Scientific research and granular data key to tackling climate, food security challenges: PK Mishra
Vijay C Roy
P.K. Mishra, the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, has called for stronger integration of scientific research, granular data and evidence-based policymaking to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, agricultural resilience, food security and nutrition.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 20th annual meeting of the Environment for Development network at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode through video conference on Wednesday, Mishra said climate change must no longer be viewed merely as an environmental concern because its implications extend to agricultural productivity, water availability, food prices, public health and livelihoods.
Food security must go beyond ensuring adequate food production to include access to affordable, diverse and nutritious diets. Climate-related disruptions could affect the availability and affordability of pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk and other nutrient-rich foods, he said.
Mishra called for region-specific climate adaptation strategies, citing assessments under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture programme. The assessments identified 310 of 651 agricultural districts as highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change, highlighting the need for interventions suited to local agro-climatic conditions rather than uniform policy approaches.
On the use of data in policymaking, he said the priority should be to ensure that information is timely, reliable, comparable and actionable, rather than simply generating more data. He called for greater use of district-level information to track variations in rainfall, water availability, soil conditions, crop performance and nutritional outcomes.
He also advocated integrating administrative records, household surveys, satellite imagery and geospatial information, backed by common standards and appropriate safeguards. Strengthening the analytical capacity of state and district-level institutions would be crucial to translating research and data into better programme implementation, monitoring and resource allocation, he added.
Mishra said the country was pursuing the twin objectives of becoming a developed nation by 2047 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 while protecting economic growth, poverty reduction and improvements in living standards. India’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution for 2031-35 further strengthened its climate ambition, he said.
Mishra also called for greater international research cooperation, noting that countries across the Global South faced common challenges related to climate variability, natural resource pressures, changing agricultural patterns and nutritional security.
He said platforms such as ED could play an important role in connecting academic research with practical policy challenges, facilitating knowledge-sharing and strengthening institutional capacities.
ED, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, is a global network of environmental economics research centres that contribute to effective management of the environment in the Global South through policy-relevant research, capacity development and policy engagement.
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Vijay C Roy
Vijay C. Roy is a journalist with over 21 years of experience covering various news beats across different organisations such as Business Standard and The Tribune. In the past, he has covered beats such as finance, auto, MSME, commodities, FMCG, pharmaceutical, agriculture, IT/ITES, infrastructure and start-ups. He joined Mint in February 2025, and covers agriculture, food processing, fertilizers, environment and climate change, bringing over two decades of experience reporting on farm policy, food inflation, crop trade, and rural livelihoods.<br><br>Vijay’s areas of reporting include food security and climate change policies, focusing on their impact on different stakeholders and their implications. His expertise lies in simplifying complex agri-economic issues such as edible oil import dependence, cotton and wheat trends, fertiliser subsidies, and climate-related risks. He has covered key developments including global supply disruptions and evolving trade policies, offering both macroeconomic perspective and field-level context. Known for his credible and balanced reporting, he follows a rigorous, fact-based approach that prioritises accuracy and context. He is driven by a commitment to public interest, aiming to make critical agricultural and economic issues accessible while contributing to informed policy and industry discussions.
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