Nabard pilots climate change adaptation plan

The ambitious climate change adaptation project in Ahmednagar district sanctioned by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) will help 25 villages cope with climate change and adapt to impending impacts.

This pilot project is one of significant projects initiated by Nabard in the last financial year in Pune region.

Addressing a press conference, regional general manager P Satish said the climate change adaptation project launched in Ahmednagar district this year will benefit Akole and Sangamner talukas covering an area of 44.47 acres and 23,245 families.

“This is the first project of its kind in the country which seeks to develop knowledge strategies, approaches, measures and processes that would enable vulnerable communities to cope with climate change and adapt to impending impacts,’’ he said.

The project was sanctioned with a grant from Nabard and Swiss Development Cooperation. Advanced weather stations will come up in the area to monitor climatic changes and guide farmers. It will concentrate on watershed development, crop management and increasing green cover for stabilisation of soil and increasing ground water level.

The changes in the region will be monitored for five years and suitable technology for crops will be developed. The farmers will be motivated and helped in shiftting to alternative sources of energy to conserve natural resources.

The project will be implemented in association with India Meteorological Department, social forestry department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Mahabaleshwar and Indian Space Research Organisation. This project will help improve food production and conserve environment.

Nabard has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, for three years. It will collaborate in the preparation of CDs, VCDs, brochures, pamphlets on agriculture and related activities for use by farmers, formation of a farmers-scientists forum, conduct training and implementation of seed development programme for production of certified seeds in the village.

“The link up primarily aims at transfer of technology and scientific advise. We are also looking at collaborating with other universities,’’ said P Satish.

A total of 23,000 new self-help groups were linked to the bank in the last fiscal year and 2,200 new farmer clubs were formed. Now there are 4,900 such clubs in the state. The clubs were formed to facilitate transfer of technology developed by research organisations and also to develop rapport between bankers and developmental agencies with farmers.

Five pilot projects for technology transfer, credit counselling and market advocacy through clubs were sanctioned in Satara, Washim, Pune and Ahmednagar districts. Nabard has sanctioned loans of Rs1,124 crore to state government for rural
infrastructure projects.