Government has taken the initiative to equip farmers with scientific knowledge regarding crop care 

More than 60 per cent of the 30.86 million hectares of seeded area in India are currently covered by climate-resilient wheat varieties, which farmers have proactively adopted in reaction to last year’s agricultural losses caused by a fatal heatwave. The primary winter crop, wheat, is intended to be protected by this change, which Agriculture Commissioner A. P. K. Singh emphasised. Typically, seeding begins in November and harvesting takes place in March or April.

According to Singh, the abnormal prolongation of rice harvesting has caused a delay in the seeding of wheat, which has led to a decrease in the area sown with wheat. However, the government’s programme to support wheat varieties that are climate resilient has exceeded its 60 percent goal and is an important safeguard against issues related to heat.

Singh emphasised the need to surpass the 45 per cent adoption rate from the previous year and the potential contribution of these types to reducing heatwave-related problems anticipated in March and April of 2024. Recalling the significant decrease in output brought about by an intense heat wave in March 2022, Singh emphasised the need for farmers to be ready for any challenges.

The government started issuing weekly advisories to provide farmers with scientific knowledge on crop maintenance. These alerts provide farmers with knowledge on how to care for their crops in different growth stages and weather situations; the increased frequency guarantees advanced readiness. Increasing awareness and fostering resistance to production obstacles are the objectives.

In Uttar Pradesh, the acreage sown to wheat as of 22 December , during the ongoing rabi season, has increased to 9.44 million hectares from 9.29 million hectares the previous year. Madhya Pradesh’s wheat-sown area has dropped somewhat from 8.39 million hectares to 8.17 million hectares in the meantime. The numbers from the previous year—3.49 million hectares in Punjab and 2.31 million hectares in Haryana—remain unchanged.