Context

India was chosen as a role model for its progressive seed legislation, which allows the coexistence of Formal Seed Systems and Farmer Managed Seed Systems. This is an example of good practice that the project promotes to address the conflicting interests between breeders’ and farmers’ rights, as stated in ITPGRFA (International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture) and UNDROP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants). India is therefore an important voice for influencing policy during negotiations of relevant global frameworks.

India supply-related activities are based in the states of Karnataka, Odisha and West-Bengal with different climatic and socio-economic contexts. Policy activities in India mainly target state level governments and their procurement policies, due to the current situation and highly sensitive agricultural policy environment.

Agroecology, NUS and Climate Change

Scientific evidence shows that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increasing frequency of extreme events—such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods—are becoming more common across India. These changes disrupt cropping calendars, reduce water availability, and directly affect crop yields.

Why Agrecology?

Agroecology—defined as the application of ecological principles to agricultural systems—has been shown to enhance resilience to climate change by improving soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning. Practices such as crop diversification, intercropping, mulching, compost, and organic soil management increase the capacity of farming systems to absorb climatic shocks and recover from stress. These approaches improve soil organic matter, enhance water retention, and foster beneficial microbial activity, which together strengthen plant resistance to droughts, pests, and extreme weather.

Why Neglected and Underutilized Species – NUS ?

Scientific studies highlight that NUS are often naturally adapted to local environments and exhibit strong tolerance to environmental stresses such as drought, poorer soil conditions, and variable rainfall. Many NUS require fewer inputs and can thrive in marginal conditions where conventional crops fail, making them especially valuable under climate change. In India, farmers are working with various millet varieties, greengram, horsegram and lesser yam, amongst others varieties.

What is happening in India?

In India, farmers are already experiencing and responding to these climatic stresses through locally adapted agroecological innovations. Many practices—such as mulching, intercropping, relay cropping, and organic soil amendments—are specifically designed to address climate variability by improving soil moisture retention, reducing salinity, and maintaining productivity under various climatic conditions. For example, farmers use mulching and crop residues to conserve water and protect soils, while mixed cropping systems reduce the risk of total crop failure by spreading climatic risks across different species and growing cycles. These innovations demonstrate that resilience is built through diversification, resource recycling, and adaptation to local ecological conditions rather than reliance on external inputs.

Find out more on what is happening in India about Tales of Agroecological Innovations below:

Key Outcomes

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