Sustainable Agricultural Practices in India: A Review

IJARW, 2024

The role of agricultural sector in Indian economy can be seen through its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Employment. This sector also contributes significantly to sustainable economic development of the country. The objective of this paper is to analyse the importance, issues and challenges of sustainable agriculture in India. Further, it aims to compare the sustainable agriculture system with the traditional system and the current system in practice, across the three dimensions Ecological, Economic, and Social sustainability. Prominent challenges in agricultural sector include land and water issues, old cultivation techniques, lack of information on marketing, poverty, malnutrition, degradation of natural resources and environmental issues. The global warming and climate change all adversely affect on overall agricultural productivity and production in India. Agriculture must change to meet the rising demand, to contribute more effectively to the reduction of poverty and malnutrition, and to become ecologically more sustainable. The challenge is daunting but feasible.

Anu Books, 2022

Agriculture in India plays a central role in the economy of the country and employs more than half of the workforce of the country. Modern agricultural practices impact global warming. The continued use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is destroying the environment. Sustainable agriculture reduces harm to the environment through the reduction or elimination of polluting substances such as pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, water conservative practices, soil conservative practices, restoration of soil fertility, and maintenance of agricultural biodiversity. Agroforestry, ecological agriculture, regenerating agriculture, natural farming, and biological agriculture are a few processes by which the use of chemicals and chemical fertilizers is reduced and the target of sustainable agriculture may be obtained.

The health of rural economy can be boosted through adoption of sustainable agriculture approach towards development. Large scale efforts are needed to increase production, productivity of agriculture and related products sustainably to be self-reliant and qualitatively feed our huge size of population. The quality of life and income of the farmers needs to be taken care of as it is nation's liability to care for those who feed the nation. Most of our farms are small in size therefore farmer needs more marketable surplus and climate resilient farming techniques. Knowledge, skill based and local natural resource model should be adopted instead of conventional " external input driven ". Gradual withdrawal of chemicals should be done which will boost the natural fauna and flora. The adoption of sustainable agriculture techniques will reduce cost of cultivation, increase yield, increase incomes, increase access to food, help in building social capital and building organic and chemical free villages. The focus should be shifted from mono-cropping to mixed farming. Nutritional status and livelihoods of the population should improve. In the paper thus need and importance of sustainable agriculture has been highlighted and evidences have been cited from various studies through secondary data source and finally impact of sustainable agricultural practices has been concluded.

2020

The objective of this research is to highlight the need of sustainable agriculture, issue and challenges of Sustainable Agriculture Development in India. The balanced equilibrium between demand and supply of agricultural produce can be stated as “sustainability”. Due to the Green revolution, productivity of agricultural products increases remarkably. The cumulative performance of various resources, the strategies and methods adopted, signifies the ultimate performance of agriculture. To face each and every adverse condition due to the natural calamities, all the innovative strategies has to be used by the agriculturist. The findings of the study reveal the innovative strategies & achieving the overall development. Agriculture is the back bone of Indian economy. As it is a multi-disciplinary approach, which connects link from all the sectors like production, processing and marketing; so it continuously dominate to bring the change in India. The principal objective of this paper is to...

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 2021

Sustainable agriculture can help us to become above a change in the pattern we consume food and also eradicate the problem of food shortage across the world, in particular in India, less than 4 % of the country had adopted to sustainable agriculture in which crop rotation, organic farming, agroforestry and natural farming is common, It can work to reduce poverty and hunger from the country, male nutrition is a very big issue where 15 % of the world male nutrition population is found in India. Sustainable agriculture can help to combat the problem of pests, weed pressure, reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, soil erosion. Sustainable agriculture works with the nature takes into account environment health, economic and social equity of its people. Agriculture is the largest industry in India which provides jobs to maximum people, sustainable farming will double the income of farmers, generate employment, will led to the growth of healthier plants, soil and wildlife with water harv...

International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

In the middle of the twentieth century, there was unprecedented growth in the agricultural sector around the world. Green Revolution technology-driven development has achieved the important goal of the total supply of agricultural food grains. This has ensured food security for the growing population. However, the next stage of agricultural development is facing a serious challenge in terms of sustainability. While the main problem faced by the developing countries in the south is related to the sustainability of resource use, the main challenge facing the developed economies in the north is the overuse of chemical inputs. These problems have led to growing awareness and a need to move from input-intensive agriculture used during the Green Revolution phase to sustainable farming in different parts of the world. The new agenda in Indian agriculture should set a goal that broadly and clearly focuses on improving agricultural systems and organizing rural development in an integrated manner. Although Indian agriculture has shifted from traditional farming to modern agribusiness, yet to meet the increasing demand, contribute more effectively to reduce poverty and malnutrition and to make it more ecologically sustainable, agriculture must change. This paper analyses and explores measures to tackle various issues related to sustainable agricultural development in India.

2014

Agricultural growth faces a serious challenge in terms of sustainability. Whereas the main problem faced by the developing countries in the south pertains to sustainability of resource use, the main challenge facing the developed economies in the north is overuse of chemical inputs. These problems have led to increasing awareness and a felt need for moving away from the input intensive agriculture perused during the Green revolution phase, to sustainable farming in different parts of the world. While the need for a paradigmatic shift in the growth strategy is well recognized, the transition from input intensive to sustainable farming however, has certain inherent difficulties. Notwithstanding these limitations, policies in both the north as well as the south have led increased emphasis on promoting sustainable agriculture. In the above setting, the paper made an attempt to briefly analyze the need for sustainable agriculture and further it also advocates for Policies of sustainable ...

2020

Development attributes to the satisfaction of human needs and expectations. Thus, the development of technology and accumulation of knowledge can escalate the resource base carrying capacity; sustainability requires that the world must ensure equitable access to such constrained resources.Agriculture in India is not only identified in the form of attaining food security but also holds a major share in country’s GDP and employment leading to economic growth of the nation. The agricultural sector has been experiencing several structural changes since independence era which has lead to opening up of many challenges and opportunities in the sector. As the population is expected to double in coming years, increase in production bedrockonsustainability and inclusiveness of food management and food security is seen a major problem to be addressed. Agricultural R&D is the main source of innovation, which is needed to sustain agricultural productivity growth in the long run (FAO, 2012).

Globally now, economic growth is directed towards sustainable development goals (SDGs). Agriculture being the primary economic activity can be a natural model in this regard. Agricultureeven in the high tech erashould not be at the cost of the environment. Farm and farmers lives should be nurtured and supported with ecological balance. Taking into consideration the slogan, "think globally and act locally", we examine the philosophy and practice of sustainable agriculture in India, We also briefly touch upon Goa, a state that is finally taking agriculture seriously. The paper discusses crucial problems and critical policy imperatives for sustainable agriculture such as organic farming and other possible actions. We emphasize on the term "RUrban" to highlight how some places in Goa require a sustainable integration of rural and urban communities too. Presently the state's agriculture in being increasingly threatened by lopsided development of other activities, chiefly, tourism. It is necessary, therefore to execute policies and programmes that are not only financially viable and technically feasible, but also ecologically sustainable. On the basis of the findings of our study we suggest an integrated farming system (micro, innovative and inclusive) approach for the state's agricultural sector.

Vantage: Journal of Thematic Analysis

This research paper aims to explore the paradigms responsible for using the term sustainability in agriculture, trace the trajectory of the concept of ―sustainable agriculture‖ used in contemporary times and assess its social impact in the Indian context. The study was conducted using primary documents like reports of international organizations and those published by the Indian government and secondary literature i.e. popular articles, academic writings, journalistic pieces, online articles and blogs, to trace the usage of the concept ―sustainable agriculture‖ and understand the social impact of using the sustainable agriculture approach. The study began by tracing the emergence and need for sustainability as a concept in agriculture on a global platform and its introduction in India. The paper ends with an outline of some of the policies and schemes formulated by the Government of India. It focuses on its impacts in due course of time to understand the current situation regarding ...