The current state of agricultural systems is characterized by a growing demand for food and diminishing land availability. A 2020 report found that nearly 690 million people—or 8.9 per cent of the global population— were hungry. This number has gone up by nearly 60 million in five years, leading to an increase in demand, there is an increase in the use of unsustainable farming practices that have caused environmental damage, reduced biodiversity, and contributed to climate change.
Currently, in the global scenario, farmers are being pushed towards adopting sustainable practices that reduce their carbon footprint and minimize the impact on the environment.
Steering agriculture towards a sustainable future
One way to tackle the effects of climate change and other environmental changes, and ensure a sustainable food supply is to create resilient agricultural systems that can withstand these changes.
Agriculture has a major role in the climate problem as it currently generates 19–29% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, 1/3 of food produced globally is either lost or wasted. Hence it is important to focus on some key principles that drive sustainable systems:
- Diversity and redundancy in crops and livestock
One of the most effective ways to build resilience in agriculture is to diversify crop and livestock production. Planting a variety of crops and raising different types of livestock can help reduce the impact of pests, diseases, and extreme weather events. Diversification can also provide farmers with a range of income streams and help them manage risk.
- Integration of ecological principles in farming practices
By integrating ecological principles into farming practices, farmers can ensure that their land is managed in a way that is sustainable and beneficial for both the environment and their businesses. This includes reducing inputs such as pesticides, fertilizers, and water while increasing yields through improved management techniques. Additionally, by understanding how different ecosystems interact with one another, farmers can create a more diverse landscape that is better able to withstand changes in climate or other environmental factors.
- Building healthy soil through conservation and regeneration
Conservation and regeneration practices are vital for building healthy soil and mitigating the impact of modern agricultural practices on soil health. These practices aim to reduce soil disturbance, increase soil cover, promote plant diversity, and enhance soil biological activity. They can improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and promote carbon sequestration.
- Resource efficiency and waste reduction
Another important principle related to building a resilient agricultural system is ensuring resource efficiency and focusing on waste reduction. By employing resources efficiently farmers can achieve a high production scale and also focus on waste reduction. This is possible through natural farming practices.
- Community involvement and knowledge sharing
Building a community of natural farming practitioners and sharing knowledge with people can effectively change the practices on a larger scale. Especially by developing community leaders and advocates and providing incentives can change the way farmers pursue sustainable practices.
Indian Resilient Agricultural System Application
The world has started realizing the importance of incorporating sustainable practices in agriculture to ensure a longstanding environmentally friendly option. Resilient agricultural practices such as regenerative agriculture, natural farming, agroforestry, cover cropping, crop rotation, and regenerative farming are taking centerstage globally and also in India.
Core CarbonX is leading a project in Andhra Pradesh where the focus is to promote the adoption and implementation of natural farming. The project is being conducted on a large scale across various villages where farmers are being educated in using various types of naturally available materials for farming. The farming community is also being introduced to the process of making Agniastram, a natural solution to improve the soil.
Apart from that, CCX has also worked on promoting regenerative farming in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and west Bengal. Through the initiative, the company has been informing the community about the various benefits of regenerative farming to combat traditional chemical intensive, and mono-crop farming that reduced soil fertility. Through their efforts, CCX has helped sequestered 2-8 tons of CO2 per hectare and reduced water consumption by 15%-20%. The project also helped enrich 1000+ Hectares of soil.
Another important project run by CCX in the resilient agricultural system promoting a sustainable future is in the sector of agroforestry where the company has been working in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, and West Bengal to promote the use of land and shrubs in to improve productivity, profitability, diversity, and ecosystem sustainability. Through the initiative, CCX has helped sequestered an estimated 7-20 tons of CO2 per Hectare and impacted climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration in over 12,000 Hectares of farmland.
The Benefits of Resilient Agricultural Systems
Resilient agricultural systems have a wide range of benefits, both for farmers and for society as a whole. The key benefits are not just limited to the farmers but also the planet. It has varied environmental benefits that promote sustainable practices such as soil health improvement, reduce water use, and minimize the use of chemicals, help preserve natural resources for future generations. The technique also lays attention on providing economic benefits, such as increased productivity and profitability for the farmers while also ensuring that the environmental harm stays at the lowest. It is also an effective means of production cost cutting. Apart from that, resilient agricultural systems help to ensure that there is a consistent supply of food, even in the face of environmental challenges.
However, the practice is not without its challenges. Right from the community level to the policy level, there are various challenges and obstacles. Here are four key challenges that need to be addressed:
- Climate Change Awareness: Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural production, with more frequent extreme weather events and changing rainfall patterns affecting crops and livestock. Despite this, many farmers lack the knowledge and resources to adapt to these changes.
- Land/Soil Degradation: Land and soil degradation caused by intensive farming practices, deforestation, and other factors threaten the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems.
- Financial Support: Building resilient agricultural systems requires financial resources, including investment in infrastructure, research, and development, and training for farmers. However, smallholder farmers often lack access to credit and face other financial barriers, limiting their ability to invest in resilient agricultural practices.
- Finance and Market Access: Access to finance and markets are also essential to building resilient agricultural systems. Smallholder farmers often lack access to markets, which limits their ability to sell their products at fair prices.
Role of carbon credits in Supporting the resilient agriculture systems
Carbon credits can play a significant role in supporting resilient agricultural systems by incentivizing farmers to adopt sustainable practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmental resilience.
Enhancing access to finance: Through the sale of carbon credits, farmers can earn revenue for implementing practices such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and cover cropping that sequester carbon in the soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. This revenue can help farmers offset the costs of implementing these practices and provide a financial incentive to invest in more sustainable agriculture.
Attracting private sector investment: Carbon credits can also help support smallholder farmers and increase their access to financial resources by providing a new revenue stream for sustainable practices. This can help to improve the economic stability of farming communities and promote greater food security. It also helps support the overall ecosystem by putting agriculture at the forefront of a global market.
Policies and Schemes
To promote resilient systems for a sustainable future, the Indian government has launched various schemes and policies that assist the farming community and also enable the farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a scheme that aims to provide insurance coverage and financial support to farmers in case of crop failure or loss due to natural calamities, while Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) aims to promote organic farming practices in India by providing financial assistance to farmers for adopting organic farming practices. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) promotes agricultural development in India by providing financial assistance to farmers for enhancing productivity, sustainability, and profitability.
Apart from that, Soil Health Card Scheme aims to provide farmers with information about the nutrient status of their soil and suggestions for appropriate measures to improve soil health. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) was launched to promote sustainable agriculture practices by providing financial assistance to farmers for adopting climate-resilient and resource-efficient agricultural practices.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program aims to promote the use of eco-friendly and cost-effective pest management practices by providing training and financial assistance to farmers. While National Agricultural Market (NAM) creates a single market for agricultural commodities by integrating various markets across India, thereby reducing market inefficiencies and promoting price discovery.
The country is moving towards a more sustainable future and taking the appropriate measures. If the focus of the community without resistance remains on building a resilient system, we will soon be able to reduce our footprint in the agriculture sector.
(The author is Niroj Mohanty, Managing Director and CEO, CoreCarbonX Sols Pvt Ltd., and the views expressed in this article are his own)
