Abstract

Climate resilient agriculture aims to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on agricultural productivity by managing farmlands, crops, livestock and forests. In India, pests and diseases result in a significant yield loss, with insect pests alone causing 18-20% damage to crop production. Factors contributing to this loss include the emergence of secondary pests as primary pests, climate change, resistance breakdowns, new biotypes, invasive pests, and human activities. To address these challenges, a sustainable insect pest management strategy integrating traditional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles with modern technologies such as use of drone for surveillance of insect pest and application of plant protection chemicals, using of OMICs approach for early pest detection and use of genetic techniques like RNAi or RIDL, and CRISPR CAS9 for pest control. This chapter discusses the need to revamp existing IPM strategies to incorporate artificial intelligence for pest identification and monitoring, nanotechnology for efficient pest trapping, and the development of organic nano-pesticides. Emphasis is placed on ecologically sound, environmentally safe, and sustainable pest management practices that align with modern scientific advancements. The integration of these modern approaches and technologies into pest management can fill the gaps left by IPM, promoting a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for agriculture. The future of pest management involves a holistic approach, leveraging biotechnological tools, IoT, AI-based forecasting, and robust extension services to ensure sustainability and self-sufficiency in Indian agriculture.