Sustainable Agriculture Development in India

Farmers have a fantastic opportunity to practice and develop sustainable agriculture development in India, farming systems that benefit the environment, society, and the economy by embracing advanced technologies. For sustainability, it should work hand in hand with other eco-friendly agricultural practices like soil conservation, crop rotation, and integrated pest management (IPM).

History of Sustainable Agriculture Development in India

• The Indian economy heavily depends on agriculture, employing more than half of its population. However, traditional agricultural practices in India are often unsustainable, causing threats to both the environment and human health.
• To secure the future of agriculture in the country, there is a need to adopt sustainable practices.
• According to World Bank data, while agriculture still employs 45.6% of the workforce and contributes to 18.29% of the gross value added, its percentage of the population employed has gradually decreased over the years due to economic diversification.
• In 2020, 42.1% of the Indian population was employed in agriculture, compared to 60.5% in 2000.

Status of Sustainable Agricultural Development in India

• India plays a crucial role in global sustainable agriculture as a developing country. With over 58% of its population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods, India has made considerable progress in boosting agricultural output.
• India faces a major issue of declining soil fertility due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive farming methods. To promote a sustainable future, addressing this challenge and adopting more eco-friendly agricultural practices like organic farming, Natural farming, Crop rotation, etc is essential for Indian farmers.
• To promote Sustainable Agriculture, the Indian Government is taking significant steps. GOI launched many schemes to promote sustainable agriculture practices like
  • National Food Security Mission
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
  • Soil Health Card Scheme
• Also adopting new technology has an important role in developing sustainable farming.
  • Genetically modified crops for better nutrition
  • Advancing Agricultural Tools and Equipment
  • Developing nutrient solutions
  • Adopting efficient farm management techniques
  • Developing nutrient solutions

Image credit Innovate FPGA

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Sustainable Agriculture methods

• Crop rotation: It helps to maintain soil health and protect from pests and disease, crop rotation gives advantages like soil health and improved pest control.
• Smart farming techniques: By reducing the use of traditional plowing, and adopting no-till methods, we can protect our soil from erosion and enhance soil health.
• Integrating Livestock and Crop residue: The smart integration of crop residue and livestock on farms, where animals feed on by-products and provide natural fertilizer or organic manure for crops, helps enhance farm efficiency and profitability.
• Adopting Agroforestry: Planting trees with crops not only protects soil and local water resources but also offers farmers an extra source of income.
• Promote Cover Crops: Planting cover crops in the dry season can protect fields from soil erosion, enrich the soil with organic matter to reduce fertilizer costs, weed control, and preserve soil moisture.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): IPM provides long-term protection by using smart agricultural techniques like crop rotation, planting pest-resistant species, and pre-treated seeds to reduce pest attacks, preserving soil health, and soil pollution.
• Permaculture: Design of agricultural ecosystem in a permanent self-sufficient and sustainable way.
• Soil Enrichment: By promoting healthy soil fertility, soil enrichment supports sustainable farming practices, and helps produce healthy crops, promoting a more environmentally friendly.

Discuss how technology can support sustainable farming.

• Precision Farming: Precision Farming, or smart farming, is an advanced use of technology like GPS and data analysis to optimize farming practices, increase productivity, and reduce waste, making farming more efficient and sustainable.
• Agroforestry: Agroforestry is a farming practice that combines trees with crops or livestock, creating a sustainable system that benefits both agriculture and the environment.
• Vertical Farming: Vertical farming is a method in which crops in stacked layers or vertically inclined surfaces, and cultivated in controlled environments, using less space and resources.
• Hydroponics: It is a soilless farming technique that nurtures plants with nutrient-rich water solutions, and minimum water usage.
• Robotics and Automation-based: Utilizing robotics and automation in farming can save labor costs, boost crop yields, and minimize fertilizer and pesticide use.

Identified gaps in sustainable agriculture development

• Lack of awareness and knowledge
• Limited Access to finance
• Inadequate policy and regulatory framework
• Limited research and development
• Lack of infrastructure and technical support
• Low productivity
• Fragment landholding
• Lack of market access
• Inadequate infrastructure
• Climate change

From the above objective, GOI has several schemes to promote sustainable farming under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) are listed below.

GOI schemes

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)

• Aims to promote productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience in agriculture. The mission aims to promote Integrated or Composite Farming Systems to specific locations, conserving natural resources and soil health management practices.
• It also focuses on efficient water management, and capacity-building for farmers.
• Components of sustainable agriculture development in India : (4) major program components.

A. Rainfed Area Development (RAD):

• The focus is on utilizing resources created by watershed development and soil conservation activities from multiple programs to introduce advanced farming systems, including crops, horticulture, livestock, fishery, and forestry, coupled with income-generating activities and value addition.
• It promotes soil health management, resource conservation, and crop selection to local agro-climatic conditions, encouraging local participation and future replication in larger areas.

 B. On Farm Water Management (OFWM):

• OFWM initiative aims to enhance water use efficiency by promoting efficient technologies and equipment for water management on farms. The aim is not only to apply water efficiently but also to harvest and manage rainwater effectively with the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) component.

C. Soil Health Management (SHM):

• SHM initiative aims to promote sustainable soil health practices for specific locations and crops. It creates soil fertility maps and adopts other practices like residue management, organic farming, and effective use of fertilizers to minimize soil erosion.
• The program supports the solution of problem soils, such as acidic, alkaline, or saline soils, and utilizes geographical information system (GIS) based data to develop improved package practices for different land use and soil characteristics.

D. Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Monitoring, Modeling, and Networking (CCSAMMN):

• Monitoring, Modeling, and Networking (CCSAMMN) initiative aims to give valuable climate change information and knowledge to farmers and researchers.
• It helps in an advanced combined approach with various sponsors like State Agricultural Universities and research institutions to create a single window service for the farming community.
• The program also facilitates financial support for developmental activities, knowledge networking, and skill development through workshops, conferences, and training sessions to promote sustainable farming practices in the face of climate change.

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