Journal of Global Resources
Biannual International Peer-Reviewed Journal
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print)/2455-2445 (Online)

January 2021
Volume 07 (01)
Crossref DOI 10.46587

DOI: 10.46587/JGR.2021.v07i01.012

12
CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE: A “GREENER” SOLUTION FOR IMPROVINGAGRARIAN DISTRESS IN INDIA
Uday Das
Research Scholar (UGC Junior Research Fellow)
Department of Lifelong Learning & Extension, Rural Extension Center
Visva-Bharati, Shanti Niketan, India
Email: Udaydas948@gmail.com

Abstract: Gradual degradation of agricultural production and dilapidation of soil fertility is aserious disquiet for sustainable agriculture. International research and development
organization developed a conservation agriculture approach to achieve a sustainable path for
agriculture. Indian agriculture sector becomes a less profitable, thankless, and back-breaking
profession. Gradual land degradation, falling soil fertility and crop failure have reduced
agriculture production. To keep continuous production, conservation agriculture is analternative sustainable method to overcome the situational constraints in any type of land andenvironmental situation. This study tries to identify major agrarian distress in India by using
CSO, NCRB and annual agriculture report data. The study also reviewed numerous articles,
journals and research paper to analyse potential CA system paradigm as a greener solution
to check gradual land degradation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil
health for sustainable agriculture production in India.
Key words: Conservation Agriculture, Land Degradation, Soil Health, Agrarian Distress
Introduction
Volatility in growth rates and regional or spatial disparities in agricultural performance is aserious puzzle in India. From few decades’ agriculture percentage share of GDP and the ratioof the rural net domestic product has declined (Gulati et al., 2012). It is high time has to think
agriculture as an agribusiness rather than subsistence agriculture (M S Swaminathan). Morethan 50 per cent workforce still directly engaged in agriculture. Rural population and theirlivelihood, directly and indirectly, dependent on agriculture. Indian agriculture is conventional,
subsistence, traditional, and rainfed in nature, which is dying as a pleasant profession.
Conventional agriculture practices are labour, Water, and energy-intensive and it becomesless profitable (Chauhan et al., 2012). Subsistence farming is a thankless, risky and backbreaking profession (R. Tongia 2019). Over two-thirds (nearly 60 per cent) of Agri-land of India
is rainfed and suffered by droughts, flood and climate change, that reduced agriculture
production (Neate 2013). Subsistence agriculture denotes poor economic development andlow productivity (Heidhues & Bruntrup 2003). Many researchers have been described, Indian
agriculture (rainfed, traditional, conventional, and subsistence) system is a gamble ofmonsoon and climate because farmers face many climatic uncertainties (Sharma & Soni 2006;
Dwivedy 2011; & Neate P. J. 2013). Climate change reduces crop production, which promotes
poverty and food insecurity. India needs to implement sustainable agriculture technique.
During the period of the green revolution (the early 1970s) wheat and rice performed
an important role in food security. Extensive cultivation of wheat and rice in a system mode forthe last few decades, creating some threats towards the sustainability of the rice-wheat system
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(Chauhan et al., 2012). Conventional systems are widely practised in India, that’s
characterized as intensive tillage, which is a prominent factor for the continuous decline in soilorganic matter. moreover, Irreversible degradation of groundwater level, deterioration of soil,
falling soil fertility, input cost increasing and profit decreasing is current serious problems in
the Indian agriculture sector. In this context, Indian farmers need farm innovations that will
help them to enhance production to support their livelihood with agricultural sustainability.
Further Indian agriculture sector needs “evergreen revolution” (the term coined by M S
Swaminathan) for the enhancement of agriculture productivity. Conservation farming is an
excellent method for sustainable management of soil and water, and more effective toenhance the soil health (M S Swaminathan). Water erosion, acidification, flooding, winderosion and salinity are major factors for soil degradation in India, conservation agriculture
approaches are potential solutions to check gradual degradation of soil and effective measures
to improve soil health (Bhattacharyya et al., 2015). Conservation agriculture has risen as agreen paradigm to achieve sustainable agriculture production (Abrol & Sangar 2006). This
paper aims to explain and identify the potential of conservation agriculture as a sustainable
and “greener” farming practice in the context of Indian agrarian distress.
Conservation Agriculture
Conservation agriculture implies three interlinked principles, direct seeding without soil
disturbing and manage crop residues and applies crop rotations for improving soil fertility(FAO). Over one-third soils of the planets are degraded; conservation agriculture is analternative to regenerating degraded land and preventive measures for losses of arable land(FAO). Direct seeding reduces farming cost and greenhouse gas emission (Hobbs et al.,2008). Tillage takes more time for planting of crops but zero tillage minimizes time forestablishing a crop (Hobbs et al., 2008). The conservation agriculture introduced farming crops
without tilling the soil (no-tillage), which contain minimum soil disturbance and managementof soil organic matter. Highly mechanized traditional agriculture is consuming moregroundwater and responsible for soil erosion. Hence conservation agriculture method offers apermanent soil cover and effective for improving soil organic matter in surface horizons (Bhan& Behera 2014). Mono-cropping under conventional agriculture system will not adequate toachieve production goal and ensure food security for the future. To keep continuous
production, conservation agriculture is an alternative sustainable method to overcome thesituational constraints in any type of land and environmental situation (Ghosh et al., 2010).
Conservation agriculture considered as a climate regulator, which is sound to regulate
greenhouse gases and serve as a global warming remission strategy (Almaraz et al., 2009).
Conservation agriculture system has been introduced successfully in the rice-wheat region ofSouth Asia and that reduced erosion and runoff and improved underground water quality
compared to conventional agriculture practices (Dendooven et al., 2012; Palm et al., 2014).
Traditional monoculture has responsible for soil degradation with low nutrient content and soilorganic matter. Conservation farming is a sustainable alternative for maintaining physical,
chemical and biological qualities of soil (Govaerts et al., 2007; Kassm et al., 2009) and also
maximize ecosystem service functions and biodiversity (Sanderson et al., 2013; Palm et al.,2014). Conservation agriculture is a “greener” solution to reduce accelerating soil degradation,
threats of climate change and CA also helpful to improve the soil fertility, and highly beneficial
to reducing soil erosion and generally increase infiltration (Thierfelder et al., 2013; Giller et al.,2009). Conservation agriculture is a resource-saving agriculture practice, which is effective forenhancing the natural biological processes above and below the ground (Kassam et al., 2009).
Agrarian Distress in India & CA Approach
Agriculture, the most significant livelihood support system for the rural population and plays
an important role in the Indian economy, presently the sector is under stress. During the pastfew decades, the agriculture sector’s production performances have been declined and thesector is exposed to multiple risks and uncertainty (Barah & Sirohi 2011). The downtrend in
production and uncertainty has enhanced the vulnerability of income. Gradual degradation ofsoil and water resource due to intensive tillage has increased the un-sustainability of farm
practice. Growing frequency of farmer’s suicide in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana,
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (Seven states account more104

than 87% of total farmer’s suicide in India) have been described the worst situations of the
farmers as well as agriculture sector in India. Increasing marginalization is a serious problem
in India, the number of landholdings has increased but the operational area declined (Reddy& Mishra 2010).
Labour-intensive conventional agriculture practice becomes less profitable due toslowdown in the productivity growth rate. Rise in food insecurity, hunger and deprivation arecauses of the downtrend in agriculture production. Climate change, intensive tillage,
increasing pressure on natural resources, groundwater depletion, gradual degradation of soil
and water quality, second-hand technology, conventional monoculture, traditional practice andfalling in soil fertility are major hectic factors for agriculture sustainability in India. Agrarian
distress in India is increasing in recent times due to various reasons.
Figure 01: Flow Diagram Shows the Potential Benefit of CA Approaches
Sustainable management ofsoil and water

Greener Solution

Potential solution for soil
degradation

Sustainable agriculture
production

Minimize greenhouse gas
emissionsCA
ApproachLess time taking forestablishing a crop

Improve soil organic matterand nutrients content

Minimum soil disturbanceManage crop residues

Reduces farming cost

Sustainable
alternative

Reduced erosion and runoff,and improved water quality

Source: Prepared by Author

Land Degradation
India accounts for 5,334 million tonnes of soil loss every year due to soil erosion. A study
estimates 26 billion tons of topsoil loss per year due to human activity, which is 2.6 times thenatural rates of soil degradation (Verhulst et al., 2010). Gradual land degradation creates newsets of challenges for agriculture sustainability. Modern agriculture practice also the causes ofland degradation. The green revolution has introduced massive use of chemical fertilizers andpesticide which has caused a significant decline in the floral and faunal population.
Industrialization, population explosion, urbanization, intensive cultivation, deforestation,
shifting cultivation, mining and overgrazing are the principal causes of land degradation inIndia. According to an estimates 147 million hectares of land in India affected by water erosion(94 Mha), acidification (16 Mha), flooding (14 Mha), wind erosion (9 Mha), salinity (6 Mha) andcombination factors (7 Mha). A satellite imagery-based estimates find out, 80 Mha cultivatedarea is substantially degraded. Land degradation is a serious problem in India, its high time totackle the situation. Table-1 shows state-wise land degradation phenomena in India and, Data
displays every state affected by land degradation. Table-2 shows the process and causes ofland degradation and the importance of conservation approach to check soil disturbances.

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Table0 1: State-Wise Land Degradation in India (Mha)State

AndhraPradesh &Telangana
Goa

Total
Degraded
Area
15.0

Percent ofDegraded Area
to TGA
54.5

0.2

43.9

7.6
2.6
5.3
1.9
1.9
1.2
2.2
0

39.8
67.1
41.0
42.6
89.2
53.9
28.2
53.8

1.0

60.0

Karnataka
KeralaTamil Nadu
ManipurMizoramMeghalaya
Assam
Arunachal
PradeshNagaland

State

Total
DegradedArea
7.0

Percent ofDegradedArea to TGA
31.6

Uttar Pradesh &Uttarakhand
Delhi
HaryanaPunjabBihar & Jharkhand
West Bengal
Union Territories
GujratRajasthan

15.3

52.0

0.1
1.5
1.3
6.3
2.8
0.2
8.1
11.4

55.4
33.2
25.4
36.1
31.0
24.8
41.5
33.2

Madhya Pradesh &Chhattisgarh
Maharashtra
OrissaGrand Total (Mha)

26.2

59.1

13.1
6.1
146.8

42.4
39.3

Jammu & Kashmir

Sikkim0.2
33.0
Tripura0.6
59.9
Himachal
4.2
75.0
PradeshSource: Reference 6 (Bhattacharyya et al., 2015)

TGA is Total Ground Area

Table 02: Land Degradation Processes, Major Causes and CA Approach
Processes of landdegradation
Soil erosion i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Soil contamination
i.
ii.
iii.
Desertification
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Soil acidification
i.
ii.
iii.
Soil salinity i.
ii.
iii.

CausesCA system approach

Water runoff
Deforestation
Land tillage
Over grazing
Quarrying and mining
Unsustainable agriculture practices
Waste disposal
Excessive use of pesticides andherbicide
Intensive cultivation
Drought,
Reduction in vegetation cover,Wrong agricultural management
practices,
Excessive grazing,
Cultivation on marginal landOver-exploitation of the natural
resources and ground water.
The application of ammonium-based
nitrogen fertilizer
Long term use of anhydrous NH3 andurea
Excessive leaching
Excessive use of water for irrigation,
High rate of evaporation
Fluctuations of water table

Conservation agriculture avoids soil
disturbance by direct seeding, thus will
be helpful to improve organic mulch
cover on the soil surface.
CA manages crop residues, thattechniques are highly beneficial to
improve soil fertility and also helpful in
reducing soil erosion.
CA system enhances rainfall infiltration
capacity and reduced runoff and soil
erosion.
The problem of salinization can be
reduced with CA. no-till and surface
retention of residues limits theevaporation. the no-till agricultural
practice also improves soil structure in
the long-term.
Conservation agriculture is significant
to improve soil nutrient supplies andcycling, that is favorable for enhancing
the bio-chemical decomposition oforganic crop residues at the soil
horizon.
CA principles protect soil from raindrop
impact.

Climate Change
Modern agricultural technology and approach is a serious factor for climate change. Modern
agricultural sector is responsible for about 30 per cent of the total greenhouse gas (CO2, N2O,
CH4) emissions (Kassam et al., 2009). Extremely growing climatic events are the106consequences of climate change, which affects more and more in the agriculture sector.
Wheat performance of India and wheat yields decreased due to global warming andtemperature increased enhance vulnerability in soybean crops in central India. Agriculture andcereal production are significantly affected by climate change. Table and diagram showing
various distress in the agriculture sector in India
19

80

18

60

17

40

16

20

15

0

14
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Percent to total GVA

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
Agriculture worker

Figure 2: Continuous decline in the share of
agriculture sector in the GVA. Source: Central
Statistics Office, MOSPI,

Figure 3: Agricultural worker declining
rate in India. Source: Central Statistics
Office, MOSPI,

Table 03: Estimated Data of Monthly Income & Indebted Agricultural Households
State

Average monthly income per State
Indebted Agricultural
agriculture household (Rs.)
household (%)
Bihar
3558
Andhra Pradesh
92.9
Jharkhand
4721
Telangana
89.1
Odisha4976
Tamil Nadu
82.5
Uttar Pradesh
4701
Kerala77.7
Uttaranchal
4923
Karnataka
77.3
West Bengal
3980
Rajasthan
61.8
All India
All India
6426
51.9
Source: situation assessment survey of agriculture household (Jan-Dec 2013), NSSO
1500

2000
1500

1000

1000
500

500

0
2014

0
2004-05

Semi-critical2017-18

Critical2015

Due to other reason

Over-exploitedDue to natural clamities

Figure 4: Categorization of Blocks/ Mandals/
Talukas in India, based on groundwater. Source:
Central Ground Water Board

Figure 5: Farmer suicide in India due tocrop failure. Source: NCRB

Figure-2,3,4 and 5 displays the pathetic situation of the agricultural sector in India.
Percentage of total agriculture workers and the share of agriculture sector in the GVA arecontinuously declining and, farmers suicide is a terrific puzzle in India. More than 50 per centof farmer suicide occurred in India due to natural calamities, which is a big reason for crop
failure. Table-3 shows six states average monthly income per agriculture household. Bihar
accounts minimum household income and Andhra Pradesh account a maximum percentage
of indebted agriculture household in India.

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Potentials of Conservation Agriculture Conservation agriculture is an alternative paradigm to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and it’s an effective no-till system for enhancing biological activity in soils.
 Sustainable management of agro-ecosystems is a major concern of the CA approach,thus promote the goal of production sustainability, increased profits, and farm income
by preserving the environment and natural resource base.
 Conservation agriculture practices are interlinked with climate-smart agriculture thatseeks to increase yields in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.
 CA system raise farm output, production efficiency and maintain the flow of ecosystemservices including soil and water conservation.
 CA involves crop rotations to help reduce possible weed, disease and pest problems
and beneficial to minimize crop failure risk. Crop rotation can promote more stable
aggregation in soil.
 Soil mesofauna, macro fauna and earthworm may be lost by abrasion during tillage
operation. CA implies zero tillage without disturbance of the soil.
 No-tillage and crop residue retention increased microbial diversity, that species play asignificant role to maintain soil health.
Conclusion
Conservation agriculture practice offers a green paradigm for agricultural development, which
is more sustainable and resources conserving technique in comparison to the conventional
and traditional system. Land degradation, potential threats of climate change, crop failure andproduction uncertainty have increased the demand for new and more suitable cropping
techniques that enhance production with conserving natural resource base. Conservation
agriculture technology is an opportunity for India to reduce production cost, enhance crop
diversification, save water and natural nutrients and reduce greenhouse gas emissions fromagriculture. We have to take more research initiative on how to promote CA approach in India
in the context of small landholding and heavy population pressure on land.
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