True transformation starts with everyday people taking action.
Lasting change grows from the efforts of those working at the grassroots.
It all begins with individuals making a difference in their own communities.
Real change begins with real people on the ground.
Current Scenario
Indian coastal agriculture is at high risk from increasing climate change, including erratic monsoons, rising temperatures, and increased frequency of floods. These climate challenges threaten the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, necessitating urgent shifts towards climate-resilient farming practices to maintain food security and economic stability. Currently, India's climate-resilient efforts with respect to coastal agriculture are focused on implementing salt-resistant crops, water-efficient practices, and integrated farming systems. However, widespread adoption remains limited, and scaling up these practices is critical to addressing climate impacts across diverse agro-ecological regions.
The Indian Sundarban is experiencing escalating climate-related risks, including the encroachment of seawater, increasingly frequent cyclonic storms like Aila, Amphan, Bulbul, and Yaas, and significant saline intrusion that has left large tracts of farmland barren.
Protecting agricultural livelihoods in this fragile ecosystem has become urgent, prompting a shift away from conventional paddy farming toward adaptive, location-specific methods that respond to the unique environmental vulnerabilities of the Sundarban.
Present strategies include cultivating native salt-resilient rice varieties such as Nona Bokra, Dudhersar, Gobindobhog, Darsal, and Talmugur - grains historically suited to brackish conditions; expansion of bheri-based aquaculture systems for fish rearing in saline water, now a vital part of the local income base; and integrated farming systems where rice paddies are supplemented with backyard poultry, organic inputs, and livestock—reducing reliance on synthetic agrochemicals.
Yet, scaling these interventions remains difficult due to challenges like poor availability of high-quality indigenous seeds, inadequate drainage and irrigation structures, limited access to training on climate-adaptive methods, and a lack of sustained institutional engagement.
Long-term resilience will require coordinated research, better dissemination of knowledge, continuous capacity development, and stronger support mechanisms to ensure sustainable food systems and conservation of this vital mangrove landscape listed under UNESCO World Heritage.
