Innovations in Agriculture for Sustainable

Future:
Prospects and Challenges
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India always remained an agriculture based country. Still
there are a number of problems awaiting resolution. We are
struggling to achieve just the targeted 4% development in
agriculture every year. Many a times it is just a nominal increase.
Yields have stagnated and lands mostly saturated under intensive
farming. Food-grain production has only marginally increased at
the rate of 1.6% over last few years, while cost of inputs like urea
and pesticides continue to rise and consume heavy subsidies.
Application of chemical fertilizers has increased from 0.55kg per
Ha to 90 kg per ha over last 50 years. Pesticides have almost
become a constituent of our environment. Organic Carbon
content in soil has gone critically below its minimum of 0.4% to as
low as 0.1% in some areas. Water table is falling. This means
water scarcity may lead to change in crop pattern or leave much
area without crop.
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About half of the population survives on agriculture while it makes
14% of national GDP. 30% of Industry is dependent on agriculture
for raw material. And obviously, it is the basis of all vegetarian
human food and national food security. This is also the reason
why it should be sustainable.
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Sustainability basically means meeting out our needs
without compromising the resource availability for future
generations.

 Sustainable agriculture is adoption of such eco friendly

methods of farming that does not exploit resources.
The green revolution made India self sufficient in food. But
its chemical interventions are now questioned far and wide.
Issues like pesticide residue, soil health, food quality and
sustainability have become of prime importance. The bell is
ringing for want of innovations leading to Evergreen Revolution
i.e. sustainable agriculture.
..
Some Scientists are keen to take up Genetically Modified seeds
as a solution, but it is risky to term them as tools for sustainable
agriculture. Turning towards nature can only be the solution.
Sensitization to wards sustainable agriculture has widely
increased the prospects of innovation for sustainable farming.
Many farmer organizations are trying out Eco Friendly Organic
Methods of farming based on crop cycle techniques, bio-inputs,
etc thereby making the soil richer and curtailing the use of
industrial inputs. In India, area under organic farming is growing
but it is yet to come up as a mainstream farming because of lack
of scientific research. Recycling of crop residue, adoption of crop
cycle, application of organic manure to soil is adopted for
sustainable farming. But, the package of practice is yet to be
standardized.
SRI or System of Rice Intensification is an innovative method of
rice cultivation without stagnating water in the fields. Here soil is
just kept moist instead of flooding, thus saving lots of ground
water and electricity that is used for pumping out water from the
earth.
Micro irrigation system enables use of precise quantum and
location of water applied along with liquid fertilizers. It was earlier
thought fit for dry land farming and horticulture crops, but its

innovative trials for cash crops like Cotton is also proving

beneficial.
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Government programs like Rural Innovation Fund of NABARD
and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture aim to promote
such innovations. NGOs like SRTT (Sir Ratan Tata Trust) are also
encouraging farming community to adopt sustainable farming
practices.
The govt. program to test soil in lab and issue Soil Health Cards
is an appreciable step as this will provide scientific basis for input
application and keep a watch on soil health parameters for
sustainability.
..
However, it is not all that easy. There are challenges to be met.
Absence of organic farming research under university program is
a big challenge for future advancement. The Financial restrain in
trying out innovations is too, a bottleneck.
Extension services and technology dissemination to farming
community, is far from being adequate. The quantity based
Support Price system that indirectly promotes mono-culture and
intensive farming is a hindrance in innovation for sustainable
farming.
I am sure that increase in public awakening will set path to
overcome challenges and soon we will usher into the era of
EverGreen Revolution.