Piloting a climate change adaptation plan in India

Bhagyashree Kulthe in DNA (India): 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….

Mausoleum of Salabat Khan, minister of the Sultanate of Ahmadnagar in the 16th century (Ahmadnagar, Maharashtra, India), shot by Pravin Gupta