India Lost 33.9 Million Hectares of Crops Due to Excess Rains during 2015-21: WEF Report

Current Context: On 16th August 2024, The World Economic Forum (WEF) “The Global Risks Report 2024” report highlights that India lost 33.9 million hectares of crops due to excess rains between 2015 and 2021.

• Additionally, the country faced a loss of 35 million hectares due to drought during the same period.
• These extreme weather events have significantly impacted India’s agricultural sector, which is crucial as it contributes to 15% of the GDP and employs around 40% of the population.
• The report emphasizes the need for climate resilience and better insurance coverage to protect farmers from such losses.
• The Indian government has been working on various initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), to help mitigate these impacts.

Question:

1 According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) "The Global Risks Report 2024," how many million hectares of crops did India lose due to excess rains between 2015 and 2021?

• A) 20.5 million hectares
• B) 33.9 million hectares
• C) 35 million hectares
• D) 40 million hectares

Answer: B) The WEF report highlights that India lost 33.9 million hectares of crops due to excess rains during the period from 2015 to 2021.