India's Agri Sector-Food Industry Must Adapt to Withstand Climate Impacts

• Climate Group warns extreme heat, erratic monsoons and groundwater stress are raising food supply chain risks.

• An industry-led coalition will boost demand and supply of nutritious, low-emissions, sustainable food products.

• India ranks ninth most climate-vulnerable country but targets 500 GW renewable electricity by 2030.

India's agriculture sector and food industry will need to ramp up adaptation measures to withstand increasing climate impacts, a leading climate organisation has said.

"Extreme heat, unpredictable monsoons, severe groundwater stress across the country are increasing the risk to food supply chains. Resilience in agriculture and food sectors is urgent and requires everyone's participation -- from farmers to large businesses, industry associations and the government," said Divya Sharma, India Executive Director, Climate Group.

An industry-led coalition supported by the Climate Group is already being developed to fast-track the transition.

"The coalition is convening key actors across businesses and industry associations to increase demand and supply of nutritious, low emissions, sustainable food products," Sharma said on the sidelines of the Climate Group Asia Action Summit and Philanthropy Asia Summit held in Singapore from May 18 to May 20.

According to the Climate Risk Index (CRI), India ranks as the ninth most-vulnerable country to climate change.

Sharma further elaborated on how India has already shown leadership in renewables deployment and electrification of transport to curb emissions. The country is steadily moving towards the goal of 500 GW electricity from renewable sources by 2030, she noted.

India has already helped establish coalitions of countries like the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, demonstrating its intent to not only scale up domestic action but also build international cooperation, she added.

There are also challenges of decarbonisation of steel and concrete industries, all of which are under pressure to increase production to meet the growing need from massive development of the national economy and prosperity for the people, Sharma, who is based in Delhi, underscored.

"Decarbonising India's economy is extremely important, particularly amidst an uncertain global geopolitical environment and its impacts on national and international markets. With its trajectory though, the country is capable to achieve Net Zero before 2070," she said.

Climate Group has been in India for 16 years and is working with leading businesses through global campaigns -- Renewables (RE100), Electric Vehicles (EV100), Smart Energy Coalition, Steel Zero and Concrete Zero -- and subnational climate leadership through the Under2 Coalition, which aims to achieve greenhouse gas emissions mitigation.