Sustainability transition for Indian agriculture

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Economics

Background:

• Indian agriculture heavily relies on chemical inputs, posing sustainability challenges.
• Substantial subsidies favor chemical fertilizers over sustainable farming practices.
• Nitrogen use efficiency in Indian farming is suboptimal, necessitating policy reform.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Indian farmers' adoption of biofertilizers and sustainable inputs.
• To analyze factors influencing the shift from chemical to sustainable farming.
• To propose a framework for transitioning Indian agriculture towards sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of farmer propensity to adopt sustainable inputs.
• Examination of current biofertilizer usage patterns.
• Framework development for assessing transition to sustainable inputs.

Main Results:

• Less than 5% of farmers account for 95% of biofertilizer use in India.
• Small and marginal farmers, crucial for food security, favor chemical inputs due to cost.
• Sustainable inputs are perceived as costly by small farmers.

Conclusions:

• A policy shift is needed to promote sustainable inputs and improve affordability.
• State investment is crucial to enhance capacity and accessibility of sustainable farming.
• A framework considering scale, affordability, and input type is essential for sustainable transition.