The G-20 Summit in Delhi and Climate Justice
Introduction
- The G-20 summit held in Delhi on September 9-10 had significant agreements related to renewable energy capacity and energy efficiency improvement by 2030.
- However, the summit failed to reach a consensus on phasing out fossil fuels, which is a contentious issue at the heart of the climate crisis.
Two Normative Ideals for Energy Transition
- The summit highlighted the importance of internalizing the costs of greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring climate justice by compensating those harmed by climate change.
- This implies that those responsible for emissions should pay for the transition to clean energy, and richer countries or classes should bear the burden of financing this transition.
Domestic vs. International Considerations
- India’s approach to climate change has primarily been framed through the lens of foreign policy and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) in international negotiations.
- This approach prioritizes economic growth over climate mitigation, given India’s historically lower emissions.
- However, it fails to address climate justice within the country, especially its impact on inequality across class, caste, and region.
Inequality Matrix
- Climate change and energy transition disproportionately affect the poor in India. Climate-induced problems, droughts, and extreme weather events directly impact agriculture, leading to income losses for farmers.
- Rising temperatures in the ocean also affect fishing communities. Societies with higher inequality tend to have higher emissions per unit of economic activity, which is a challenge for India due to its unequal economic structure.
Greening Development
- India’s energy transition policies, while necessary, may impact the livelihoods of the poor and worsen existing inequalities.
- The focus on renewable energy adoption should also consider economic, social, and regional disparities.
- Regions heavily reliant on coal production face specific challenges, such as pollution, poverty, and low-quality employment.
Just Transition
- A just transition to renewables requires a holistic approach that protects livelihoods, offers alternative job opportunities, and ensures that vulnerable communities are not adversely impacted.
- The shift to renewable energy could affect job opportunities for disadvantaged groups, such as Dalits and lower castes, who are often employed in the public sector fossil fuel industry.
Greening Federalism
- Regional disparities in economic inequality align with the energy source divide in India. Coal, primarily located in poorer regions, is a significant source of revenue and employment for state governments.
- India’s energy transition strategy must address regional inequalities, transfer funds to coal-dependent states, and develop state-specific programs for reskilling and local rehabilitation.
Federal Deal for the Green Deal
- India’s federal governance structure implies a significant role for sub-national governments in addressing climate concerns. However, their priorities may differ from the Union government.
- Examining sub-national responses is crucial to understanding how policy alignment and cooperation can be achieved across government levels, especially in the context of fiscal federalism and climate mitigation.
Conclusion,
The G-20 summit’s focus on renewable energy and climate justice is essential, but the domestic implications, particularly in addressing inequality and regional disparities, must be given priority to ensure a sustainable and just transition to a greener future in India.
Transforming India's Food System for Sustainability
Introduction
- Earlier this week, World Food Day was celebrated, prompting reflection on the need to view food as a complex system. India, as the world’s most populous country, is acutely aware of the challenges that a food system entails.
- Ensuring nutrition security, sustainable agricultural practices, and environmental protection are essential components of a resilient food system.
Nutrition, Livelihoods, and Environmental Security
- Nutrition Challenges: India grapples with a dual nutrition challenge. A significant portion of the population experiences nutrient deficiencies, as indicated by the National Family Health Survey (2019-21), where 35% of children are stunted, and 57% of women and 25% of men are anemic. Conversely, imbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles have led to a rise in obesity, affecting 24% of adult women and 23% of adult men.
- Income Inadequacy for Farmers: Farm incomes in India fall short of meeting the needs of marginal and small-scale farmers. Over 68% of marginal farmers rely on non-farm activities to supplement their earnings, reflecting a lack of opportunities or skills for diversification. Programs like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) play a critical role in bridging this income gap.
Environmental Vulnerability: Depletion of natural resources and changing climate conditions pose a significant threat to India’s food production. The 2023 soil health survey reveals that nearly half of the cultivable land in India lacks essential organic carbon. Groundwater, a vital source of irrigation, is rapidly declining, especially in states like Punjab, where over 75% of groundwater locations are over-exploited, endangering farmers’ income resilience.
Consumer Shift to Healthy and Sustainable Diets:
- To address these interrelated challenges, a triad approach is crucial, involving consumers, producers, and middlemen.
- Shifting consumer demand towards healthier and sustainable diets is vital. The private sector, driven by aspiration, can promote locally-grown millets in a similar fashion to how imported foods like oats and quinoa have been popularized.
- Collaboration between civil society, the health community, and social media influencers can shape healthier and sustainable consumption patterns.
Public Sector Intervention:
- The public sector, through various touchpoints like the Public Distribution System, mid-day meals, railways catering, urban canteens, and public and institutional procurement, can significantly improve what a significant portion of Indians consume.
- Additionally, religious institutions can influence food choices, as seen with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s procurement of naturally-farmed produce.
Support for Regenerative Agriculture:
- Ensuring resilient incomes for farmers requires a transition to remunerative and regenerative agricultural practices.
- Initiatives like the National Mission on Natural Farming need more funding, as sustainable agriculture currently receives less than 1% of the agricultural budget.
- Agricultural support should move from input subsidies to direct cash support per hectare, promoting efficient input use and fostering agroecological practices.
- Agricultural research and extension services should also allocate a portion of their budgets to sustainable agricultural practices.
Value-Added Farm-to-Fork Chains:
- Transforming farm-to-fork value chains to be more sustainable and inclusive is crucial.
- Enabling greater value addition of agricultural produce in rural areas can enhance rural incomes.
- Middlemen should prioritize direct procurement from farmers, encourage the purchase of sustainably harvested produce, and adopt practices like fair trade.
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- Young agri-tech enterprises like DeHaat and Ninjacart facilitate such farm-to-buyer linkages.
- Additionally, enabling trading of produce between Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) can ensure a more equitable share of value for farmers.
Conclusion
Shifting an entire food system is a monumental task, but the scale of the challenge should not deter ambitions. India has a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world how to create a resilient and sustainable food system.
By addressing nutrition, livelihoods, and environmental concerns through a three-sided approach, India can set a compelling example for the rest of the world to follow.
Enhancing Farmer Income through Farmer Producer Organizations in Uttar Pradesh
Introduction
- The government in Uttar Pradesh is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to increase farmers’ income, focusing on productivity, cost reduction, marketability, crop diversification, risk mitigation, and climate-resilient technologies.
- Fragmented land holdings have posed significant challenges to the agricultural sector, hindering economies of scale and discouraging investment.
- However, the emergence of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) has been a game-changer by fostering collaboration among farmers and addressing these issues.
Farmer Producer Organizations: A Solution to Fragmentation
- Definition: FPOs are collectives of farmers in a specific geographical cluster, registered under the Companies Act or as cooperatives under the Societies Registration Act.
- Benefits: FPOs have proven their potential by promoting cluster-based farming, facilitating economies of scale, agri-extension services, technology adoption, quality assurance, and improved market access for farmers.
Government Initiatives to Promote FPOs
- Central Scheme: The government aims to form and promote 10,000 FPOs, fostering cooperation in activities like input management and enhancing agricultural capacities.
- State Support: The Uttar Pradesh government has established a dedicated FPO cell to support these organizations and ensure the convergence of various schemes, compliance, and continuous assistance to enhance rural prosperity.
- Synergistic Approach: The state government, in collaboration with the central government, intends to establish one FPO in each of the 826 blocks in UP annually for five years, starting in 2022-23.
FPO Shakti Portal
- The FPO Shakti portal serves as a one-stop platform for active FPOs in UP, facilitating grievance redressal, business partnerships, and convergence.
- As of July 15, nearly 1,600 FPOs with a total turnover of Rs 229 crore have registered on the portal, involving more than six lakh farmers.
Financial Incentives for FPOs
- The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund offers a 3% interest subvention for credit extended to develop post-harvest infrastructure, and this incentive is available to FPOs.
- The UP government provides an additional 3% subvention to FPOs and agricultural entrepreneurs, reducing the overall interest on such loans to approximately 3%.
- Capital subsidies under various central and state-sponsored schemes further incentivize the development of post-harvest facilities.
Convergence of Schemes
- The government is actively working to converge various schemes, including farm mechanization, seed production and processing, agri-marketing, MSP-based procurement, nutrition missions, and services for input supply.
- Technological interventions such as agri-drones and organic farming are also being integrated into FPO activities.
Positive Outcomes
- FPOs have played a pivotal role in crop diversification and value addition in Uttar Pradesh.
- The FPO portal highlights FPO involvement in cereals, horticulture products, pulses, oilseeds, millet products, medicinal and aromatic crops, and sugarcane-based products.
- Many FPOs have established seed processing units and farm machinery banks, contributing to farm mechanization and climate-resilient strategies.
Conclusion, the government’s proactive measures in Uttar Pradesh to promote FPOs have begun to yield significant outcomes, transforming the agricultural landscape by addressing fragmentation, enhancing farmer income, and fostering agricultural diversification and resilience.
