Large-scale farms have grown the same crops year after year while using enormous quantities of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, depleting soil fertility, polluting water sources, polluting air quality, and altering climate for decades. In addition to squandering and degrading the resources on which it relies, this system is not designed to be sustainable.
However, a rising number of forward-thinking farmers and scientists, and platforms like Kisaan Helpline are pursuing a different route, aiming to create an agricultural system that is more sustainable in terms of the environment, the economy, and the social context.
Farms of various sizes may thrive in this system, which produces a wide variety of foods, fibers, and fuels that are tailored to the needs of local communities and regional markets. Technology-based strategies that optimize production and profit while reducing environmental impact are implemented.
Some proponents of industrial agriculture argue that the consequences of their practices are a necessary price to pay in order to "feed the world." This notion has been refuted by a growing body of scientific data, which shows that a more sustainable approach may be just as profitable—and can satisfy our requirements over the long term.
Agriculture in the 21st century: a primer
So, you're saying that sustainable agriculture is the way forward? No, that's not exactly right.
However, what exactly is it? Sustainability is concerned with both satisfying current demands and guaranteeing future generations' capacity to meet their own needs. A lucrative agricultural system that has little or no effect on the environment and a social license is an example of a sustainable agricultural system.
What makes agriculture a long-term solution?
There are also smart farming systems, which use less energy than traditional agricultural equipment. Sustainable farming contributes significantly to mitigating climate change by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and eliminating the use of fossil fuels.
Farmers may decrease their usage of nonrenewable energy, chemicals, and precious resources by using sustainable methods. Due to increasing population and food demand, maintaining healthy and renewed land is critical.
It is difficult to define sustainability in agriculture since it encompasses so many different factors, including the economic, social, and environmental. A sustainable farm should be both profitable and contribute to a healthy economy.
Environmental sustainability in agriculture necessitates good management of the natural systems and resources that farms rely on. This covers a variety of activities, such as:
● establishing and maintaining good soil.
● Water should be managed carefully.
● Keeping air, water, and climate pollution to a bare minimum
● Increasing biodiversity is important.
The science of agroecology
The science of agroecology, which is the study of managing farms as ecosystems, has been developed specifically for the purpose of attaining these objectives. In working with nature rather than against it, farms maintained according to agroecological principles may minimize negative effects on the environment without compromising production or profitability.
Agriculture methods that are environmentally friendly
Many important sustainable agricultural techniques have developed as a result of decades of research and experience, including, for example:
1. Crop rotation and an appreciation for variety are important
Many advantages may be gained by planting a variety of crops, including better soil health and improved insect management. In addition to intercropping (growing a variety of crops in the same region) and complicated multi-year crop rotations, crop diversification techniques.
2. Tillage is being reduced or eliminated
Traditional plowing (tillage) prepares fields for planting and helps to minimize weed issues, but it may result in significant soil loss if done incorrectly. No-till or reduced-till techniques, which include putting seeds directly into undisturbed soil, have the potential to decrease soil erosion while simultaneously improving soil health and fertility.
3. Cover crops are being planted
Cover crops, such as clover or hairy vetch, are sown during the off-season when soils would otherwise be left naked and exposed to the elements. These crops help to preserve and improve soil health by avoiding erosion, replenishing soil nutrients, and keeping weeds under control, thus decreasing the need for herbicides and other pesticides.
4. Using an integrated pest control approach (IPM)
There are a variety of techniques that may be used to keep pest populations under control, including mechanical and biological controls, that can be administered in a systematic manner to reduce the usage of chemical pesticides.
5. Adoption of agroforestry techniques is encouraged
Incorporating trees or shrubs into their operations allows farmers to provide shade and protection for plants, animals, and water supplies, while also possibly earning extra money from the plants and animals.
6. Bringing animals and crops together
Traditionally, industrial agriculture has kept plant and animal production separate. For example, animals are kept far away from the regions where their feed is generated, and crops are grown far away from areas where there is plentiful manure fertilizer. In recent years, there has been an increase in evidence suggesting the intelligent integration of agricultural and animal production may be a formula for more productive and profitable farms.
7. Managing entire systems and landscapes is a difficult task
The uncultivated or less intensively cultivated portions of a farm, such as riparian buffers or prairie strips, are treated as essential parts of the farm, appreciated for their roles in erosion management, nutrient runoff reduction, pollinator assistance, and other forms of biodiversity support.
8. Emphasizing on diversification
Many of these strategies have one thing in common: they all emphasise diversification. If you want anything done well, it's best to keep things as simple as possible. But when it comes to agriculture, the best systems are more diverse and complicated, much like the rest of nature.
Agriculture science for a sustainable future
Agroecological techniques may help farms be more productive and lucrative, according to the most recent scientific evidence—much of it coming from research institutions in the nation's bellwether agricultural states.
It is also critical to the success of a more sustainable agro ecological system for farmers to have access to a diverse range of crop varieties that can be easily adapted to farm-specific conditions and practices. Crop breeding research is one of the most important areas of research in agriculture today.
Breeding research efforts have been curtailed in recent years, leaving farmers more dependent on a small number of cultivars that are specifically adapted to the requirements of industrial farming operations.
It is critical that we continue to fund agroecology research, as well as outreach and education to enable farmers to make good use of the knowledge in order to assist farmers in adopting sustainable practices.
Final Thoughts
Crop reminder voice calls are sent by Kisaan Helpline in the farmer's local language and are specifically designed to meet the farmer's specific crop needs. As a consequence, farmers were provided with information on the best crop consulting services available, as well as the right input dosage. As a bonus, it gives farmers the ability to purchase inputs directly from our App and sell their products straight to the Kisaan hotline through the app, cutting out the middleman and enabling them to sell at mandi rates.
