What is regenerative agriculture and why does India need it?

Source: The post “What is regenerative agriculture and why does India need it?” has been created based on “What is regenerative agriculture and why does India need it?” published in “Indian Express” on 6th July 2026.

UPSC Syllabus: GS-3-Economy

Context: Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that focuses on restoring soil health, biodiversity and natural farming systems while maintaining agricultural productivity. Unlike conventional sustainability approaches that mainly seek to maintain existing conditions, regenerative agriculture aims to improve the condition of land over time.

Key Principles

1. It seeks to minimise soil disturbance and maintain soil cover.
2. It promotes living roots of perennial crops and greater biodiversity.
3. It encourages integration of livestock with farming.
4. It aims to reduce dependence on chemical inputs and restore natural soil processes.

Major Practices

1. Micro-irrigation: Drip and sprinkler systems improve water-use efficiency and reduce wastage.
2. Natural farming: It uses biological inputs such as Beejamrut, Jeevamrut, GhanJeevamrut, Neemastra and Dashparni, along with mulching, cover cropping, multi-cropping and livestock integration.
3. Soil health management: Green manuring, cover crops and mulching increase organic matter, conserve moisture and reduce soil erosion.
4. Integrated Farming Systems: Combining crops with livestock, fisheries, horticulture, agroforestry and apiculture diversifies livelihoods and reduces the risk of crop failure.
5. Agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops can provide additional income, improve soil moisture, regulate local temperatures and store carbon.

Why India Needs Regenerative Agriculture

1. India’s agriculture and allied sectors recorded 4.45% decadal growth during FY16-FY25, but sustaining this growth requires healthy soils, adequate water and resilient farming systems.
2. Intensive cultivation and heavy chemical use can put pressure on soil health and farm productivity.
3. Erratic rainfall, heatwaves, dry spells and excessive rainfall increase risks, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
4. Regenerative agriculture can make farming more resource-efficient and resilient to climate and market uncertainties.

Benefits for Farmers and Environment

1. It can improve soil fertility, soil structure and water retention.
2. Better soil cover can reduce erosion and runoff.
3. Greater biodiversity can support pollinators, beneficial insects and soil microorganisms.
4. Reduced dependence on synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation can help lower input costs.
5. Improved soil and farming systems can enhance climate resilience and carbon storage.
6. Diversified farming can provide additional livelihood opportunities and reduce the risk of crop failure.

Government Initiatives

1. National Mission on Natural Farming: Launched in 2024, it provides an output-based incentive of ₹4,000 per acre per year for two years, covering up to one acre per farmer. By March 5, 2026, 18,786 natural farming clusters had been formed, covering 8.80 lakh hectares and enrolling 18.19 lakh farmers.
2. Per Drop More Crop: It promotes drip and sprinkler irrigation. By May 2026, it had covered about 109 lakh hectares, with ₹26,325 crore released as central assistance.
3. Rainfed Area Development Programme: It promotes integrated farming systems. It covered 9.53 lakh hectares and benefited 15.73 lakh farmers, with ₹2,251.98 crore provided as central assistance to states as of December 2025.
4. Soil Health Card Scheme: Launched in 2015, it provides plot-wise soil test reports and crop-specific recommendations. By March 13, 2026, 25.89 crore Soil Health Cards had been generated.

Challenges

1. Soil degradation: Intensive cultivation and heavy chemical use can negatively affect soil health.
2. Water stress: Erratic rainfall and increasing climate-related stresses make water management difficult.
3. Climate vulnerability: Heatwaves, dry spells and excessive rainfall can affect farm productivity.
4. Small farmer vulnerability: Small and marginal farmers face greater risks from climate variability and crop failure.
5. Dependence on external inputs: Reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides requires greater adoption of natural and biological alternatives.
6. Market uncertainty: Farmers also face risks from market fluctuations, making diversified and resilient farming systems important.

Way Forward

1. Promote natural farming: Expand practices such as biological inputs, mulching, cover cropping and multi-cropping.
2. Improve water-use efficiency: Greater adoption of drip and sprinkler irrigation can reduce water wastage.
3. Strengthen soil health: Promote green manuring, cover cropping and mulching to improve organic matter and moisture retention.
4. Encourage diversification: Integrate crops with livestock, fisheries, horticulture, agroforestry and apiculture to reduce dependence on a single activity.
5. Expand agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops can provide additional income while improving soil moisture and storing carbon.
6. Strengthen scientific soil management: Soil Health Cards can help farmers understand soil conditions and adopt crop-specific recommendations.
7. Scale up government support: Existing initiatives such as the National Mission on Natural Farming, Per Drop More Crop, Rainfed Area Development Programme and Soil Health Card Scheme should continue supporting regenerative practices.

Conclusion: Regenerative agriculture shifts the focus from short-term production to long-term productivity of land. For India, it offers a pathway towards healthier soils, efficient water use, greater biodiversity, climate-resilient farms and more secure farmer livelihoods.

Question: What is regenerative agriculture? Discuss its key principles, major practices and significance for India’s agricultural sustainability and climate resilience. Also highlight the government initiatives supporting it.

Source: DD News