At the 4th international conference on environment and agriculture in the UN sustainable goals, Narula from Delhi-based TERI University said the extremes in maximum and minimum temperatures are expected under changing climate.

A few places are expected to get more rain while some remain dry, which will impact the agriculture pattern in the country, she said, quoting researches and sharing her observations from field visits to various parts of the country.

The conference is organised by NGO Janparishad with the help of Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology Bhopal (MANIT) and Environmental Planning and Coordination Organisation (EPCO) Bhopal.

“In 2010, I had visited Sunderbans. But now those areas I had visited have submerged under water because of the rising sea level.”

“A one-metre sea level rise is projected to displace nearly 7.1 million people in India and about 5,764 sqkms of land area will be lost, along with 4200 kms of roads,” she said.

Prof Narula listed out the challenges in agriculture sector against the backdrop of the climate change. She said more than 50% of India’s forests are likely to experience shift in forest types, adversely impacting associated biodiversity, regional climate dynamics as well as livelihoods based on forest products.

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“Gross per captia water availability in India will decline from 1,820 cubic metre per year in 2001 to as low as 1,140 cubic metre per year in 2050,” she said in her presentation.

Marek Wosinski, sustainability scientist from USA, said though agriculture and environment were not directly listed in the 17 development goals but they were linked with all the goals in one or the other way. He said need of the hour was forging global partnerships at every level of the society for achieving the sustainable goals.

The conference was inaugurated by Bhopal MP AlokSanjar, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation chairman TapanBhowmik, Mrs Universe MeenakshiMathur, higher education commissioner MB Ojha and NK Tripathi, former director general of police.

Mrs Universe Mathur elaborated on the individual efforts and inculcation of values and patriotism in children for a green future.

Bhowmikemphasised that experts in agriculture sector, environment and climate change should come forward in a more vociferous way on the issues of prime importance rather than giving the opportunity to unaware people to handle the serious issues.

Ojha called for increasing public awareness and public participation to deal with sustainable development and climate change.