ICAR Reviews 15 Years of NICRA, Launches Climate Adaptation Atlas in Agriculture

Dr. Jat emphasised that India’s climate resilience is anchored in an integrated ecosystem of science, policy support, technological innovation, safety nets, human capital and coordinated implementation.

 

The Review Workshop of National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) and the Launch-cum-Use Case Workshop of the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in Indian Agriculture (ACASA–India) was inaugurated on Tuesday in New Delhi by Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The workshop, jointly organised by ICAR and the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), marked a major milestone by synthesising 15 years of learnings from NICRA, assessing India’s progress in climate resilience, and outlining a convergent, data-driven roadmap to strengthen climate-resilient agri-food systems through integrated science, policy alignment and targeted investments.

Reflecting on India’s Climate Resilience Journey

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Jat said Basant Panchami, symbolising knowledge and renewal, was a fitting occasion to reflect on India’s climate resilience journey and to launch key national knowledge platforms, including the Akasha Atlas and the NICRA portals.

Marking 15 years of NICRA, he said the programme has reached a critical juncture that demands clear strategic direction and a long-term vision.

“Despite recurring climatic stresses, Indian agriculture—particularly in rainfed regions—has demonstrated notable resilience and productivity gains,” Dr. Jat said, underscoring the effectiveness of climate-resilient technologies, enabling policies and institutional convergence.

Integrated Ecosystem Driving Climate Adaptation

Dr. Jat emphasised that India’s climate resilience is anchored in an integrated ecosystem of science, policy support, technological innovation, safety nets, human capital and coordinated implementation.

He highlighted flagship initiatives such as NICRA, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and livestock and fisheries missions as key contributors to enhancing adaptive capacity and improving farmer livelihoods.

Looking ahead, he called for deeper synthesis of data, learning and investments into a unified national climate action platform, supported by a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach and a centralised national data ecosystem.

“India’s experience presents a strong global narrative on science-led, policy-aligned solutions for securing agri-food systems under climate stress,” Dr. Jat said, positioning NICRA as a potential global model for climate-resilient agriculture.

Launch of ACASA–India Platform

On the occasion, Dr. Jat formally launched the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in Indian Agriculture (ACASA–India), a web-enabled digital platform developed by the ICAR-led National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES) in collaboration with BISA–CIMMYT.

The platform is designed to support location-specific, data-driven adaptation planning, enabling policymakers, researchers and practitioners to design targeted climate adaptation strategies across diverse agro-ecological regions.

Expert Perspectives on Scaling Climate Action

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, said the platform provides a crucial opportunity to advance science at scale and adopt a holistic approach to climate action.

He stressed the need to prioritise robust and credible carbon credit methodologies as a key focus area for future climate investments and climate-smart agriculture initiatives.

Dr. A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, highlighted the global relevance of the workshop, noting that it brings together science, data and practical insights essential for strengthening climate resilience across agri-food systems worldwide.

He said the deliberations would contribute meaningfully to global efforts aimed at addressing climate challenges in agriculture.

Strengthening NICRA’s Role Towards Viksit Bharat 2047

The workshop also reviewed the progress of NICRA, which is currently implemented across more than 200 locations in 151 highly climate-vulnerable districts nationwide.

Participants noted that strengthening NICRA’s contributions is critical to India’s pathway towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, particularly in the face of increasing climate variability and extreme weather events.

Dignitaries in Attendance

Other dignitaries present at the inaugural session included:

• Dr. A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (NRM), ICAR

• Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR

• Dr. B. Venkateshwarlu, Chairman, NICRA Expert Committee

• Dr. V. K. Singh, Director, ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad

• Dr. P. K. Aggarwal, Regional Program Leader, BISA–CIMMYT

Deputy Directors General and senior officials from ICAR also attended the ceremony.

Officials said the workshop reinforced India’s commitment to science-driven, data-enabled and inclusive climate action in agriculture, positioning the country as a leader in climate-resilient agri-food systems globally.