SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE

Group No – 13
1. Rahul Dev (S053)
2. Sandeep Kumar (S060)
3. Sanjay Kumar Dinkar (S063)
4. Shailendra Kumar Verma(S068)
5. Dr. Gurucharan Singh Sohal (H004)
6. Mayank Sharma (H024)
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Presentation Plan
a. Introduction - S68
c. Sustainable agriculture
• Soil & Water conservation – S060
• Biodiversity – S053
• Organic farming – S063
• GM Crops – H024
• Case studies – H004

c. Way forward- 068

• New Developments
• Policies and intervention – S68
Agriculture Sector
 Agriculture- Challenges
1.Low growth- Weather Dependent,45%
irrigation
2.Sustainability-
• land & environmental degradation
• unsustainable use of water, soils
3. Profitability-
• Size of farm- 1.33 to 1.16
• Level of technology adoption
• Profitability vis-a-vis other sectors
• Raising small holder productivity
• Disguised unemployment-pressure on land
 Agriculture- Challenges
4.Sustaining investment-
• Neglect in policy- Decline in Public Investment(4.9 to 3.5 %)
• Low return- lack of Private interest
5.Climate change
• Droughts, floods, erratic rains - greatest impact in rain-fed areas
• India's crop yields could fall by 30% by 2050(IPCC)
6.Marketing- Price instability, Imperfect markets
7.Rising wages and other input costs- MNREGA, migration, energy
8.International Competitiveness-WTO
9.Inadequate infrastructure- Supply chain constraints
10.Inadequacy of institutions - credit and market, extension, R&D, risk
management
11.Need for Large investments in Agro-processing
 Sustainable Agriculture
• As demand for food increase and climate change and ecosystem
degradation impose new constraints, sustainable
agriculture has an important role to play in preserving natural
resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, halting biodiversity
loss and caring for valued landscapes
• Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways (meeting
society's food and textile needs in the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs) based on an understanding of ecosystem services, the study
of relationships between organisms and their environment
• It is a long-term methodological structure that incorporates profit,
environmental stewardship, fairness, health, business and familial
aspects on a farm setting.
• Unlike a traditional approach where the profit-margin is the single
major factor; Agriculture sustainability is also involved with the
social and environmental factors.
Sustainable Agriculture
 Sustainable Agriculture

“Ensuring food security for all is

both a key function of, and a
“…agriculture is a contributor to climate challenge for agriculture, which
change, with annual emissions from faces ever-increasing
agriculture expected to increase further if difficulties”
the global food demand continues to José Graziano da Silva(DG, FAO)
escalate..”- IPCC
 Biodiversity

It is the variety of different types of life found on the

Earth and the variations within species. It is a
measure of the variety of organisms present in
different ecosystems. This can refer to genetic
variation, ecosystem variation, or species variation
(number of species) within an area, biome, or planet.
 Agricultural Biodiversity

• Agricultural biodiversity is a broad term that includes all components of

biological diversity of relevance to food and agriculture, and all
components of biological diversity that constitute the agricultural
ecosystems, also named agro-ecosystems.
 Dimensions of Agro biodiversity

The following dimensions of agricultural biodiversity can be identified:

1. Genetic resources for food and agriculture:
Plant genetic resources, including crops, wild plants harvested and managed for food,
trees on farms
• Animal genetic resources, including domesticated animals, wild animals hunted for
food, wild and farmed fish and other aquatic organisms
• Microbial and fungal genetic resources.
2. Components of biodiversity that support ecosystem services
These include a diverse range of organisms that contribute, at various scales to,
nutrient cycling, pest and disease regulation, pollination, pollution, maintenance of the
hydrological cycle, erosion control, and climate regulation
3. Abiotic factors
Such as local climatic and chemical factors and the physical structure and functioning
of ecosystems, which have a determining effect on agricultural biodiversity.
4. Socio-economic and cultural dimensions
 WHY AGRO-BIODIVERSITY MATTERS?

• Agricultural biodiversity is the foundation of agriculture

• It is the source of genetic material that is vital to future
generations.
• Approximately 940 species of cultivated plants are
threatened globally. When a species or the diversity
within a species is lost, we also lose genes that could be
important for improving crops, promoting their resistance
to pests and diseases, or adapting to the effects of
climate change.
 WHY AGRO - BIODIVERSITY MATTERS?

Agricultural biodiversity can provide a cost-effective way for farmers

to manage pests and diseases
• Each year an estimated 10-16% of global harvests are lost to plant. Using diversity
allows farmers to limit the spread of pests and diseases without investing in high
chemical inputs.

Agricultural biodiversity gives farmers options to manage climate

risks
• All farmers are susceptible to extreme weather events, and many are already feeling the
effects of climate change. Agricultural biodiversity can provide smallholder farmers with
more crop options and help buffer the effects of extreme events such as droughts or
floods.
Agricultural biodiversity plays an important part in maintaining
cultural identity and tradition
For example:
• In the Indian state of Maharashtra alone, around 1,600 flowering plants are used in
traditional medicine, many of which are threatened with extinction. Much of this diversity
is preserved in ‘sacred groves’ and women are often the ones who retain knowledge of
their uses.
FRAMEWORK - AGRI & ENVT NEXUS
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
STRATEGIES

The various degraded land categories have to be

treated using the available technologies as
below:
▪ Gullied or ravenous land

▪ Land with or without scrub

▪ Water logging and salinization

▪ Degraded forest land

▪ Degraded pasture / grazing lands

▪ Shifting cultivation

▪ Shifting and stabilized dunes

Case Study : SWC Ethiopia

▪ Aim : Implementation of soil and water conservation

(SWC) practices (Environmental Systems Research volume 8, Article number: 13 (2019)
• Results :
• Reduced the soil bulk density
• Increased soil pH (5.87 to 6.60)
• Organic carbon (1.34 to 1.74%)
• Available phosphorous (8.06 to 25.23 mg kg−1) by 12%, 30% and 203%
compared to non-conserved land, respectively.
• Agronomic analysis :
• Enhanced plant height, tiller formation, spike length, thousand seed
weight, biomass, and grain yield of wheat, increased grain yield by
72.8%
Modern Techniques Used In SWC &
Agriculture
• AI techniques for soil erosion mapping and risk assessment in Almeria
Province, Southeast Spain.

• Digital agriculture (hi-tech computer) systems : calculate different

parameters such as weed detection, crop prediction, yield detection, crop
quality and many more machine learning techniques.
 Modern Techniques Used In Soil & Water
Conservation & Agriculture
• Indian scientists have now developed a method to measure the rate of soil
erosion and associated decrease in organic content in soil by assessing
levels of radioactive cesium in soil.
• Song and He (2005) brought together expert systems and Artificial neural
networks in predicting nutrition level in the crop.
• Batchelor et al. (1989) discusses about the soybean crop growth model
which is defined as SMARTSOY in the paper and the model is called
SOYGRO.
• An expert system PRITHVI based on fuzzy logic was developed in
Rajasthan, India by Prakash et al. (2013). The system was designed
explicitly for Soybeans crop.
• ANN algorithms for crop prediction in smart phones had been successfully
tested in 2016 by researchers Ravichandran and Koteshwari.
 ORGANIC FARMING
Definition : As per USDA -
It is a unique production management
system which promotes and enhances
agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity,
biological cycles and soil biological activity,
and this is accomplished by using on-farm
agronomic, biological and mechanical methods
in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs”.

CHARACTERISTICS

⮚ Soil-building mechanism
⮚ Max. use of on farm organic matter
⮚ The extensive management of livestock,
conservation of wildlife, natural habitats
and natural biological cycles
 • Carbon Sequestration - Organic farming can reverse the agriculture ecosystem
from a carbon source to a carbon sink

• Yearbook ‘THE WORLD OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE – Statistics and Emerging trends 2019 ’

• Research Institute of organic agriculture FiBL, Germany

• IFOAM ( International federation of Organic Movement– Organics International, Germany

• Trade fair - BIOFATCH

https://www.ifoam.bio/en/news/2019/02/13/world-organic-agriculture-2019
 ORGANIC INDIA
⮚ Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
⮚ Kerala enacted policy as per The National Biodiversity
Bill in 2010 to ensure only organic farming by 2020
⮚ Gadgil and Kasturirangan reports

ACHIEVEMENTS
⮚ India is home to 30 per cent of the total organic producers
in the world
⮚ Sikkim, which was recognised as the country’s first organic
state in 2018.
⮚ Under Project of WWF, India and C & A Foundation, Switzerland
4000 cotton farmers in Chhindwara, M.P. are getting benefitted by
36 % higher yields at lower input costs
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/india-interior/it-took-just-one-acre-to-grow-
faith-in-organic-farming/article26889760.ece
 TWO BROTHERS ORGANIC FARMS
(www.twobrothersindia.com)
⮚ Loss for first 04 years
⮚ Biggest hit – Desi papaya
⮚ National and international Market access
⮚ Increasing product variety and customer base
⮚ Their farm has been certified by the known French
certification body, Ecocert as a ‘100 per cent organic farm’
⮚ Make Rs 30 Lakh Turnover per Month!
 ORGANIC FARMING

CHALLENGES
 Poor implementation policy measures
 Unavailability of organic inputs in the market
⮚ Plant disease management.
⮚ Low productivity during the transition
⮚ Multiple certification systems
⮚ Limited market
⮚ Fake products
⮚ Expensive organic products

WAY AHEAD
❖ Proactive policy and subsidies
❖ Education and training
❖ Big corporates involvement
 GM CROPS

Over the last twenty years,

biotech crops have
increased agriculture’s
environmental
sustainability, while
providing significant
economic benefits,
according to a newly
released global impacts
study
What is a Genetically Modified Organism?
• It involves the insertion of DNA from
one organism into another OR
modification of an organism’s DNA in
order to achieve a desired trait.

Suntory "blue" rose

Some genetically modified foods

Bt crops
Some genetically modified foods

Soybean
Roundup ready crops
Some genetically modified foods

Ice minus strawberries

Some genetically modified foods

Golden rice
Genetically Modified Foods
Experts say 60% to 70% of processed
foods on U.S. grocery shelves have
genetically modified ingredients.

Common GM crops:
• Soybeans
• Corn
• Cotton
Genetically Modified Foods
Cons
• Introducing allergens and toxins to food
• Accidental cross pollination
• Antibiotic resistance
• Creation of "super" weeds and other
environmental risks
Genetically Modified Foods
Pros
• Increased pest and disease resistance
• Grow food in harsh climate
• Increased food supply (more food/acre)
• More nutritional value
• Make drugs

Ring spot virus

Sustainable agriculture system
 Sustainable agriculture system
Farming in sustainable ways based on an understanding of ecosystem services, the study
of relationship between organisms and their environment.
It is defined by 3 integral aspects namely economic profit, environmental stewardship
and social responsibility.

Key principles:

1) The incorporation of biological and ecological processes into agricultural and food
production practices like nutrient cycling etc.

2) Using decreased amounts of non renewable and unsustainable inputs ,particularly the
ones that are environmentally harmful.

3)Using the expertise of farmers to both productively using the land as well as to
promote the self reliance and self sufficiency of farmers.

4)Solving agricultural and natural resource problems through the cooperation and
collaboration of people with different skills. The problems tackled include pest
management and irrigation.
 Need for sustainable agriculture

There are three dimensions i.e. ecological ,economic and

social.

1) Ecological:
This includes soil fertility, water, biodiversity ,pollution,
landscape, climate.

2) Economic:
export vs local orientation, debt, risk, niche market and
employment.

3)Social:
Inclusiveness, political unrest, local acceptance,
indigenous knowledge, gender, food security,
participation.
 Possible actions in India:
1) improvement of existing product system : Altered crop
rotations introduction of green manuring use of plant
species adapted to specific locations.

2) improved protection of natural resources e.g erosion

protection.

3) Increase in efficiency of existing resources e.g

irrigation, use of technology, basic and advanced
technology.

4) introduction of a new production element in existing

enterprises such as fruit trees to stabilize terraced fields,
fish farming in rice fields.

5) introduction of regenerative branches of business e.g

horticulture or aquaculture.
 Possible actions in India:

6) Optimization of post harvest systems e.g

storage

7) increase the value of agricultural products

through further processing such as production of
yoghurt from milk.

8) improvement of channels of distribution i.e

market access, transport.

9) access to loans and other financial services.

 Wadi program
• Program started by Goverdhan eco village (GEV) a farm community at wada,
palghar district Maharashtra.
• It is based on a farming system approach that includes horticulture, forestry,
inter-cropping and intensive cultivation of cash crops on separate smaller
plots.

Components
1) development of eroded wasteland through soil and water
conservation.
2) plantation of fruit and forestry trees.
3) cultivation of suitable improved intercrops both for food and for
cash incomes wherever possible during the initial stage.
4) cultivation of short term cash crops on small plots in an intensive
manner in the nearby area.
5) improved production techniques and varieties of traditional
crops.
Success story no.1: Bhagavan Dalvi
-Previously due to under utilization of his land and un-sustainable
agriculture practices his annual income was in the range of Rs. 13,000 -
15000
-In year 2014-2015 he benefitted from the lift irrigation scheme and in
2018-2019 cultivated 4 acres of paddy,9 guntha of vegetables and 16
guntha of pulses.
-He also started cultivating high yielding varieties of vegetables such as
beans, ladies finger, radish, cluster beans and corn.
The family is now practicing organic farming that is sustainable and their
income has increased to Rs. 1,78,311.
- Project support in the form of seeds, fertilizers.

Success story: sadu baraf

-A bpl farmer owns 8 acres of land. For irrigation he was
totally dependant upon well and rains.
-Earned about Rs. 20000 to Rs. 25000 per annum
-In 2014 his family joined the wadi program and cultivated
paddy in 7 acres, pulses in 7.5 gunthas, vegetables in 10
gunthas and floriculture in 5 gunthas.
- Also planted fruit trees, practised floriculture and his annual
income is Rs. 2,7,683/- in the FY 2018-2019.
 Impact of Sustainable Agriculture

- Household income has shot up.

- Overall health of the family has increased owing to a variety of farm
produce and a more wholesome organic nutrition.
- Work migration or distress has reduced.
- With income achieving stability, children are not being pulled out of
school for work.
- A very remarkable observation has been the increase in ground water
level. this has enabled farmers with open wells to also irrigate their lands.
- Drinking water availability has increased since the hand pump bore wells
drying up in summer season are a rarity due to increased water levels.
- Marketing linkage provided to group members through e commerce
grocery retailer.
 Impact of Sustainable Agriculture
- Biodiversity maintained due to plantation of various crops.

- Setting up of solar driers to facilitate cost effective food processing

(dried wet-fruits like dried apple, sapota, pineapple, papaya etc
fetch 4-6 times more price then regular)

- Enhancing market linkages (farmers are good in production, but

bad in selling/marketing. Hence lot of produce goes waste or is sold
at lower price out of desperation.)

- Promoting participatory organic certification.

- Encouraging multi cropping pattern systems as opposed to mass

mono cropping for improving climate change resilience (and you
can explain the success story of gev wadi concept)
 Opportunities
1.India is a global agricultural powerhouse
• world’s largest producer of milk, pulses, and spices,
• largest area under wheat, rice and cotton
• world’s largest cattle herd (buffaloes)
• Second largest producer of rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, farmed
fish, sheep & goat meat, fruit, vegetables and tea.
2.Diverse agro-climatic conditions/zones
4.Fertile soils
3.Large Domestic Market-
• Rising demand for food- high value fruits and proteins meat, dairy
and fishery products.
• Rapid Urbanisation and increasing middle class
5.Domestic R&D and Extension capacity
6.Global Markets- expanding demand, bio-fuel competition
 Opportunities
7.Enterprising Farming Community
8.Scope for Increasing cropping intensity
9.Yeild Gap between world Average and across regions in India
• Best Farmers overall profitability is 77% higher than average
farmers profitability
• Enhanced and balanced use of Fertilisers, HYV,irrigation can
boost yields
• Better seeds can raise yields by 40%
10.Irrigation- minor irrigation has better returns on investment
11.Credit-larger credit availability for small farms can raise per
capita output
12.Farm size-technology adoption, diversification
 New Developments
❖ Sensors:
• Air & soil sensors
• Equipment telematics
• Livestock biometrics
• Crop sensors
• Infrastructural health sensors
❖ Food:
• GM
• In vitro meat
❖ Engineering:
• Closed ecological systems
• Synthetic biology
• Vertical farming
 New Developments

❖ Automation:
• Selective breeding,
• Agbots
• Precision Agriculture

❖ Artificial Intelligence
❖ Information Technology

❖ Weather Tracking

❖ Satellite Imaging

❖ Agritechture: The Next Big Thing

 Focus Areas for
Policy

• Agriculture is a ‘State Subject’. In other words, the policies of provinces are

also important
• The policy, institutional and investment focus during green revolution time
helped India achieve its food self sufficiency goals.
• However, now different policies are needed to focus on small holdings, rainfed
areas, women, lagging regions, rural non-farm for sustainable agricultural
transformation
 Focus Areas of Policies for Sustainable Agriculture
1. Strategise for second green Revolution-
• dryland and Wasteland Development focus
• Efficiency in water use-“more crop per drop”
• Increased Irrigation- minor irrigation, precision farming
• Horticulture focus-NHM
• Investment in Promotion of soil Health
2. Focus on Animal Husbandry and Fisheries-
• Dairying,
• Aquaculture
3. Smart investments in post harvest and marketing infrastructure
• Supply Chain- Storage, processing, cold chain development
• Food Processing and Value addition activities
• Grading and Standardisation of Produce
• Commodity exchanges/Futures Markets
• Warehousing infrastructure
Focus Areas of Policies for Sustainable Agriculture

4.Risk management measures-production and market risks

5.Reform Food Laws bring in Integrated Food Law- Essential
Commodities Act, APMC Act, Forward Contracts
(Regulation) Act
6.Demand Driven agriculture research and extension
7.Organic Farming
8.Technology- precision farming techniques, input use
efficiency, processing and storage, marketing,
9.Crop Diversification- Shift from Rice-wheat cropping
systems
10.Facilitating agricultural diversification to higher-value
commodities
 References
• http://www.farmlandlp.com/2009/11/triple-bottom-line-
sustainable-agriculture/
• https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/agriculture/how-it-
communication-can-boost-sustainable-farming-in-india-66672
• https://www.agriculture.com/news/technology/new-sustainability-
risk-management-solutions-for-the-ag-supply-chain
• http://www.economicsdiscussion.net/agriculture/problems-
agriculture/indian-agriculture-problems-7-major-problems-of-indian-
agriculture/12859
• http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/agriculture/10-major-
agricultural-problems-of-india-and-their-possible-solutions/20988
• https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/agri-
gdp-growth-falls-doubling-farmers-income-in-next-3-years-looks-a-
tough-task/article29308630.ece
Thanks