Sustainable agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is the practice of cultivating and maintaining food, fibre, and other agricultural products in a way that preserves and improves ecosystem health and productivity while promoting social and economic well-being.

It entails incorporating environmental stewardship, economic viability, and social responsibility ideals into agricultural systems.

Sustainable agriculture: Key Features

Sustainable agriculture refers to a set of practices and principles that promote long-term environmental, social, and economic viability. The following are some essential characteristics of sustainable agriculture:

• Resource Conservation:
  • Sustainable agriculture strives to conserve natural resources such as soil, water, and air. It encourages practices that reduce soil erosion, water pollution, and freshwater resource depletion.
  • Crop rotation, cover cropping, and precision irrigation are all techniques that assist conserve resources and maintain ecological equilibrium.
• Soil Health Management:
  • Sustainable agriculture emphasizes the preservation and enhancement of soil health. This includes organic matter addition, composting, and reduced tillage.
  • Sustainable agriculture promotes long-term productivity while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides by improving soil fertility, structure, and biodiversity.
• Biodiversity Protection:
  • Sustainable agriculture recognizes the value of biodiversity in preserving ecosystem health and resilience.
  • It promotes the utilization of native species, the preservation of natural habitats, and the promotion of beneficial organisms such as pollinators and natural predators to control pests.
  • Conservation of biodiversity benefits pest management, genetic variety, and overall ecological stability.
• Water Conservation:
  • Sustainable agriculture encourages efficient water usage through practices such as drip irrigation, rainwater collection, and crop selection, that is water efficient.
  • Its goal is to reduce water waste, enhance water quality, and ensure enough water supply for agriculture and other industries.
• Energy Efficiency:
  • Sustainable agriculture tries to reduce energy use and reliance on non-renewable sources of energy.
  • It promotes the adoption of renewable energy technology such as solar-powered irrigation systems, wind turbines, and the generation of bioenergy from agricultural waste.
  • Energy-saving practices are also advocated, such as optimizing machinery use and shortening transportation routes.
• Social Responsibility:
  • Sustainable agriculture considers farmers’, employees, and local communities social and economic well-being.
  • It advocates for fair trade, labour rights, and equitable access to resources. Sustainable agriculture also promotes education and capacity-building projects to provide farmers with the knowledge and skills they need to engage in sustainable farming practices.
• Climate Change Resilience:
  • Sustainable agriculture attempts to increase resilience to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, and heat waves.
  • It encourages the use of climate-resilient crop types, as well as agroforestry and conservation agriculture.
  • Sustainable agriculture contributes to food security and agricultural livelihoods by adjusting to changing climatic conditions.
• Approaches to the Circular Economy:
  • By minimizing waste and optimizing resource use, sustainable agriculture incorporates the ideas of a circular economy.
  • It promotes composting, recycling agricultural leftovers, and using renewable inputs. This decreases reliance on outside inputs and promotes a more self-sufficient agricultural system.
• Ongoing Research, Innovation, and Information Sharing:
  • Sustainable agriculture recognizes the importance of ongoing research, innovation, and information sharing.
  • It encourages farmers, scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to work together to create and spread sustainable practices, technology, and policies. This encourages agricultural systems to improve and adapt over time.

Sustainable agriculture: Indian Methods

• Organic Farming:
  • Organic farming practices are becoming increasingly popular in India. Crop rotation, the use of organic manures and biofertilizers, composting, and biological pest management are all used by farmers.
  • Certification organizations, such as the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), encourage organic farming and maintain standard compliance.
• Conservation Agriculture:
  • Conservation agriculture practices such as zero or minimal tillage, residue management, and crop rotation are being implemented to reduce soil erosion, improve soil health, and preserve water.
  • These practices aid in moisture retention, increase soil organic matter, and lessen the requirement for chemical inputs.
• Agroforestry:
  • Agroforestry systems, which combine trees or woody perennials with crops or cattle, are gaining popularity in India.
  • Agroforestry practices such as alley cropping, windbreaks, and silvopastoral systems provide numerous advantages, including higher soil fertility, biodiversity, and new income streams for farmers.
• System of Rice Intensification (SRI):
  • SRI is a paddy production approach that emphasizes reduced water usage, increased plant spacing, and organic nutrient management.
  • SRI strategies include transplanting early seedlings, intermittent irrigation, and maintaining aerobic soil conditions, all of which result in higher yields and lower water consumption.
• Precision farming tools:
  • Remote sensing, GIS mapping, and GPS-based variable rate technologies, are being embraced to optimize resource utilization, improve crop management, and minimize environmental consequences.
  • Precision seeders, drip irrigation, and sensor-based nutrition management are examples of farm mechanization.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM):
  • IPM practices are advocated to reduce the usage of chemical pesticides and promote environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
  • Biological control, cultural practices, resistant crop types, pheromone traps, and pest monitoring systems are all part of this.
  • Farmer Field Schools and extension services give IPM training and guidance.
• Community Seed Banks and Conservation:
  • Community seed banks are set up to encourage local seed variety and the preservation of traditional crop varieties.
  • These banks assist farmers in gaining access to high-quality seeds, preserving agrobiodiversity, and building resistance to climate change.
  • Seed conservation efforts are aided by government initiatives such as the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)

Sustainable agriculture: Challenges

• According to a survey conducted by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), less than 4% of Indian farmers have implemented sustainable farming practices and systems.
• The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU)-supported study discovered that increasing sustainable agriculture will be important to improving farm incomes and bolstering India’s nutrition security in a climate-constrained future.
• Crop productivity in India is significantly lower than in other advanced and developing market nations, owing to factors such as fragmented landholdings, poorer agricultural mechanization, and lower public and private investment in agriculture.
• Limited Resources:
  • Many farmers in India lack access to basic resources such as land, water, and credit. This limits their ability to implement sustainable practices.
  • Smallholder farmers, for example, may not have enough acreage to execute crop rotation or agroforestry systems efficiently.
• Water Shortage and Irrigation Issues:
  • Irrigation is critical to India’s agriculture, yet water shortage is a severe concern in many locations.
  • Sustainable water management practices, such as drip irrigation or precision irrigation, necessitate capital outlays that small farmers may not be able to afford.
  • For example, farmers confront water scarcity in areas such as Maharashtra, leading to over-extraction of groundwater and unsustainable irrigation practices.
• Some of the inherent conflicts in the agricultural sector should be addressed. The following are some of the conflicts that must be resolved:
  • Food vs. fuel/fibre/fodder: conflicting land uses
  • Income today vs. income tomorrow: Building capacity to increase risk appetite to invest for long-term gains.
  • Farmer vs. consumer: Producing what consumers want vs. consuming what farmers produce.
  • Market vs. government: Well-intended government interventions that may cause market distortions.
• In the present context, the private sector may play an important and complementary role in increasing agricultural output.
  • Large agribusiness investments can ensure input availability coordination, crop finance facilitation, capital investment facilitation, and resource augmentation.
  • This will allow for the implementation of tailored extension services to boost productivity through technology, regenerate and enhance land fertility, make better use of precious water resources, and implement best crop management practices.
• Soil deterioration:
  • In India, soil deterioration, including erosion and loss of fertility, is a major concern. Excessive tillage, incorrect fertilizer use, and monocropping are all unsustainable agricultural practices that contribute to soil deterioration.
  • In Punjab, for example, the heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides during the Green Revolution has resulted in poor soil health and increased vulnerability to pests and diseases.
• Reliance on Chemical Inputs:
  • Many farmers in India rely significantly on chemical inputs such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which often causes pollution and health problems.
  • Transitioning to sustainable alternatives might be difficult due to a lack of understanding, high expenses, and a scarcity of organic inputs.
  • For example, excessive chemical pesticide use in cotton farming has resulted in ecological imbalances and health problems in the Vidharbha region.
• Vulnerability to Climate Change:
  • India is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including altering rainfall patterns, droughts, floods, and heat waves.
  • These developments offer considerable challenges to agricultural sustainability.
  • Farmers in Gujarat and Rajasthan, for example, endure water scarcity as a result of unpredictable monsoon rainfall, impacting agricultural yield and resilience.
• Market Access and pricing instability:
  • Farmers frequently face market access issues, pricing instability, and low returns on their produce.
  • This can deter people from adopting sustainable practices, which may necessitate greater investments or longer-term planning.
  • Organic farmers in India, for example, may have difficulties in accessing premium markets and fair rates for their products.
• Lack of Knowledge and Training:
  • A key barrier is a lack of knowledge and training on sustainable agriculture practices. Many farmers are ignorant of the potential benefits of sustainable practices or how to properly adopt them.
  • Government programs and extension services are critical in sharing knowledge, but gaps remain, particularly among marginalized farmers.

Sustainable agriculture: Steps taken by India

• NMSA (National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture):
  • NMSA, which was launched as part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, aims to promote sustainable agriculture practices, and increase resilience to climate change. It focuses on enhancing soil health, water conservation, and resource efficiency.
  • The NMSA promotes organic farming, agroforestry, integrated agricultural systems, and precision farming.
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):
  • RKVY funds agricultural development projects, notably those focused on sustainability.
  • It funds activities aimed at improving soil health, conserving water, encouraging agroecological practices, and promoting organic farming.
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):
  • Organic farming practices and certification are promoted by the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
  • It promotes farmers to use organic fertilizers, traditional farming methods, and crop rotation.
  • This scheme provides financial help for organic certification, capacity building, and market linkages.
• PMKSY (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana):
  • PMKSY focuses on increasing agricultural water efficiency. It provides funding for a variety of irrigation projects, such as micro-irrigation systems, groundwater recharge, and water storage structures.
  • The initiative attempts to increase agricultural productivity while conserving water resources by promoting smart water management.
• Soil Health Card Scheme:
  • The Soil Health Card Scheme seeks to inform farmers about the nutrient status of their soil.
  • Farmers are given personalized soil health cards that include recommendations for proper nutrient management practices to boost soil fertility and productivity.
  • The program encourages balanced nutrient application and fertilizer efficiency.
• National Horticulture Mission (NHM):
  • The National Horticulture Mission (NHM) aims to foster comprehensive growth in the horticulture sector while emphasizing sustainable practices.
  • It funds projects linked to organic farming, protected cultivation, post-harvest management, and the development of market infrastructure for horticultural crops.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM):
  • The NFSM aims to increase food grain production sustainably. It encourages the use of advanced technologies, sustainable farming practices, and high-quality seeds.
  • The goal focuses on certain crops and regions to boost productivity and assure food security.
• Zero Budget Natural Agricultural (ZBNF):
  • Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a holistic agricultural strategy that encourages chemical-free and low-cost agriculture.
  • Certain state governments, such as Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, have actively promoted ZBNF by giving farmers training, technical assistance, and financial incentives.

Sustainable Agriculture: Way ahead

• As per the suggestion mentioned in the RBI article, a robust second green revolution focused on the agriculture water-energy nexus would be required to make agriculture more climate resistant and environmentally sustainable.
• Biotechnology and breeding will be critical in generating environmentally friendly, disease-resistant, climate-resilient, more nutritious, and diverse crop types. Increased usage of digital technology and extension services will aid in information sharing and raising farmer awareness.
• Water-smart technology such as furrow-irrigated raised beds, micro-irrigation, rainwater gathering structures, cover-crop methods, greenhouses, laser land levelling, reuse wastewater, shortfall irrigation, and drainage management can help farmers reduce the impact of climate changes.
• Despite the country’s production performance, which has secured food security, food inflation, and volatility remain an issue, necessitating supply-side interventions such as increased public investment, storage infrastructure, and promotion of food processing.
• Policymakers must encourage long-term comparative studies of sustainable practices and conventional farming, as well as enhance financial allocation to promote practices and technologies that show the most promise, for sustainable agriculture to scale.
• Because most sustainable farming practices need knowledge and competence, the CEEW-FOLU study advocated investing in capacity building and increasing information exchange among farmers.
• Redirecting government assistance to reward agricultural outcomes such as annual farm productivity and resource efficiency will encourage the adoption of sustainable agriculture.
• National and state-level agriculture information systems, such as the agriculture census, must collect and integrate data on the prevalence of sustainable agriculture practices. This would aid in raising awareness and expanding the country’s sustainable agriculture.