NEW DELHI, 31 August 2025: The Centre has reinforced measures to address pest infestations and climate-related crop losses through a mix of research initiatives, crop insurance schemes, and targeted interventions, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ramnath Thakur informed the Lok Sabha recently.
Responding to queries on rising pest attacks linked to climate change, Mr. Thakur clarified that no specific data suggests infestations in crops like cotton and moong have increased by 33% or more due to disasters such as heatwaves or locusts. However, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is studying the broader impact of climate change under its National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project.
NICRA covers crops, livestock, horticulture, and fisheries, developing climate-resilient technologies for drought, flood, frost, and heatwave-prone regions. Databases on pest and disease incidence across 12 agro-climatic zones are also being compiled to strengthen preparedness.
On risk mitigation, the Minister highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), introduced in 2016. These provide comprehensive coverage from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages against calamities including drought, floods, hailstorms, and inundation. Between 2020–21 and 2024–25, farmers paid INR 18,175 crore in premiums, while claims worth INR 86,755.8 crore were settled, benefiting over 14.6 crore farmer applications.
To combat specific pest threats, ICAR’s Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, has been disseminating integrated Pink Bollworm management strategies under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission since 2018-19. CICR has also developed pheromone traps to reduce pest infestation in cotton fields.
Officials said these initiatives aim to stabilise farmer incomes, strengthen resilience, and reduce losses from both natural calamities and pest outbreaks, ensuring long-term sustainability of Indian agriculture.
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