Climate-smart agriculture
Also called: CSA · Topic: Environment and Sustainable Development · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach promoted by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). It pursues three aims at once: grow more food, help farms withstand climate shocks such as drought and floods, and cut greenhouse gas emissions from farming. The approach matters for India because most of its farmers are small and rain-dependent.
Example
India runs CSA through two programmes. NICRA (National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture, run by ICAR since 2011) tests drought-tolerant seeds and water-saving methods in vulnerable districts. NMSA (National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture) spreads such practices more widely.
Don't confuse with
- Organic farming: its focus is avoiding synthetic chemicals. CSA is judged on productivity, resilience and emissions, and can still use chemical inputs where needed.
Related concepts
- Traditional knowledge
- Vermicomposting
- Biopest control
- Integrated pest management
- Organic farming
- Organic food
- Natural farming
- Zero budget natural farming
- Conservation agriculture
- Zero tillage