BENGALURU: Embracing climate tech startups is important as they hold the key to solving our water challenges during climate change, said experts at the conference organised by the Centre for Public Policy (CPP) of the Indian Institute of Management Bengaluru (IIM-B) in association with IIT-IIT (IITians for Influencing India Transformation).
The two-day event highlighted topics like alarming temperature change, India’s vulnerability to climate change, and initiatives that can create an impact and help resolve the issues pertaining to scarcity of water.
Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman of Axilor Ventures and Co-founder of Infosys spoke about empowering next-generation farmers with the right skills and opportunities in agribusiness. He said, “Amid India’s economic transition, addressing the per capita income of our farmers is paramount since the next generation of farmers are hesitant to embrace agriculture due to financial concerns.”
Highlighting the need for a collaborative effort between the public and government to enhance farmer productivity and income, he further said, “Leveraging technology and embracing evolving agricultural practices is crucial for nation-building. While we dominate in rice production, we must strive to expand the cultivation of diverse crops.”
Mridula Ramesh, Founder, of Sundaram Climate Institute, and author of ‘Watershed’ said, “Embracing climate tech startups is vital; they hold the key to solving our water challenges in this era of climate inertia. Historically, places like Bowli served as social hubs, emphasizing water’s significance. Even if emissions halt, global warming persists due to climate inertia. Water’s vital role in managing this crisis cannot be underestimated, it transcends policy.”
Trilochan Shastry, Professor of Decision Science and Former Dean of IIM-B said, “The focus of our programmes, research and discussions isn’t just to save water and trees. It is to empower people and enrich lives across India.” Experts emphasised the need to join hands and share experiences to stabilise the crisis in the next 5 years.