Sow seeds for smart farming as the next revolution might not be just about higher yields

India's agricultural economy is navigating an increasingly volatile climate reality. For a country with 15 agro-climatic zones, diverse cropping systems and more than 85% of farmers cultivating less than 2 ha, climate resilience is no longer only an environmental issue. It is linked to food security, economic stability and long-term farm growth.

India has made important progress in building climate-resilient agriculture. But the nature of climate risk itself is changing. Before these risks can be managed, however, they must first be understood. Climate and geospatial intelligence are becoming indispensable to that effort.

India is increasingly using DPI to support evidence-based decision-making in agriculture. An example is data in climate resilient agriculture (DiCRA), an open-access digital public good that helps identify climate vulnerability hotspots, supports district-level resilience assessments and enables risk-informed investment planning. Importantly, it is a practical decision-support system for policymaking, agricultural investments and national-scale implementation through rural development programmes with Nabard.


By integrating geospatial analytics, AI-driven insights and open-access data, DiCRA is making climate information more accessible, actionable and locally relevant. This is particularly important at the district level, where climate risks can vary sharply even within the same state.

Yet, data alone does not protect farmers from climate shocks. For them, resilience is a financial question. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has become one of the world's largest agricultural risk-protection systems. During 2024-25, the programme covered 42 mn farmers and insured 62 mn ha of cropped area.

Climate shocks do not stop at the farm gate. They quickly ripple through household finances, credit systems and local economies. This underscores the importance of ensuring that climate information is translated into practical action.

The real measure of success is whether this information reaches farmers in a form they can act on. This is where the private sector has an increasingly important role to play.

Established agribusinesses and new-age tech companies are playing a critical role in bridging this gap. By using climate and weather data to deliver more targeted farmer support, ranging from crop advisories and input planning to supply chain decisions, they are helping translate data into real-time, on-farm decision-making.

In crop care, this includes using satellite and weather analytics to enable more precise and timely interventions, helping farmers optimise input use, respond to pest and disease risks, and better manage heat and water stress. Evidence shows that such data-driven advisory models can improve yields by 15-30% and enhance farm incomes, particularly in climate-stressed regions.

Similarly, oil palm initiatives are combining climate advisories with drip irrigation systems and soil health monitoring to help smallholder farmers stabilise productivity, even as some regions experience increasing rainfall variability.

Technology and finance are essential, but they are only part of the solution. Healthy ecosystems remain one of agriculture's most effective forms of climate protection.

Across Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha, climate resilience programmes supported through Green Climate Fund are combining mangrove restoration, seagrass and salt-marsh conservation, climate-adaptive farming, and diversified livelihood models such as sustainable crab aquaculture and oyster farming. These initiatives are supporting resilience and livelihoods for approximately 1.74 mn people.

These models are significant because of their ability to deliver dual outcomes: restoring natural ecosystems that act as climate buffers, while also uplifting farming families and reducing long-term climate vulnerability.

For decades, agricultural success was measured largely by production. Climate change is changing that equation. The challenge today is not only to increase output but also to ensure that farmers, institutions and food systems can cope with growing uncertainty.

India is already putting many of the building blocks in place, from climate intelligence platforms and DPI to stronger financial protection systems and ecosystem-based adaptation. The National Adaptation Plan process reflects this shift by placing agriculture at the centre of long-term climate planning.

The next step is to move from isolated initiatives to a more integrated approach that embeds climate risk into how agricultural systems are planned, financed and managed. As weather extremes become more frequent, strengthening ability of farming communities to anticipate, adapt and recover will be essential for sustaining livelihoods and food security.