Awareness and capacity building remain among the biggest barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture, said Abhishek Jain, Director, Green Economy and Impact Innovations, CEEW. He was speaking at the Times Network Sustainability Conclave 2026, themed “India 2035: A Self-Reliant Nation,” which brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and sustainability experts to deliberate on the next phase of India’s green growth journey.
“There is a need to build awareness and strengthen capacity building and knowledge dissemination at every farm level. One of the biggest challenges in following climate-smart agriculture practices is ensuring that farmers have access to the right information,” he said.
Jain also pointed to the financial hurdles preventing farmers from embracing clean technologies such as solar-powered irrigation systems. While these technologies can significantly reduce diesel consumption and lower emissions, the high upfront costs remain a major obstacle despite government subsidies.
“Technological interventions are typically constrained by financing. Farmers often do not have the capital to purchase solar pumps, even with subsidies. Farmers will not invest simply because it benefits the environment; they need a stronger economic reason, especially as diesel costs continue to rise. Knowledge dissemination and access to financing are the two critical pillars needed to drive climate-smart agriculture at scale,” he added.
Echoing the need for sustainable farming practices, Kaushal Bisht, Director – Partnerships & Strategic Alliances, Varaha, stressed the importance of reducing agricultural emissions. “We need to do smart agriculture to reduce the emissions which are harmful for the environment,” Bisht said.
About The Conclave
The Adani Presents Times Network Sustainability Conclave 2026 Co-powered by MAHATRANSCO will convene leaders, policymakers, and key drivers of India’s sustainability mission to shape ideas, roadmaps, and actionable solutions for a sustainable India by 2035 and beyond. Shri Prahlad Joshi, Union Cabinet Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Minister of New and Renewable Energy, will attend as the Chief Guest, reaffirming the government’s commitment to clean energy and India’s self-reliance agenda.
Centred on the belief that sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation, the conclave seeks to move the national conversation beyond commitments to execution, with a focus on scaling solutions, enabling financing, strengthening policy frameworks, and driving citizen participation in India’s sustainability journey.
