ms. Soolapani also called for an agriculture calendar exclusively for Palakkad considering the availability of rain and water from the dams.
Inaugurating the seminar, district panchayat president K. Binumol stressed the importance of coordination between different departments in circumventing the challenges posed by climate change. “People’s participation is a must in formulating climate resilience strategies,” she said.
Principal Agriculture Officer L.R. Murali presided over the function. Climate expert C. Jayaraman explained the State’s priorities in climate resilience strategy. Energy technologist Thomson Sebastian welcomed the gathering.
