International Review Workshop on Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Practice, Policy, and Prospects
IIT Madras | 8–9 September 2025
The Progyan Foundation for Research and Innovation (PFRI), in collaboration with the Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences (CACS), IIT Madras, and the South Asian Forum for Environment (SAFE), organized the International Review Workshop on “Climate-resilient Agriculture: Practice, Policy, and Prospects” on 8–9 September 2025 at IIT Madras, with support from the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) and IndusInd Bank.
The two-day workshop brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to examine the challenges and pathways for strengthening climate resilience in agriculture across South Asia. Discussions focused on the linkages between climate science, agricultural policy, natural resource management, finance and field-level practices.
Day 1 highlighted the ESPAR Project, which examines gaps between climate-resilient agricultural policies and farming practices across vulnerable regions of South Asia. Sessions addressed water and soil management, biodiversity, resilient crops, carbon finance, coastal agriculture and ecosystem-based approaches.
Day 2 focused on the application of RCP–SSP climate scenarios, modelling and downscaling to support place-based agricultural planning. Field experiences from drought-prone Dharashiv and flood-vulnerable Begusarai demonstrated the importance of locally appropriate interventions, including agroforestry, float farming and millet-based approaches.
The workshop concluded with discussions on strengthening the connection between climate science, policy and practice, while addressing barriers such as fragmented landholdings, limited market access, technology adoption and gaps in climate information.
The workshop also featured the launch of “Harvests on the Brink: Climate, Policy & the Future of Farming in South Asia” and the ESPAR project website.
