Parliament Question: Assessment of crop loss due to climate change and extreme weather events

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3202 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20/03/2026 ASSESSMENT OF CROP LOSS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

3202. SHRI RAJINDER GUPTA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on agricultural land over the last ten years, and if so, the total area affected, State/UT and district-wise;

(b) the quantity of crops lost due to such events during the said period, year-wise, crop-wise, and State/UT-wise, along with the estimated monetary value of such losses;

(c) whether any districts or regions have been identified as highly vulnerable to climate-induced agricultural losses, and if so, the details along with mitigation measures undertaken; and

(d) whether the Government proposes any new policy framework aimed at mitigating climate- related agricultural risks? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (d): ICAR is implementing a project- National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), which studies the impact of climate change on agriculture. Under the project, risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture to climate change has been carried out at district- level for 651 predominantly agricultural districts as per Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC) protocols. 310 districts were identified as vulnerable out of which 109 districts have been categorized as ‘very high’ and 201 districts as ‘highly’ vulnerable. The details of districts identified as climate-vulnerable under NICRA programme, are at Annexure I.

For enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of farmers to climate variability, location- specific climate resilient technologies such as system of rice intensification, aerobic rice, direct seeding of rice, zero till wheat sowing etc. have been demonstrated under the project through Krishi Vigyan Kendras in 448 Climate Resilient Villages. These are spread over 151 climatically vulnerable districts of 28 states / UTs. During the last ten years (2014–2024), ICAR has released 2,900 crop varieties, out of which 2,661 are tolerant to one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses.

Primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments, which provide financial relief to the affected people in the wake of notified disasters, including drought from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at their disposal. However, in the event of disaster of a severe nature, additional financial assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per the laid down procedure, which includes an assessmentbased on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). Further, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop by providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen natural calamities and adverse weather incidence. As on 31.12.2025, since the inception of the scheme in 2016, total claims amounting to ₹1.92 lakh crore have been paid under PMFBY (2016–17 to 2024–25), and the State-wise details of claims paid and area insured are placed at Annexure II.

Further, Government is implementing Per Drop More Crop scheme to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Rainfed Area Development scheme is being implemented to promote Integrated Farming System for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability. The Soil Health and Fertility scheme is implemented to assist states in promoting Integrated Nutrient Management through judicious use of fertilizers. The Government is also promoting organic farming through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and natural farming through National Mission on Natural Farming scheme. “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses”, National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds, and National Food Security & Nutrition Mission promotes crop diversification. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agroforestry & National Bamboo Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture. Further, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crops, thereby helping compensate farmers for losses caused by natural calamities and climate-related risks.Annexure I List of districts with ‘very high’ climate change risk to agriculture State District Risk Hazard Andhra Pradesh Anantapur Very High Drought Arunachal Pradesh Upper Siang Very High Drought Assam Nalbari Very High - Assam Darrang Very High Drought Bihar Sitamarhi Very High Flood Bihar Madhubani Very High Flood Bihar Supaul Very High Flood Bihar Kishanganj Very High Flood Bihar Katihar Very High Flood Bihar Saharsa Very High Flood Bihar Darbhanga Very High Flood Bihar Lakhisarai Very High Flood Bihar Sheikhpura Very High Drought Bihar Nalanda Very High Flood Gujarat Panchmahal Very High Drought Gujarat Dahod Very High Drought Haryana Fatehabad Very High Drought Haryana Bhiwani Very High Drought Haryana Mahendragarh Very High Drought Himachal Pradesh Chamba Very High Drought Himachal Pradesh Mandi Very High - Jammu & Kashmir Leh(Ladakh) Very High Drought Jammu & Kashmir Poonch Very High Drought Jammu & Kashmir Kathua Very High Drought Karnataka Gadag Very High Drought Karnataka Haveri Very High Drought Karnataka Chitradurga Very High Drought Kerala Kasaragod Very High Cyclone Kerala Kozhikode Very High Cyclone Kerala Ernakulam Very High Cyclone Kerala Kottayam Very High Drought Kerala Alappuzha Very High Flood Kerala Pathanamthitta Very High Flood Kerala Kollam Very High Cyclone Kerala Thiruvanathapuram Very High Drought Madhya Pradesh Bhind Very High Drought Madhya Pradesh Jhabua Very High Drought Maharashtra Nanded Very High - Maharashtra Beed Very High Drought Meghalaya West Garo Hills Very High Drought Meghalaya East Garo Hills Very High Drought Meghalaya South Garo Hills Very High DroughtMeghalaya West Khasi Hills Very High Drought Meghalaya East Khasi Hills Very High Drought Meghalaya Jaintia Hills Very High Drought Mizoram Lawngtlai Very High Drought Mizoram Saiha Very High Drought Nagaland Tuensang Very High Drought Orissa Keonjhar Very High Cyclone Orissa Balasore (Baleshwar) Very High Cyclone Orissa Kendrapara Very High Cyclone Orissa Jagatsingpur Very High Flood Orissa Jajpur Very High Cyclone Orissa Puri Very High Flood Punjab Gurdaspur Very High Drought Punjab Jalandhar Very High Drought Punjab Moga Very High Drought Punjab Faridkot Very High Drought Punjab Bathinda Very High Drought Rajasthan Ganganagar Very High Drought Rajasthan Hanumangarh Very High Drought Rajasthan Churu Very High Drought Rajasthan Jhunjhunu Very High Drought Rajasthan Alwar Very High Drought Rajasthan Karauli Very High Drought Rajasthan Dausa Very High Drought Rajasthan Sikar Very High Drought Rajasthan Nagaur Very High Drought Rajasthan Jodhpur Very High Drought Rajasthan Jaisalmer Very High Drought Rajasthan Barmer Very High Drought Rajasthan Jalore Very High Drought Rajasthan Pali Very High Drought Rajasthan Bhilwara Very High Drought Rajasthan Dungarpur Very High Drought Rajasthan Banswara Very High Drought Sikkim South Very High - Uttar Pradesh Bagpat Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Unnao Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Kannauj Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Etawah Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Auraiya Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Kanpur (Dehat) Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Jalaun Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Jhansi Very High - Uttar Pradesh Hamirpur Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Mahoba Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Banda Very High DroughtUttar Pradesh Chitrakut Very High - Uttar Pradesh Fatehpur Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Kaushambi Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Allahabad Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Bahraich Very High Flood Uttar Pradesh Shravasti Very High - Uttar Pradesh Balrampur Very High Flood Uttar Pradesh Gonda Very High Flood Uttar Pradesh Basti Very High Drought Uttar Pradesh Jaunpur Very High Flood Uttar Pradesh Sant Ravidas Nagar Very High Flood Uttarakhand Uttarkashi Very High - Uttarakhand Rudraprayag Very High - Uttarakhand Tehri Garwal Very High - Uttarakhand Pithoragarh Very High Drought Uttarakhand Bageshwar Very High Drought Uttarakhand Almora Very High Drought Uttarakhand Champawat Very High Drought West Bengal Malda Very High Flood West Bengal 24-Paraganas (North) Very High Cyclone West Bengal 24-Paraganas (South) Very High CycloneAnnexure II Details of Claims paid and area insured under PMFBY from 2016-17 to 2024-25 (as on 31.12.2025) State/UT Name Area Insured (in Lakh Ha) Paid Claims (in Rs. Crore) A & N Islands 0.0 0.3 Andhra Pradesh 195.5 5,580.5 Assam 37.5 736.6 Bihar 48.3 811.1 Chhattisgarh 212.1 7,655.1 Goa 0.0 0.1 Gujarat 112.3 5,751.2 Haryana 151.9 9,015.2 Himachal Pradesh 356.5 609.4 Jammu & Kashmir 5.6 157.3 Jharkhand 33.0 857.3 Karnataka 194.0 18,654.5 Kerala 5.0 743.5 Madhya Pradesh 1,004.5 31,737.1 Maharashtra 806.4 45,449.2 Manipur 0.4 10.5 Meghalaya 0.4 24.5 Odisha 124.3 7,183.9 Puducherry 0.8 21.2 Rajasthan 914.7 31,554.5 Sikkim 0.0 0.2 Tamil Nadu 129.6 15,575.5 Telangana 40.1 1,906.4 Tripura 2.6 12.3 Uttar Pradesh 337.6 5,805.2 Uttarakhand 232.5 1,362.0 West Bengal 56.4 1,262.8 GRAND TOTAL 5,002.2 1,92,477.3 ******