Chapter 4: Recommendations from public consultation meetings
that most optimal value of a scarce resource is accrued to the society. Any subsidy in its usage, if considered essential for any group of users, should be carefully targeted to ensure maximum overall efficiency. In view of large areas of arid and semi arid nature in the state, widespread use of scientific dryland farming practices such as horticulture should be encouraged in northern, eastern and central parts of the state. Wide spread use of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-mass at individual household level or community level should be encouraged in lighting, water heating/pumping, crop drying and processing applications. Adequate technical/financial assistance should be provided. Many indigenous species such as jack fruit, mango, gauva and banana have huge potential to reduce the dependence on water intensive crops, and have huge significance in nutritional value to the locals; hence should be adequately protected and encouraged. Impact on agricultural production from the pollutants, chemical fertilisers and pesticides should be informed to the public The projected impacts on our food and dietary needs due to Climate Change should be disseminated widely The farmers should be assisted with accurate forecasting of weather The importance of organic framing and appropriate policy should be focused on The credible risks of genetic contamination should be carefully addressed Widespread usage of solar energy, gobar gas and wind power (wherever feasible) should be the sustainable energy pathways to our farmers not only to make their lives better but also to make them sustainable There is a critical need for development and usage of bio-char to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels The issues with unscientific cultivation of ginger should acquire adequate prominence The preference, amongst some farmers, to shift to cash crops against food crops should be addressed appropriately The farming communities should be persuaded to retain soil fertility and reduce soil erosion through sustainable means, and the same should become a priority for the Agricultural Department . Reduction in the population of cattle, birds and bees need to be addressed effectively Nitrogen fixation in the soil through natural methods should become a common practice Nitrate leaching through collective rearing of animals should be a feature in farming In the case of small agricultural land holdings as prevailing in the state, aerial spray of pesticides has no place, and hence should be banned completely Effective incentives for cardamom plantation in the role of increasing the bio-diversity should be considered The role of tobacco cultivation / processing in Hassan and Mysore districts from Climate Change perspective should be diligently reviewed There should be an early end to the use of Endosulphan Usage of bio-pesticides in place of chemical pesticides should be encouraged widely across the state along with a target end year for the use of chemical pesticides in the state. Small size flower plants and herbs instead of lawns should be considered all over the state Community support and proper price for agricultural products should begin early and subsequently extend for organic agricultural, horticultural and floral products Encouragement for localized production and consumption of food items is needed Efforts to bring much higher efficiency in agriculture should be launched immediately to make up for the loss of agricultural lands for other uses, and looming threat of water scarcity due to CC Short duration and drought resistant crop varieties should be encouraged Huge focus is needed on dry land agricultural issues 68
Karnataka State Pollution Control Board | Recommendations to State Action Plan on Climate Change