Scientific research and granular data key to tackling climate, food security challenges: PK Mishra
Mint - Economy · Published 11 November 2026 · Last updated
Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra urged integrating scientific research, granular data, and evidence-based policymaking to tackle climate change, agricultural resilience, and nutritional food security.
Key points
- On November 11, 2026, P.K. Mishra, the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, addressed the inaugural session of the 20th annual meeting of the Environment for Development (ED) network via video conference.
- The event was hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, focusing on the intersection of climate change and socio-economic resilience.
- Mishra stated that climate change must no longer be viewed merely as an environmental concern, citing its direct implications for agricultural productivity, water availability, food prices, public health, and livelihoods.
- Food security must extend beyond production to include access to affordable, diverse, and nutritious diets, safeguarding nutrient-rich foods like pulses, fruits, vegetables, and milk from climate disruptions.
- Assessments under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR) National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme identified 310 of 651 agricultural districts as highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change.
- Mishra emphasized that policymaking must prioritize timely, reliable, comparable, and actionable information, leveraging district-level data on rainfall, water availability, soil conditions, and crop performance.
- The strategy involves integrating administrative records, household surveys, satellite imagery, and geospatial information backed by common standards and safeguards.
- India is pursuing the twin objectives of becoming a developed nation by 2047 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, supported by updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2031-35.
- The Environment for Development (ED) network, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, is a global network of environmental economics research centers focused on the Global South.
Background
- The Environment for Development (ED) network has operated as a global collaboration of environmental economics research centers supporting policy-relevant research and capacity development in the Global South.
- The National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was established to study and enhance climate resilience across vulnerable agricultural districts in India.
- India submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to elevate its climate ambition for the coming decades.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: Mint - Economy