These crops are distributed to farmers in India, who then must be convinced to switch from the crops they are familiar with to the ones the government hopes they will grow.
While the move promises to be a game changer, it comes with a hefty price tag.
India is allocating US$32 billion to the agriculture sector, but nearly three-quarters of that is earmarked for welfare measures and subsidies. It is also unclear how much of the remaining share will go to crop research.
Khandelwal noted: “If we look at what is being spent towards development and deployment of climate-resilient seeds or climate-resilient agriculture practices, the expenditure is miniscule as compared to (subsidies). It’s this disparity which is more worrisome.”
German pharmaceutical and biotech giant Bayer also hopes to complement government crop breeding efforts with climate-resilient farming practices and technology.
It is partnering with an Indian government agency to use drones that can monitor crops and spray pesticide.
For example, Bayer is looking to encourage farmers to use a direct seeding rice machine instead of manually transplanting crops. It says this can reduce water use by up to 30 to 40 per cent, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45 per cent.
As India braces for a more unpredictable climate future, the hope is that public-private partnerships like these can better prepare the agriculture sector for that uncertainty.
There are also hopes that they can help to sustain the livelihood of farmers, as well as the billions across the world who depend on agriculture for food.
