Essay – Sustainable farming is the need of the hour than rhetorical promises
Sustainable farming is the need of the hour than rhetorical promises Essay: The Indian Economy prior to the advent of the British Colonial rulers was mainly an agricultural economy. As an agrarian economy, the Indian economy occupied a prominent status on the world stage with a GDP of 35% of the world’s total GDP. India had a monopoly of trade in wheat, rice, pulses and textiles such as cotton. Indian agriculture has served the dual purpose of commercial gain as well as for the sustenance of the common citizens and the farmers. Excessive commercial agriculture to maintain the economy led to detrimental impacts on the soil and conditions for agriculture. To address this issue, sustainable farming was regarded as the need of the hour.
Discussion
Sustainable Agriculture refers to a substitute method of cultivation for conventional commercial agricultural practices. Sustainable agriculture replaces the orthodox agrarian practices that make overuse of High Yielding Variety (HYV) Seeds lead to a gradual degradation of layers of soil, depletion of groundwater and threaten biodiversity. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers such as urea, Ammonium Phosphate, Ammonium Chloride and Ammonium Sulfate to increase the production of crops to meet the needs of the increasing demands of the growing population of the country has negatively impacted the environment. In such circumstances, sustainable farming can control the impacts of environmental degradation such as global warming and climate change by using domestic seeds and organic manure such as cow dung, rainwater harvesting and farming of naturally available crops. The crisis brought about by the poverty-stricken agricultural community and degrading environmental conditions have prompted the government to take immediate effective measures to initiate sustainable agricultural norms.
Sustainable Agriculture is the need of the hour provided that a balance between economic benefits and sustainability is maintained. Erstwhile Agriculture Production Commissioner, Sanjeev Hota interacted with the ‘Centre for Policy, Governance, and Advocacy’ (CPGA) addressing the apprehensive conditions of cultivators being exploited by commercial companies. Cultivation of crops is primarily practised by small-scale cultivators who are dependent on government policies for Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to purchase seeds and fertilizers. Sustainable Agriculture poses the challenges of a dearth of conservation places and mobility issues in addition to resolving concerns of water scarcity. The success of the “Odisha Millet Mission’ has emerged as the epitome of sustainable agriculture where the practice of agriculture is concentrated in rural areas meant for scheduled seasonal crops such as wheat, jowar and barley. Seasonal crops aid in the revival of soil fertility when crops are not cultivated along with resolving the issues of water scarcity. Sustainable development depends on lucrative marketplaces to sell off the produce. Government policies have been initiated to shift the wholesale markets from cities to municipalities and panchayats to resolve the transportation crisis.
Conclusion
To conclude, sustainable methods of cultivation are an urgent necessity with land infertility, water scarcity and ecological problems which are threatening the agricultural sector in particular and the economy in general. Rhetorical promises are futile to resolve the problems and prompt policies such as the ‘Odisha Millet mission’ that are crucial determinants of the sustenance of the agrarian communities. Sustainable agricultural practices have been thus playing a pivotal role in solving land infertility, water scarcity and ecological imbalances.
FAQs
Q1. Was the Indian agrarian economy lucrative?
Ans: An agrarian economy, the Indian economy cherished a prominent status on the world stage with a GDP of 35% of the world’s total GDP.
Q2. Which elements are used in commercial cultivation?
Ans: Commercial cultivation practices use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) Seeds and chemical fertilizers such as urea, Ammonium Phosphate.