Ludhiana, May 21, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
As part of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a high-level delegation from FAO India visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana to initiate stakeholder consultations for the development of the Climate Resilient Agriculture Investment Plan (CRAIP) for the state of Punjab.
The interactive session took place in the Committee Room of the Vice-Chancellor and brought together experts from PAU and the visiting team to deliberate on investment opportunities and strategies for climate-resilient agriculture in the region.
The FAO team was led by Mr. Vamsidhar Thimmareddygari, and included Dr. Nimisha Mittal, Ms. Nupur Prasad, and Ms. Ankita Borah. The discussions focused on PAU’s ongoing interventions in climate-smart agriculture, future priorities, and ways to foster convergence with national and international climate finance frameworks.
Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, emphasized the need for long-term collaboration between global agencies and state-level institutions. “Punjab is at the frontline of India’s agricultural transformation.
While we have made strides in productivity, our next frontier is resilience to climate variability, depleting water resources, and sustainability challenges. We look forward to contributing robustly to the Climate Resilient Agriculture Investment Plan with our science-backed, field-tested solutions,” he remarked.
Speaking on behalf of FAO India, Mr. Vamsidhar Thimmareddygari outlined the broader vision of the GCF Readiness Project. “Our mission is to co-develop a practical and inclusive investment roadmap for climate-resilient agriculture.
Engagements like these are critical in ensuring that these plans reflect local realities and scientific rigor,” he stated.
He appreciated PAU’s leadership in agricultural innovation and highlighted the need to integrate such expertise into climate finance mechanisms. The FAO team underscored the need for a granular analysis of agro-climatic conditions of the state and determining the adaptive capacity.
Dr. A.S. Dhatt, Director of Research at PAU, provided an overview of the university’s research portfolio, including ongoing efforts in crop diversification, conservation agriculture, climate-resilient technologies, trait-specific varieties and sustainable resource management.
“We are aligning our research focus with climate-smart priorities and would be keen to explore investment models that support scalable solutions for Punjab’s farmers,” he noted.
Dr. Pavneet Kaur Kingra, Head, Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, presented PAU’s recent work in agromet advisory systems, modeling climate impact on crops, and the deployment of early warning tools.
“There is significant scope for technology-led adaptation strategies. Collaborating under CRAIP can bring in both financial and institutional support to mainstream these innovations,” she observed. Dr. Hari Ram, Head of Agronomy, detailed the crop residue management technologies for climate resilience like the use of mulch and specific crop rotations.
Similarly, Dr. Manmeet Bhullar, Head, Department of Entomology, focused on integrated management of insects and pests with the changing pattern of climate. Dr. Yogesh Vikal, Director of School of Agricultural Biotechnology, discussed marker-assisted technology, genomic selection, genome editing and studies on root traits to fight biotic and abiotic stresses.
Dr. P.S. Sandhu, Head, Department of Plant Pathology, dilated upon transitioning from red to green chemistry chemicals in low doses and monitoring the entire state for incidence of crop diseases.
The program was coordinated by Dr. Vishal Bector, Associate Director (Institution Relations), who facilitated the dialogue and shared relevant institutional data for the visiting team’s consideration. He also introduced nodal contacts from PAU for future collaboration and data-sharing under the CRAIP framework
The FAO team acknowledged PAU’s critical role in shaping climate-resilient agricultural policy and practice in Punjab and assured continuous engagement over the coming months. The visit marked the beginning of a consultative process to co-create investment-ready strategies tailored for Punjab’s agro-ecological and socio-economic landscape.
The GCF Readiness Project, titled “Agriculture Sector Readiness for Enhanced Climate Finance in India,” aims to conclude by January 2026 and is being implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Punjab is one of the four focus states, alongside Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
