{"id":361656,"date":"2026-04-28T10:04:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T04:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?page_id=361656"},"modified":"2026-04-28T10:04:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T04:34:42","slug":"answered-critically-evaluate-the-fossilisation-of-indian-agriculture-amidst-geopolitical-volatility-analyze-the-need-for-a-shift-towards-energy-resilient-and-sustainable-farming-models","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answered-critically-evaluate-the-fossilisation-of-indian-agriculture-amidst-geopolitical-volatility-analyze-the-need-for-a-shift-towards-energy-resilient-and-sustainable-farming-models\/","title":{"rendered":"[Answered] Critically evaluate the fossilisation of Indian agriculture amidst geopolitical volatility. Analyze the need for a shift towards energy-resilient and sustainable farming models."},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n

India\u2019s agriculture, once circular and biomass-based, now consumes over 30 mt fertilisers and massive diesel inputs. The 2026 Iran-Israel conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure have now exposed its Achilles’ heel: a nation feeding 145 crore people on geopolitically vulnerable inputs it neither produces nor controls.<\/p>\n

Understanding Fossilisation of Indian Agriculture<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Green Revolution transformed Indian farming into an input-intensive system reliant on fossil fuels:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Mechanisation surge:<\/strong> From ~5,000 tractors at Independence to over 12 million today; farm power now overwhelmingly mechanical.<\/li>\n
  2. Chemical dependence:<\/strong> Fertiliser use rose from 69,800 tonnes (1950-51) to ~32.9 mt (2024-25), dominated by urea and DAP.<\/li>\n
  3. Energy linkage:<\/strong> Diesel for irrigation, petroleum-based pesticides, and gas-based fertiliser production tightly couple agriculture with global energy markets. This fossilisation improved productivity but created structural external dependence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Geopolitical Volatility<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Recent West Asian tensions highlight systemic vulnerabilities:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Supply chain chokepoints and Import dependence:<\/strong> Strait of Hormuz disruption affects ~\u2153 of global fertiliser trade. India imports over 50% of natural gas and nearly all potash and phosphates.<\/li>\n
    2. Price shocks:<\/strong> Export restrictions by Russia and China amplify shortages and subsidy burdens. El Ni\u00f1o compounds the crisis by disrupting monsoons, reducing crop yields, and triggering supply-side inflation.<\/li>\n
    3. Fiscal strain:<\/strong> Fertiliser subsidy (over \u20b91.7 lakh crore in recent budgets) becomes volatile, impacting macroeconomic stability. Thus, Indian agriculture is no longer insulated but globally exposed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Need for Shift to Energy-Resilient and Sustainable Models<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Bio-based Circular Agriculture: <\/strong>Use of crop residues, dung, and biomass for biofertilisers and biogas. India\u2019s ~300 million-tonnes-per-annum \u00a0manure can produce ~55 billion-cubic-meters biomethane, potentially replacing LNG imports in fertiliser production.<\/li>\n
      2. Renewable Energy Integration: PM-KUSUM scheme, s<\/strong>olar pumps reduce diesel dependence. Solarisation of irrigation decouples farming from oil price shocks.<\/li>\n
      3. Input Efficiency & Innovation: <\/strong>Nano-urea, precision nutrient management reduce fertiliser intensity. AI and IoT for optimising water and input use.<\/li>\n
      4. Diversification & Agroecology: <\/strong>Natural farming, organic inputs, crop diversification enhances soil health and reduces import reliance.<\/li>\n
      5. Institutional & Policy Reforms: <\/strong>Shift subsidies from fertilisers to income and sustainability incentives. Promote carbon credits and payments for ecosystem services and strengthen domestic fertiliser capacity and alternative feedstocks (green ammonia).<\/li>\n
      6. Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP)<\/strong>: Andhra Pradesh’s ZBNF, now scaled to 6 lakh farmers, reduces chemical input cost by 60\u201370%, using cow dung\/urine-based preparations (Jeevamrit, Bijamrit) as nutrient and pest management.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Challenges in Transition<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. Yield Concerns:<\/strong> Moving away from the fossil-fuel model too rapidly may lead to an initial dip in productivity, threatening food security for 145 crore people.<\/li>\n
        2. The Livestock Deficit:<\/strong> The bovine-based model requires a healthy, productive cattle population, which faces challenges like shrinking grazing lands and diseases like Lumpy Skin.<\/li>\n
        3. Economic Inertia:<\/strong> The entire machinery of credit, subsidies, and extension services is currently geared toward the chemical-fossil model.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          1. Accelerate integration of Green Hydrogen Mission with fertiliser production.<\/li>\n
          2. Expand natural farming coverage through targeted incentives and extension services.<\/li>\n
          3. Invest in R&D for low-input, high-yield varieties and precision agriculture.<\/li>\n
          4. Strengthen inter-ministerial coordination between Agriculture, Energy, and Environment.<\/li>\n
          5. Provide transition support for small farmers through credit and insurance schemes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Conclusion
            \n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            As highlighted in M.S. Swaminathan\u2019s vision of evergreen revolution, future food security lies in productivity with sustainability; India must delink farms from fossil volatility to ensure resilient, sovereign agriculture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Introduction India\u2019s agriculture, once circular and biomass-based, now consumes over 30 mt fertilisers and massive diesel inputs. The 2026 Iran-Israel conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure have now exposed its Achilles’ heel: a nation feeding 145 crore people on geopolitically vulnerable inputs it neither produces nor controls. Understanding Fossilisation of Indian Agriculture The Green Revolution… Continue reading [Answered] Critically evaluate the fossilisation of Indian agriculture amidst geopolitical volatility. Analyze the need for a shift towards energy-resilient and sustainable farming models.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-361656","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/361656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361656"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/361656\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}