Why in the News?

Government must embrace a new approach where the success of agriculture is defined by its capacity to nourish people, support livelihoods, and safeguard our planet for future generations.

What are the limitations of using yield as the sole indicator of agricultural success?

• Nutritional Quality Neglect as per ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research): Focusing on yield has led to a decline in the nutritional profile of crops. High-yielding varieties often have lower micronutrient densities, as seen in reduced zinc and iron levels in rice and wheat.
• Increased Input Costs: Higher yield does not always correlate with increased farmer income. The cost of achieving additional yield may be high, especially as the response to fertilizers has declined significantly since the 1970s.
• Biodiversity Loss: The emphasis on a few high-yielding varieties leads to the loss of diverse, local crop varieties. For example, India has lost around 104,000 rice varieties since the Green Revolution.
• Environmental Impact: Intensive farming to maximize yield can degrade soil health, reduce water availability, and harm the ecosystem, making agriculture less sustainable.
• Reduced Resilience: The prioritization of yield over other factors makes crops less resilient to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves.

How do other indicators complement yield in assessing agricultural sustainability?

• Nutritional Output Per Hectare: This indicator measures not just the quantity but the quality of the food produced, addressing nutritional security.
• Soil Health Metrics: Including soil biological activity and soil organic carbon in evaluations helps ensure long-term soil fertility and productivity.
• Water-Use Efficiency: Metrics like water-use efficiency track the amount of water required to produce crops, promoting conservation.
• Farm Biodiversity: Assessing crop diversity at the farm and regional levels (Landscape Diversity Score) improves resilience to pests, diseases, and climate variability.
• Economic Resilience Metrics: Indicators such as income diversification (through intercropping, livestock rearing, etc.) can help measure farmers’ economic stability.
• Environmental Impact Measures: Tracking parameters like carbon footprint and ecosystem services evaluates the broader impact of agricultural practices.

What practices can farmers adopt to improve sustainability beyond just increasing yield? (Way forward)

• Intercropping: Growing multiple crops together (e.g., sugarcane with vegetables) can provide year-round income and enhance soil health.
• Agroecological Approaches: Practices such as crop rotation, organic farming, and reduced pesticide use help maintain biodiversity and soil fertility.
• Water Management Techniques: Using methods like drip irrigation and AI-powered tools for optimal irrigation ensures better water use.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Combining biological, mechanical, and chemical control methods reduces reliance on harmful pesticides.
• Conservation Agriculture: Techniques such as no-till farming and mulching help improve soil structure and retain moisture.
• Adopting Climate-Resilient Varieties: Growing drought-tolerant or flood-resistant crop varieties helps mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Mains PYQ:

Q Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India. (UPSC IAS/2014)

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