BHOPAL, 8 May 2025: With climate change severely impacting India’s food systems, a high-level Regional Policy Dialogue on Climate Change & Its Impact on Agriculture will be held in Bhopal on May 10, 2025.
Organised by Sustainability Matters and IndiAgri, the event aims to bring together policymakers, agriculture experts, grassroots innovators, and farmers to chart actionable pathways for climate-resilient and sustainable farming.
Solidaridad Network, a global sustainability organisation that works across the agri-supply chain to enable fair income and regenerative practices, is the sustainability partner for the event. The dialogue follows the success of the Sustainable Agriculture Summit & Awards 2024 in Delhi and underlines the urgency of climate adaptation as a non-negotiable priority.
“Indian agriculture stands at a crossroads. What we need now is not incremental change, but a bold recalibration of policy and practice,” said Dr Navneet Anand, Executive Director of Sustainability Matters. He emphasised that Madhya Pradesh, where over 70% of the population is engaged in agriculture, offers a critical case study in climate vulnerability and resilience.
The day-long event will feature two panel discussions — ‘Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Adapting to Changing Weather Patterns’ and ‘Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture: Conservation and Productivity’. Participants will include policymakers, agricultural scientists, agri-tech startup founders, FPOs, and progressive farmers.
An awards ceremony will also be held to honour sustainability champions driving innovation and resilience in agriculture. Categories include Climate-Smart Agriculture Champion, Water Conservation Pioneer, Soil Health Champion, Young Agripreneur Award, Community-Led Sustainability Award, AgTech Startup of the Year, Biodiversity Guardian Award, and Progressive Farmers Recognition. Jury members include Dr Jay G. Varshney (ICAR) and Dr Ravindra Kumar Sohane (Bihar Agriculture University).
“Policy interventions must be grounded in science, but responsive to the realities of our farmers,” said Dr Varshney, highlighting the importance of integrating research with grassroots action.
Dr Suresh Motwani, General Manager of Solidaridad, noted, “We must support farmers not just with knowledge, but with systems that enable sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. Solidaridad is proud to back this timely initiative.”
The event is being supported by knowledge partners FIJEEHA and the Centre for Environment & Development Studies, with GreyMatters Communications as the official communications and event partner.
Upcoming Regional Dialogues in Chandigarh, Patna, and Guwahati will continue the mission of region-specific policy innovation, creating a national roadmap for resilient, climate-smart farming.
Image credit: ucs.org
