Climate Change and Organic Agriculture

1 INSIDE Editorial - Climate Change In The Eastern Himalayan Region Climate Change and Organic Agriculture My Experience with Inhana Rational Farming Technology The Impact of Climate Change on Quality of Tea and Livelihoods in the North East of India Climate Change: A Major Challenge for Sustaining Crop Production in North Eastern India Combating Climate Change the Subaltern Way : In Conversation with Dunu Roy Organic News Source:Source: Foodwhatsyourimpact.org and Agricultural Organization, United Nations. CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE EASTERN HIMALAYAN REGION The Eastern Himalayan region is spread (about 144) are found particularly in the a 1 degree Celsius increase in temperature in over five countries, namely, Bhutan, China, North Eastern states of India. the Himalayas, will have extensive impact not India, Myanmar and Nepal. The region, with only on the mountainous regions but also on It has been widely noted that mountains make its varied geopolitical and socioeconomic for fragile environments and any alterations in the northern river-plains that depend largely systems has been home to diverse cultures climatic conditions would have far-reaching on them. and ethnic groups alongside encompassing impact on the ecosystems that are sustained immense natural resources, rich forest cover, Additionally, political alliances between by them. As a repository of biodiversity and assorted biodiversity and numerous species countries of the subcontinent are dependent ecosystems, the Eastern Himalayan region is of medicinal herbs and plants. The region’s in a significant way on these trans-border also a sanctuary for many endangered and complex topographical layout has given rise rivers. As a result, the impact of climate endemic species. The onslaught of climate to varied vegetative patterns and provided change on the hydrological cycles here will change affecting the world today, which reproductive isolation for many species also have a profound bearing on the political entails more severe weather, longer droughts, of flora and fauna, thereby creating rich texture of the region. Refugees of climate higher temperatures (milder winters), heat biodiversity hotspots. The unique topography change, no longer a predicament of the future of the Eastern Himalayas has also led to the waves, changes in local biodiversity, and but a reality that is unravelling in our lifetime, creation of different bioclimatic zones in the reduced ground and surface water quantity crossing national boundaries for survival will region. and quality, will be felt gravely in these regions. Climate change threatens to make put under further duress political ties between The North Bengal hills and North Eastern states the already fragile ecological balance of the nations in the region. of India that fall within this region provide a region all the more vulnerable, while at the It becomes fairly evident how everything window into this highly heterogeneous natural same time, increases risk of natural calamities, from ecosystems to political relations in the world of the Eastern Himalayas. Evidence of jeopardises food security and raises health Eastern Himalayan region gets implicated in its diversity can be seen in the 8000 species risks for its local populations. of flowering plants, over 816 tree species, 675 a discussion around climate change. With this edibles and nearly 1743 species of medicinal This region is also a critical from the point of dedicated issue on ‘Climate Change’ we aim value that are found here. A review conducted view that the Hindu Kush-Himalayan ranges to foreground the urgency with which we need by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund contain the largest accumulation of snow to collectively work towards limiting climate (CEPF) revealed that the Eastern Himalayas and ice outside the polar region; and is the change and hope that in a humble way we are home to a large number of globally source for ten major Asian rivers, including have been able to open up the conversation those that flow through the subcontinent significant mammals (45 species); birds (50 from where we may arrive at solutions. species); reptiles (16 species); amphibians (12 namely, Brahmaputra, Ganga, Yamuna, Kosi, species); invertebrates (2 species); and plants that flow towards the east and the Indus, Ranjit Barthakur, Chairman, (36 species). The majority of these species Sutlej, Ravi, that flow towards the west. Even APPL Foundation © APPLF/Sandeepan Bhattacharjee 1 Biodiversity in Assam and North Bengal 2 Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. 3 Climate Change and Organic Agriculture The primary objective of agricultural activities understanding of climate change. It refers that increased fertilizer usage over the last 50 is to produce sufficient quantities of food to to the exchange of various forms of carbon years has led to a dramatic rise in the level feed the world’s population. Not only has between the atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial of nitrous oxide, a major GHG contributor conventional or ‘business-as-usual’ approach biosphere and geological deposits. Carbon to climate change. According to the to agriculture failed to meet the global dioxide in the atmosphere, rising levels of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change demand for food, it has also been an obstacle which significantly contributes to climate (IPCC), the annual amount of greenhouse in the way of combating climate change. change, is primarily produced by biological gasses (GHG) emitted by the agricultural sector is 10 to 12 % of global emissions. The relationship between agricu- reactions that take place in the soil. An effective way of minimising carbon content The main GHGs emitted through agriculture ltural production processes and in the atmosphere is through the process of accounted for by the IPCC are nitrous oxide climate change is indisputable. carbon sequestration, where the soil itself (N2O) and methane (CH4). Equally evident is the fact absorbs and retains carbon. However, with Climate change, agricultural practices and that organic and conservatory the clearing of grasslands and forestlands food security are inextricably connected in agricultural practices are the only for conventional agriculture and grazing our present context. According to the Food purposes, there has been an acute loss of sustainable means by which we and Agricultural Organization (FAO), climate soil carbon. Soil carbon losses caused by change represents a serious threat to global can seek to increase production agriculture account for a tenth of total CO2 food security. Changes in temperature and and stall climate change, in the emissions attributable to human activity since rainfall patterns affect the organic matter and long term. Organic agriculture 1850. processes that take place in the soils. This, in therefore, plays a critical role Conventional agriculture is a major turn, has an impact on the plants and crops in addressing two of the most contributor to climate change in yet another that grow from them. For us to restrict climate change and commit ourselves to the issue urgent crises facing the world way. The dependence on chemical fertilizers within the conventional approach has of food security for all, a paradigmatic shift today, namely that of food needs to take place in the way we think about resulted in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and practice agriculture. security and climate change. in the atmosphere. A study conducted by the The carbon cycle forms the core of our University of California, Berkeley, has found Organic agriculture offers a farming system Paddy planting in progress near Bhelaguri tea plantation, Assam ©APPLF 4 Rainwater Harvesting in Udalguri village of Assam ©APPLF/Sinjini Mukherjee that can affordably recapture carbon from the builds resilient farming systems capable of country in organic production air and effectively re-store it in the soil. Unlike combating climate change and securing with 650,000 producers. It is the carbon released from fossil fuels, soil local food supplies and is highly effective in carbon store has the potential to be recreated sequestrating carbon. Today, the benefits of also interesting to note here, that to a substantial degree if appropriate farming going organic are gradually being brought about the quarter of the world’s practices are adopted. within mainstream discussions on agricultural agricultural land (11.7 million practices the world over. FAO states that improved agriculture and hectares) and more than 80% soil management practices (that increase soil According to figures published by IFOAM, of the world’s organic producers organic carbon), such as organic farming, 78 million hectares (agricultural and agro-ecology, conservation agriculture and non-agricultural areas) spread over 170 come from the developing agroforestry, produce fertile soils that are rich countries was organic in 2013. Asia countries and emerging markets. in organic matter (carbon), keep soil surfaces was recorded to have a total These figures provide evidence to the positive vegetated, require fewer chemical inputs, of 3.4 million hectares of trends that are taking shape in the world and promote crop rotations and biodiversity. towards combating climate change alongside These soils are also less susceptible to erosion organic agricultural areas, which ensuring measures for providing food security. and desertification, and will maintain vital constitutes 8% of the world’s Organic agricultural practices have been ecosystem services such as the hydrological

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