The report on Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero emphasises on ‘strategic sequencing’ as a transition strategy focussing on resource efficiency like micro irrigation and fertilizer optimization.
- Strategic scaling of pathways like crop diversification (away from rice, sugarcane), increasing share of solar and electric pumps could offer mitigation co-benefits and energy savings.
Agriculture Sector of India
- Contribution: Supports 46% of workforce and contributes ~14% to Gross Value Added (GVA).
- Role in Food Security: Between 2011 and 2019, food grain production increased to ~285 million tonnes and to ~332 million tonnes in 2023-24.
- Key Challenges:
- Dominance of small and marginal farmers.
- Dual challenge of meeting food demand and managing environmental food prints:
- Sector currently accounts for ~14% of national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, driven by methane from enteric fermentation and rice cultivation and nitrous oxide from agricultural soils.
- Consumes ~18% of national electricity primarily to power groundwater irrigation and expanding mechanisation.
- Emission Scenario:
- Under Current Policy Scenario: Agricultural emissions (non-energy) are expected to rise from ~506 MtCO₂e in 2019 to ~531 MtCO₂e in 2070.
- Net Zero Scenario: Total emissions of ~399 MtCO₂e in 2070, offering ~25% mitigation co-benefits relative to the CPS.
- Key Policy Suggestions:Integrating both demand and supply side levers to create targeted roadmaps; Institutionalize integrated “agri-food” systems framework, etc.
