No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Green Revolution in India: Environmental Degradation and Impact on Livestock
Abstract
The Green Revolution has transformed India to a food grain surplus country from a deficit one. No other activity has such immense impact on the socio-economic development of the people as the Green Revolution. Intensification of agriculture over the years has led to overall degradation of the fragile agro-ecosystem. High cost of production and diminishing economic returns from agricultural practices are affecting the socio-economic condition of farmers. Loss of soil fertility, erosion of soil, soil toxicity, diminishing water resources, pollution of underground water, salinity of underground water, increased incidence of human and livestock diseases and global warming are some of the negative impacts of over adoption of agricultural technologies by the farmers to make the Green Revolution successful. Indiscriminate and disproportionate use of chemicals pollutes the soil, air and water and feed and fodders offered to animals. This may be one of the important etiologies of increased productive and reproductive health problems of livestock.
Various scientific studies and surveys conducted on fertilizer and pesticide residues during last 45 years indicate the presence of residues of fertilizers and pesticides like nitrates, organochlorines, organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates at higher level than permissible limit in milk, dairy products, water, fodder, livestock feeds and other food products. As urea, a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is used much more than the recommended 4-to-1 ratio to potassium; it is contributing to the global warming. The extent of systematic damages caused in the process of Green Revolution to the soil, groundwater, and ecosystem needs to be quantified. It could lead to irreversible consequence to the life of the people who are benefited once if the timely, adequate and sustainable measures are not taken up to mitigate the harm done by the Green Revolution.
... Developing countries in Southeast Asia and India were the first to experience increases in rice production, with China and the rest of Asia experiencing higher growth in the following decades. According to Rahman [18] and Kumar [19], the Green Revolution has brought India from a deficit country to a food surplus. Green Revolution also success in increasing wheat, rice, and corn production and reducing hunger. ...
... The previous studies show that for several decades the implementation of the Green Revolution resulted in a negative impact on environmental sustainability [18,19,24,29]. The environmental damage includes soil erosion, loss of soil organic matter, deforestation, desert formation, overgrazing, groundwater pollution, soil poisoning, reduced water resources, groundwater salinity, increased incidence of human and livestock diseases, global warming, increased greenhouse gases, and severe declines in the population of some wild animals. ...
... Efforts to restore the condition of agricultural resources require a long time and are costly. The primary effort to maintain soil [18] b. Social o Small farmers going into debt, leading to land loss [22] o Increased incidence of human and livestock diseases [19,24] c. ...
... Though, per hectare real value of output increased for most crops in recent years, but the rise in input cost was much higher resulting into reduced farmer's income. Moreover, green revolution technology is now contemplated to be degrading the agro-ecosystem; and dirninishing the economic returns for the farmers (Rahman, 2015) [10] . There is an urgent need to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers and in turn increase in the usage of organics and bio fertilizers which needed to check the yield and quality levels. ...
... Though, per hectare real value of output increased for most crops in recent years, but the rise in input cost was much higher resulting into reduced farmer's income. Moreover, green revolution technology is now contemplated to be degrading the agro-ecosystem; and dirninishing the economic returns for the farmers (Rahman, 2015) [10] . There is an urgent need to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers and in turn increase in the usage of organics and bio fertilizers which needed to check the yield and quality levels. ...
... Consequently, surplus productivity was achieved but it also enhanced use of some unsustainable practices. Monoculture cultivation, loss of genetic diversity, intensive use of fertilizers, diminishing water resources, loss of soil fertility, soil erosion, underground water pollution, various incidence of human and livestock diseases, and global warming are some disadvantages of the innovations used during the Green Revolution (Rahman 2015). High-yielding, dwarf varieties of rice were developed during the Green Revolution. ...
... High-yielding, dwarf varieties of rice were developed during the Green Revolution. Intensive use of fertilizers in the traditional varieties made them prone to lodging (Hirano et al. 2017), and intensive use of underground water made the soil saline (Rahman 2015). Some of the wild relatives of the cultivated rice have physiological traits that can be exploited for the improvement of the rice. ...
Trait is defined as a characteristic measured at an individual organism’s morphological, phenological, physiological, behavioral, or cultural level or another relevant level of organization. Functional trait is any morphological, phenological, and physiological trait that impacts an individual’s fitness via its effect on vegetative biomass, reproductive output, and survival. Plant morphological traits include growth form, plant height, number of branches, length and width of the leaf (leaf surface), leaf number, inflorescence pattern, flower size, flower shape, fruit size, fruit shape, fruit color, number of seeds, seed color, and seed mass. Root traits include root type, rooting depth, root hairs, root branching, association with mycorrhiza, and other microbes. Physiological traits are procedures and functions that help plants acquire nutrients and other resources.
Physiological traits include rate of photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, light saturation point, rate of transpiration, stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, water-use efficiency, and respiration. Phenological traits include different events recorded throughout the year in the plants. Functional traits at the community, population, and individual levels play pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services. For example, leguminous species are essential in fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and affecting the agricultural ecosystems’ functioning and productivity. In sustainable agriculture, crop productivity is increased by utilizing organic farming and other nature-friendly agricultural practices. A trait-based approach in agriculture can lead us to understand better the interactions between species, crop-environment interaction, the impact of agricultural practices and crop domestication on the environment, and trends in crop productivity. In the present chapter, the author tried to reconcile the functional traits in the sustainable agriculture system.
... Per hectare real value of output increased for most of the crops in recent years, but the rise in input cost was much higher (Businessline, 2019), resulting into reduced farm income. Moreover, green revolution technology is now contemplated to be degrading the agroecosystem and diminishing the economic returns for the farmers (Rahman, 2015) [10] . Several studies have shown that chemical fertilizers and pesticides affect soil health by killing millions of microbes present in the soil which are important for sustaining plant life (Jayashree and Vasudevan, 2007) [2] . ...
... Per hectare real value of output increased for most of the crops in recent years, but the rise in input cost was much higher (Businessline, 2019), resulting into reduced farm income. Moreover, green revolution technology is now contemplated to be degrading the agroecosystem and diminishing the economic returns for the farmers (Rahman, 2015) [10] . Several studies have shown that chemical fertilizers and pesticides affect soil health by killing millions of microbes present in the soil which are important for sustaining plant life (Jayashree and Vasudevan, 2007) [2] . ...
The study investigated farmers' perception and extent of adoption of Subhas Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF) in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh with the specific objectives of assessing over all farmers' perception, the determinants of their adoption, constraints in practicing SPNF, cost of cultivation, yield and economics differences and suggestions for sustainable SPNF adoption. The study is based on extensive field survey and interactions with adopted and non-adopted farmers across the Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh during 2019-20. About thirty SPNF practicing farmers from across the clusters identified randomly selected for the purpose. Simultaneously 30 conventional farmers were also selected from the same villages for comparison, thus making the final sample size 60. The data were collected by using well developed schedule by personal interview method. The responses were scored, quantified, categorized and tabulated using mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, frequencies and percentages. Majority of the farmers agreed that, relative advantage over chemical farming (56.67%), SPNF feasible to adopt present day farming situation (53.33%), soil is enriched with SPNF (83.33%), there is increase in micro organisms and earth worms in soil (96.67%), SPNF facilitates natural enemies population (76.67%), quality production is possible (100%) and SPNF is practicing to produce for his own family consumption (76.67%) besides that farmers expressed the difficulties regarding difficult to practice (46.67), purchasing and maintaining traditional cows is difficult (53.33) and they thought that weed management is also difficult (96.67%). Further, farmers also still in doldrums regarding reduces cost of cultivation (76.67), getting more returns (76.67). Majority (63.33%) of the farmers were undecided about getting sustainable yields through SPNF. More than half of the famers disagreed that adoption of SPNF on large scale is possible (55.00%). Almost all the farmers (100%) felt that, weed management is difficult, 96.67% farmers expressed that, intensive labour requirement in SPNF and 100% farmers observed low yields in initial years. Intensive labour requirement was another threat hindering farmers to adopt SPNF on large scale. The cost of cultivation is increased 22.58% in case of SPNF (Rs.47991ha-1) with comparison with conventional farming(Rs.39149 ha-1), might be due to intensive labour involvement. The yields were recorded 4835 kgha-1 in SPNF which is 18.41% lower than conventional farming (5925 kgha-1). The major constraints expressed were non availability of SPNF inputs, lack of information on preparation and use of asthras, intensive labour requirement, weed management and finally low yields in initial years. The farmers who are having animals, irrigation facilities, machinery and undergone more trainings on SPNF, the farmers had gained good knowledge on SPNF, skills in preparation of asthras and overcoming practical difficulties in SPNF and significantly positive relation with extent of adoption of SPNF practices. Hence efforts are needed to facilitate farmers with continuous support through series of trainings on technical knowhow to increase the extent of adoption of SPNF.
... have drastically evolved since then and in light of global challenges such as climate change, population growth and the urgency of ensuring the availability of nutritious and secure food for everybody, the optimisation of sustainable livestock production is more important than ever. Sustainable livestock production means making livestock systems economically more efficient and striking balance between meeting the growing demand of animal-origin products and reducing to the minimum the negative side effects and externalities from the livestock sector (Rahman and Saidur, 2015) [24] . ...
The study is based mainly on primary data collected through socioeconomic survey schedule from nearby villages of Kharar town falling under Municipal Corporation of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) Punjab. Different components of socioeconomic survey include socioeconomic status soil agronomic practices cropping status and soil sampling to achieve the target of qualitative and quantitative data for Crop diversification, economic status and socio-economy of farmers from Punjab. There were various parameters related to cropping pattern, livestock production and other suitable parameters related to Agriculture farming for the livelihood status and economic viability. The study was conducted under Rural Agricultural Work Experience programme by the students of Agriculture from University Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Chandigarh University Gharuan (Mohali) Punjab. In this study more than two hundred farmers were involved with proper questionnaire and thorough interaction of students. Questionnaire contains the information about the Socioeconomic profile, Crop diversity and economic viability of farmers. Socioeconomic profile includes the farmer's family composition, academic qualifications, caste system, income percent , and land holding capacity and other important information, social participation, source of information about agricultural information, extension activities. Proper surveys were conducted in which the interaction was done with the farmers at their houses in the form of interview from the survey conducted it is concluded that the literacy rate of the different villages is about ninety per cent. Nearly forty five per cent (45%) of the village farmers are medium farmers and 30% of the farmer's marginal farmers and other farmers have leased the land for farming. About 90% were present on social media platforms and 10% are not present on social media. Besides that main focus was to identifying problem of the area and their solution. Therefore to sustain agriculture and solve some of the visible problems different campaigns rallies and farmers awareness cum training program were organised by our students in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kurali (GADVASU, Ludhiana) and department of agriculture Punjab by presenting different models various extension activities and providing nourishment at University level. The farmers were addressed for their major crop issues and were made aware about various innovative ideas promoted by Students, KVKs, rural societies and other NGOs. Majority of the farmers are lacking knowledge about latest technologies, rain water harvesting techniques and application of bio-control. Adequate policies prioritization of agricultural components and utmost utilization of resources are prime need.
... In the last six decades, the gradual increase in agricultural chemicals and fertilizers has resulted in various challenges, such as spoiling the environment, human health, and food safety (Rosset et al., 2000;Singh, 2000). In addition, excessive and persistent use of various agricultural chemicals and pesticides results in groundwater contamination with nitrate, a chemical compound that, in large concentrations, is poisonous to humans, animals, and plants (Rahman, 2015). In some areas where the Green Revolution was initiated, agricultural land is becoming infertile for several reasons, including soil erosion and land degradation (Ayala & Rao, 2002;Bala, 2014). ...
The United Nations' agenda for sustainable development includes eliminating global hunger in 2030, which requires a substantial increase in agricultural productivity without demeaning other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, transitioning from conventional agricultural production to sustainable farming requires tremendous attention and priority. Various countries are stimulating farmers to shift from conventional to organic farming, but producers encounter multiple challenges due to their diverse backgrounds. Similarly, most Indian farmers are small and marginal, holding less than two acres of land and facing financial hindrances in managing their daily livelihoods. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and compare the pre-harvesting problems faced by conventional and organic farmers. The study followed a mixed-methoddesign using a QUAN-QUAL sequence. In the first phase, qualitative data were collected from farmers through various focus group discussionsto identify the pre-harvesting challenges. In the next phase, a questionnaire was developed, and data were collected from conventional and organic farmers. This study applied correlation to analyze the relationship and two sample-independent t-tests to examine mean differences. In addition, logistic regression was tested to explore the likelihood effect of pre-harvesting challenges in adopting organic farming. The primary results revealed that organic farming farmers were more educated than conventional farmers; however, organic farmers were younger. The descriptive statistics indicate that the availability of quality seeds, on-time labor, and problems in managing working capital were more challenging for farmers. Further, the working capital issue, dependent on monsoons for irrigation and agricultural implements, was a more intense challenge for conventional farmers than organic farmers. In contrast, the availability of quality seeds, soil testing before harvest, and lack of training appear to be substantial issues for organic producers. Encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable farming, aligned with SD Goals, requires attention from government and non-government organizations at various levels, from pre-harvesting issues to marketing their crops with price premiums. Training provided to farmers, subsidies for agricultural equipment, proper irrigation systems, and easy accessibility of agri-loans for managing working capital will help farmers adopt organic farming practices. Massive awareness programs to create demand for organic crops in the domestic market and an effort to link with exports will be a win-win strategy for the producer and government; as a result, steps towards attaining sustainable development goals can be executed.
... The Green revolution altogether expanded food creation in non-industrial nations yet had serious natural results. It prompted soil corruption, groundwater consumption, and expanded pesticide use, influencing human and domesticated animals' well-being (Bhushan, 2017;Rahman, 2015). ...
Purpose: Organic farming in Fiji represents a sustainable approach to agriculture that aligns with the nation's rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and commitment to environmental conservation. This study examines the potential of organic farming to enhance soil health, reduce dependence on chemical inputs, and promote ecological balance. By integrating traditional Fijian agricultural practices with modern organic techniques, farmers can increase crop yields while preserving natural resources. Methodology: The research reviews the current status of organic farming in Fiji, key challenges, the importance of organic farming in Fiji, and future potential for capacity-building among local farmers. It also identifies opportunities, such as the growing global demand for organic products and Fiji's strategic position within the Pacific region. Organic farming in the Fiji Islands offers a sustainable approach to agriculture that aligns with the nation's ecological and cultural context. Findings: The findings of the review highlights that organic farming hold significant value to sustainability and production of safer food. The purpose of the review is to explore the current state of organic farming practices in Fiji. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This review contributed to policy formulations and, methods of adoption of organic principles, and their impact on environmental health, food security, and rural livelihoods. The literature also contributes that a transition to organic farming can support Fiji's goals of achieving food security, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability and the practice of traditional agricultural methods to contribute towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by relooking at agricultural practices and policies in place by stakeholders in Fiji Islands.
... The global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 (Ehrlich and Harte, 2015), while arable land decreases due to industrial growth (Macik et al., 2020). Excessive use of chemical fertilizers to boost yields depletes soil nutrients and harms microorganisms (Rahman, 2015), where the environmental balance is liable, as the worldwide utilization of agrochemicals cut across the acceptable level where India ranks as the fourth largest producer of agrochemicals globally (Jayakumar et al., 2023). This overuse also damages soil fertility (Yadav, 2019) and may not improve crop yields (Sengupta and Banerjee, 2012). ...
With an increasing population and the food security is at risk, there is decreased crop productivity as soil fertility status is declining. As, the present experiment was conducted in view of understanding the better nutrient acquisition of plants in the presence of biofertilizers on the growth, yield and quality parameters of onion under randomized block design with three replications and ten treatments in order to optimize nutrient uptake for improved agricultural productivity and sustainability, providing valuable insights for more efficient farming practices. The results revealed that the growth parameters such as maximum plant height (72.68cm) and leaf length (63.07 cm) were recorded with the treatment T2 (100% RDF); number of leaves (10.13) was recorded with treatment T6 (100% RDF + Bacillus); leaf width (17 mm) and neck length (9.78 cm) were recorded with treatment T5 (100% RDF + Pseudomonas); yield parameters such as plant fresh weight (189.33g) was recorded with treatment T5 (100% RDF + Pseudomonas); bulb weight at harvest (170.46g) and yield/m2 (3.78 kg/m2) was recorded maximum with treatment T6 (100% RDF + Bacillus). The quality parameters such as ascorbic acid (14.67 mg/100g) and dry matter % (20.32) were also recorded maximum for treatment T6 (100% RDF + Bacillus). As a result, it can be concluded that the combination of 100% RDF + Bacillus is best as compared to other treatments as it projected highest B:C ratio (2.98) in view of onion production.
... In India, high-yielding crops, irrigation, and fertilizers skyrocketed food production from 50 million tons to over 250 million tons in 50 years (Bala 2010). However, such progress came at the cost of land and environmental degradation (Rahman 2015). These unsustainable practices include monoculture farming, excessive groundwater extraction, soil degradation, chemical pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, deforestation, inefficient water management, and unresolved land tenure issues. ...
Land is an essential entity to human well-being, similar to air and water, yet its capacity is finite. Both natural and human activities are degrading land, and it demands scientific management to fulfil the needs of present and future populations. The quality of life is affected by land degradation, and the growing demands due to the ever-increasing human population make land degradation neutrality (LDN) increasingly critical. Setting and achieving LDN targets are essential for all of us at the national as well as global levels; however, it is immensely difficult for anyone. This chapter provides a comprehensive understanding of the significance of land and its sustainable management for food security and essential services that affect community livelihoods. The chapter also discusses the drivers of land degradation and the repercussions of land degradation. A compilation of global initiatives, land resource databases, information portals and products, and best practices for sustainable land management (SLM) practices and LDN has also been presented in this opening chapter. As a complete collection of SLM principles and advancements, this chapter addresses present issues and possible prospects through different chapters covering a range of issues, tools and techniques, knowledge resources, and other valuable information for the purpose of learning and dealing with land degradation, SLM, and LDN.
... These systems involved the development of food production technologies using high-yielding crop varieties and the supply of agrochemical inputs, such as fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides [7]. While this approach led to a rapid increase in agricultural yields [15], it also caused a series of environmental problems, such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, depletion and contamination of water resources, and soil erosion, mainly in Asian regions [16][17][18] and Latin America [19][20][21]. ...
Eco-efficiency has emerged to reduce environmental impacts and improve competitiveness in various industries, including agriculture. However, the application of eco-efficiency in agroforestry, incorporating social variables, is a relatively recent development. This study conducted a review of the scientific literature on eco-efficiency to address key questions. The analysis utilized the Web of Science Core Collection database, focusing on categories such as sustainable eco-efficiency, agricultural eco-efficiency, forestry eco-efficiency, and socio-eco-efficiency. The objective of this work is to offer a bibliometric analysis on socio-eco-efficiency in agroforestry production systems. The results revealed three stages in eco-efficiency research: an initial stage with low publication numbers, a second stage marked by significant growth and a focus on sustainable development, and a third stage characterized by rapid growth and increasing interest. In the field of agricultural eco-efficiency, there has been a recent increase in publications, reflecting the growing importance of agriculture in eco-efficiency analyses. China emerged as the leading country in terms of scientific advancements in eco-efficiency. The study also identified key research areas and institutions contributing to the literature on agricultural eco-efficiency. Overall, the findings highlight the expanding interest and future potential of socio-eco-efficiency in agroforestry research.
... On average, about 50 % of yield increase has been reported with the application of chemical fertilizers in crop production [3]. But the negative impact of these intensive practices in agriculture is now becoming much more visible as crop lands are losing fertility [4]. Climate change is also playing a crucial role and making the situation much worse [5]. ...
... What has been labelled the "Green Revolution," a move toward technology-intensive industrial agriculture, involved a process of marked deviations from the traditional nature-based procedures that prevailed in India before. Despite its success of improved yield and reducing the dependence on foodgrain imports, this input-intensive and agrochemical-based agriculture has created negative externalities by breaking earlier social contracts with nature (Pimentel and Pimentel 1990;Rahman 2015). Focused mainly on a "shortsighted" objective of enhancing yield, this modern agricultural technology "paid little or no attention" to its impacts on the environment (Baum and Pimentel 1987). ...
The potential of Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in the agricultural sector lies in designing people-centric and planet-sensitive approaches that recognize the multifunctional nature of agriculture in producing not only commodities, but also non-commodity outputs such as environmental services, landscape amenities and cultural heritage, and social services. Applying SSE approaches in agriculture is considered a response to intensive farming, which deviates significantly from the traditional nature-based social contract. In this context, an intervention of social enterprises in shaping eco-social agriculture can enable smallholders to restore their earlier contracts with nature. This study contributes to the existing literature by addressing a lack of empirical research on social farming experiences in the global South and the role of social enterprises in facilitating eco-social agricultural initiatives. This study presents empirical research on the role of ONganic Foods-a social enterprise that has developed a strong relationship with smallholder organic producer groups in the Nadia district of West Bengal-in supporting eco-social agriculture. A progressive alliance between the local organic smallholder group, ONganic and the state supported the integration of local smallholders in eco-social transformation processes. The evidence presented in the paper shows that eco-social agriculture can contribute to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. ii
... High cost of production and diminishing economic returns from agricultural practices are affecting the socio-economic condition of the farmers. Loss of soil fertility, erosion of soil, soil toxicity, diminishing water resources, pollution of underground water, salinity of underground water, increased incidence of human and livestock diseases, and the risk of food toxicity enhances with indiscriminate and disproportionate use of Agro-chemicals (Rahman, 2015). ...
... Due to increasing human and livestock population, the demand for food and fodder is increasing, thus the crops are presently grown under intensive system of cultivation. But, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in this intensive agriculture practices led to soil toxicity, diminishing water resources, soil salinity, loss of soil fertility, global warming and increased incidence of human and livestock diseases (Rahman 2015). The use of high levels of chemical fertilizers on grasslands has enormous adverse effects on animal health and creates fertility problems e.g. ...
An experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom to generate precise information about different jeevamrit formulation and their spraying interval on forage quality of fodder sorghum during summer season of 2022. The treatments consisted of three jeevamrit formulations viz. jeevamrit-1 (5 kg cow dung + 2.5 litre cow urine), jeevamrit-2 (10 kg cow dung + 5 litre cow urine) and jeevamrit-3 (15 kg cow dung + 7.5 litre cow urine); and three spraying intervals viz. spraying at every one week's interval, spraying at every two week's interval and spraying at every three week's interval. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-3 and among the different spraying intervals, spraying at every one week's interval recorded maximum total dry matter yield, crude protein, ether extract, TDN content, dry matter intake, relative feed quality, net energy for lactation, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in forage sorghum. However, among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-2 and jeevamrit-3; and among the different spraying intervals, spraying of jeevamirt at every one week and every two week's interval recorded at par values of all the nutritive parameters in fodder sorghum.
... The use of agricultural technologies has led to an increase in the incidence of human and livestock diseases. The use of antibiotics to treat livestock has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Rahman, 2015). use of mining and psychological techniques to comprehend and address environmental issues. ...
This paper delves into the intricate relationship between human beings and Earth's ecosystems, emphasising their mutualistic reliance on survival. However, contemporary challenges, characterised by excessive resource exploitation and the rise of hyper technologized environments, have resulted in a significant disconnect between humans and nature. This disconnection has precipitated various psychological issues and severed vital bonds between individuals, obstructing adherence to fundamental humanistic principles. Focusing on Anil Menon's book, The Beast with Nine Billion Feet, this paper operates within the framework of eco-psychology, utilising Richard Louv's concept of Nature Deficit Disorder to investigate the widening chasm between humans and nature. Ethical dilemmas, especially concerning the impact of AI and synthetic life forms, have also been explored in this context. The research objective was to unravel the unintended eco-psychological consequences resulting from excessive resource exploitation and an overemphasis on artificial environments. Employing a narrative method, this paper analyses plots, characters, and situations to illustrate this eco-psychological crisis. The main findings underscore Menon's portrayal of characters, showcasing innate human instinct to forge a profound connection with nature. Those residing in proximity to nature lead fulfilling lives, whereas individuals isolated from the environment exhibit varying degrees of Nature Deficit Disorder, compelling them to seek solace in nature.
... As a science, movement, and practice (Wezel et al., 2009), agroecology responds to the Green Revolution (Holt-Giménez and Altieri, 2013), which has resulted in the high use of synthetic inputs and ecological degradation globally (Rahman, 2015;Bala, 2018). Altieri (1995) gave the basic scientific definition of agroecology: "to apply ecological methods to study, design and manage sustainable agriculture." ...
Smallholder farmers have practiced sustainable agriculture for thousands of years in China. Numerous smallholder farming systems remain, but most have shifted to industrial production. There is growing interest in agroecological transitions for smallholder farmers, but more attention needs to be paid to the challenges that may be encountered in the process. We conducted qualitative research in Sanliwan village in Shanxi Province because it represents the general dilemma facing smallholder farmers in China, and we compared our findings to those obtained in Sanggang village in Hebei Province because of its successful bottom-up experience in transitioning to agroecology. We found 4 challenges in the transition to agroecology in Sanliwan village: environmental degradation, the lack of direct markets, the need for more technical extension in agroecology, and farmer atomization. Bottom-up strategies for overcoming these challenges were identified in the case of Sanggang village. Notably, in the agroecological transition, the organization of smallholder farmers was a critical first step. From that point, smallholder farmers integrated internal resources and utilized external resources more efficiently to enhance environmental stewardship, improved technical extension in agroecology, and developed new markets. More research is needed to understand how top-down strategies can respond to such challenges and opportunities identified for bottom-up agroecological transitions.
... Due to the green revolution's methods, an increase in population and the extension of lands brought on by deforestation, scope of agriculture sector has increased threefold during the last several decades (Conway, 2019). Further, the "Green revolution" caused a significant increase in agricultural productivity in India from the 1960s through the 1980s and making it number one sector in terms of economy (Rahman, 2015). Following the "green revolution," chemical fertilizers were used more often and India's agricultural output became selfsufficient. ...
Agricultural land per unit area is needed to provide the best food quantity
in order to fulfill the world's increasing food demand. It is well acknowledged
that one of the most significant variables influencing agricultural output and
quality is plant nutrition. Chemical fertilizers provide most of the minerals to
the plants in available form and in quickest way after being applied. However,
degradation of these fertilizers is said to be caused by the pollution-related
decline in soil fertility over time. Moreover, the widespread use of artificial
fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has killed beneficial microbes and
reduced crops' natural resilience to disease. In order to solve this issue, there is a
dire need to adopt some alternatives which are environment friendly and
ultimately leads to sustainable production. Vermicompost and its products are
important alternatives which may not only boost crop development and
production, but also reduce diseases and pests sustainably. With its high
nutritional content, plant growth stimulators like auxins, gibberellins and
cytokinins, as well as beneficial bacteria, vermicompost not only increases crop growth and yield but also improves soil physico-chemical properties. This
chapter is mainly focused on the harmful impacts of chemical fertilizers on soil,
process of vermicompost and its nutritional composition along with the facts
that determine vermicompost is the best suitable option for the fertilizers in
terms of improving soil fertility and plant growth.
... Though, per hectare real value of output increased for most of the crops in recent years, but the rise in input cost was much higher, resulting into reduced farm income. Moreover, green revolution technology is now contemplated to be degrading the agro-ecosystem and diminishing the economic returns for the farmers (Rahman, 2015). Several studies showed that chemical fertilizers and pesticides affect soil health by killing millions of microbes present in the soil which are important for sustaining plant life (Zafar et al., 2001). ...
The present experiment was carried out to study the effect of natural and conventional farming practices in middle Gujarat. The study covered 60 farmers practicing cow based natural farming (CBNF) and 60 non-CBNF farmers or practicing conventional farming from Ahmedabad, Kheda and Vadodara districts. Required primary data were collected for the agricultural year 2019-20 rabi
season of wheat. The results showed that cost of cultivation was less in CBNF as compared to non-CBNF. The non-CBNF resulted in higher yield and net returns as compared to CBNF. The low cost in CBNF resulted in the higher B:C as compared to non-CBNF in spite of the low gross income and yield. In wheat crop of CBNF system, MVP:MFC was found more than one for all input variables indicating under-utilization of these inputs hence there was substantial scope for increasing the production of wheat. While, in non-CBNF system, the MVP:MFC for human labour, tractor charge, irrigation and pesticides was less than one indicating overutilization of these inputs which could be reduced to get more profit.
... Due to increasing human and livestock population, the demand for food and fodder is increasing, thus the crops are presently grown under intensive system of cultivation. But, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in this intensive agriculture practices led to soil toxicity, diminishing water resources, soil salinity, loss of soil fertility, global warming and increased incidence of human and livestock diseases (Rahman 2015). The use of high levels of chemical fertilizers on grasslands has enormous adverse effects on animal health and creates fertility problems e.g. ...
An experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom to generate precise information about different jeevamrit formulation and their spraying interval on forage quality of fodder sorghum during summer season of 2022. The treatments consisted of three jeevamrit formulations viz. jeevamrit-1 (5 kg cow dung + 2.5 litre cow urine), jeevamrit-2 (10 kg cow dung + 5 litre cow urine) and jeevamrit-3 (15 kg cow dung + 7.5 litre cow urine); and three spraying intervals viz. spraying at every one week’s interval, spraying at every two week’s interval and spraying at every three week’s interval. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-3and among the different spraying intervals, spraying at every one week’s interval recorded maximum total dry matter yield, crude protein, ether extract, TDN content, dry matter intake, relative feed quality, net energy for lactation, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in forage sorghum. However, among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-2 and jeevamrit-3; and among the different spraying intervals, spraying of jeevamirt at every one week and every two week’s interval recorded at par values of all the nutritive parameters in fodder sorghum.
... Due to increasing human and livestock population, the demand for food and fodder is increasing, thus the crops are presently grown under intensive system of cultivation. But, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in this intensive agriculture practices led to soil toxicity, diminishing water resources, soil salinity, loss of soil fertility, global warming and increased incidence of human and livestock diseases (Rahman 2015). The use of high levels of chemical fertilizers on grasslands has enormous adverse effects on animal health and creates fertility problems e.g. ...
An experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom to generate precise information about different jeevamrit formulation and their spraying interval on forage quality of fodder sorghum during summer season of 2022. The treatments consisted of three jeevamrit formulations viz. jeevamrit-1 (5 kg cow dung + 2.5 litre cow urine), jeevamrit-2 (10 kg cow dung + 5 litre cow urine) and jeevamrit-3 (15 kg cow dung + 7.5 litre cow urine); and three spraying intervals viz. spraying at every one week’s interval, spraying at every two week’s interval and spraying at every three week’s interval. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-3and among the different spraying intervals, spraying at every one week’s interval recorded maximum total dry matter yield, crude protein, ether extract, TDN content, dry matter intake, relative feed quality, net energy for lactation, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in forage sorghum. However, among the different jeevamrit formulations, jeevamrit-2 and jeevamrit-3; and among the different spraying intervals, spraying of jeevamirt at every one week and every two week’s interval recorded at par values of all the nutritive parameters in fodder sorghum.
... The Green Revolution played a crucial role in transforming India from a food-deficit nation to a major agricultural producer (John & Babu, 2021). But the intensification of agriculture through the Green Revolution cost heavily the cause of many environmental problems like loss of soil fertility, erosion, soil toxicity, depletion of water supplies, contamination of underground water, the salinity of underground water, an increase in human and livestock diseases, and global warming (Rahman and Saloya 2015). Organic farming has been chosen by scientists, farmers, and the government as a solution to these problems. ...
Organic farming has emerged as a critical approach in promoting sustainable
development and addressing the environmental, economic, and social challenges
faced by the agricultural sector. With a focus on biodiversity conservation, soil health improvement, and reduced chemical inputs, organic farming embodies a
holistic and ecologically friendly approach to food production. Organic farming plays a vital role in sustainable development by protecting the environment, improving soil health, mitigating climate change, enhancing human health, creating economic opportunities, and contributing to food security and resilience. Its holistic and ecologically friendly approach makes it an essential component of strategies aimed at achieving a sustainable future for both agricultural systems and the
broader society. Organic farming represents a fundamental shift towards a more sustainable and ecologically responsible approach to agriculture. By prioritizing biodiversity conservation, soil health improvement, and reduced chemical inputs, organic farming offers a promising pathway towards achieving sustainable
development goals. The book includes the idea of different academicians, researchers, and policymakers to deliberate on this theme of utmost importance and suggest appropriate policy solutions
... The green revolution has transformed India into a food grain surplus country from a deficit one due to intensive cultivation and enhanced use of agrochemicals [1]. On the other hand, the intensification of agricultural production systems has led to a decline in soil quality due to nutrient depletion [2], acidification, nutrient mining, and loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) [3]. ...
A study was carried out to examine the effects of different potassium fertilizer sources on growth,
fodder yield and quality at the Research Farm, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University,
Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was conducted under semi-arid climatic conditions in a
simple Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments (control, 100% NP, 100%
recommended dose of potassium (RDK) through MOP, 100% RDK through SOP, 100% RDK
through POLY4, 75% RDK+ 1% RDK foliar spray (30 days after sowing and 30 days after fodder
harvest) through POLY4, 100% RDK through schoenite and 75% RDK+ 1% RDK foliar spray (30
days after sowing and 30 days after fodder harvest) through schoenite, 75% RDK through MOP +
KSB (potassium solubilizer bacteria, Seed treatment), KSB alone (Seed treatment) and three
replications. Results showed that application of 75% RDK+ 1% RDK foliar spray (30 days after
sowing and 30 days after fodder harvest) through POLY4 recorded the significantly highest growth
and yield contributing parameters, which is beneficially resulted in increased green fodder yield
(159%) as compared to control. However, it was at par with the application 75% RDK+ 1% RDK
foliar spray (30 days after sowing and 30 days after fodder harvest) through schoenite. The fodder
quality parameters viz. CP, ADF, and NDF were also remarkably improved with the application of
75% RDK+1% RDK foliar spray (30 days after sowing and 30 days after fodder harvest) through
POLY4 in oat crop. The results imply that farmers may apply 75% RDK+1% RDK foliar spray
through POLY4 to achieve good quality higher green fodder in sandy clay loam soil for oat
production
... Wheat productivity has grown from 887.50 kg/ha in 1966-67 to 3177.10 kg/ha in 2011-12 (Mallapur, 2017). However, productivity growth has decreased considerably over the last decade (Rahman, 2015). ...
When assessing farmers' predispositions and developing a strategy for extension work in the region, the attitude of farmers toward conservation agriculture is a crucial consideration. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument for assessing farmers' attitudes toward conservation agriculture. The scale product method is used to construct the scale. It is a hybrid of the Likert and Thurstone techniques. The study was conducted in March 2022. On a 5-point scale, 65 judges evaluated 25 statements. Finally, 18 statements including 14 positive statements and 4 negative statements were chosen to build a scale that would assess the attitude of farmers towards conservation agriculture. The scale was found reliable, with the reliability coefficient (r) (Guttman split-half Coefficient and Spearman-Brown Coefficient Equal Length) determined to be 0.917. The scale's validity was evaluated using expert judgement. Employing the scale in research will aid in knowing farmers' attitudes about conservation agriculture.
... For example, it is widely recognized that Green Revolution increased agricultural production, productivity and improved food security in many regions of the world (Mooney, 1987;Pinstrup-Andersen and Hazell, 1985), but it failed to end hunger in many Sub Saharan African and Asian countries (Mooney, 1987). Besides it, Green Revolution have originated social exclusion, genetic erosion, soil and water contamination, pollution of underground water, human and livestock diseases and global warming (Saidur, 2015). ...
This study analyses the factors affecting farmers’ participation in agricultural research and rural extension programs in Sussundenga district-Mozambique. We applied a questionnaire to 140 maize producers and to 18 technicians (extension agents and agricultural researchers). Fieldwork was carried out in February and March, 2018. Logit binary regression, descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The results appoint that farmers' participation is considered weak, discontinuous and low. Farmers' participation is affected by the practice of off-farm activities, membership of farmers’ associations, number of technological demands and the maize production purpose. Nevertheless, the institutional context interferes with farmers' willingness to participate in research and extension programs. This article brings significant contributions to the literature that discusses farmers' participation in rural development programs. In addition to farmers' characteristics, the institutions context affects farmers' participation in the activities developed by these organizations. The promotion of farmers' participation should be thought taking into consideration that farmers are involved in several activities. Furthermore, the organizations need to offer technologies and services that help farmers finding solutions to the problems that they face.
... Reduction in coverage area along with economic factors has adversely affected the ecology, which in turn has impacted health and environment. [1] Adoption of eco-friendly practices for sustainable agriculture is therefore the way ahead. Realization of the deterioration of soil health and damage caused to the beneficial soil microbial communities by decades of inorganic farming which has eventually led to a demand for organic practices in recent years. ...
Background:
An ancient text on plant life Vrikshayurveda mentions the use of horticulture treatments, Kunapa Jala (KJ) and Panchagavya (PG) (cow milk, cow ghee, cow curd, cow dung, and cow urine) to enhance the efficiency of plants.
Aim:
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of KJ and PG application on total leaf area, leaf area index (LAI) leaf area duration (LAD), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR); production of andrographolide (A1), neoandrographolide (A2), and 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (A3) of the Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees.
Materials and methods:
The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with six treatments, namely control, KJ, PG, farmyard manure, inorganic fertilizer, and humic acid. Simultaneous detection of contents was carried out using reversed-phase-ultra-flow liquid chromatography (RP-UFLC). The parameters were studied at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after sowing (DAS).
Results:
KJ produced higher leaf area and LAI at 90 DAS, LAD between 90 and 120 DAS. PG produced higher CGR, RGR, and NAR between 60 and 90 DAS. RP-UFLC analysis revealed the maximum amount of ingredients at 120 DAS. At this stage, PG treatment recorded the maximum amount of A1, A2, and A3.
Conclusion:
Kunapa Jala and Panchagavya treatments were better or at par on physiological parameters and production of diterpenoids of A. paniculata.
... Green Revolution (GR) with the introduction of high yielding varieties and advancement of technology in agriculture able to transform India from food scarce country to food sufficient country by 1990s. But soon the ill effects of modern agriculture has realised on soil, environment as well as on human health resulting in stagnating/declining crop productivity (Rahman, 2015) [9] . Chemical fertilizers and pesticides affects soil health by killing millions of microbes present in soil which are important for sustaining crop yield (Jayashree and Vasudevan, 2007) [6] . ...
Abstract
Green Revolution (GR) with the introduction of high yielding varieties and advancement of technology in agriculture able to transform India from food scarce country to food sufficient country by 1990s. But soon the ill effects of modern agriculture has realised on soil, environment as well as on human health resulting in stagnating/declining crop productivity (Rahman, 2015) [9]
. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides
affects soil health by killing millions of microbes present in soil which are important for sustaining crop
yield (Jayashree and Vasudevan, 2007) [6]. The intensive agricultural practices accompanied with
indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and plant growth regulators increases the cost of production and lower the profitability of farming. Moreover, the uncertain market conditions and climate change effects makes agriculture an unremunerative occupation to the small and marginal farmers of Assam. Under such condition, the phenomenon of natural Farming is the only solution to nurture the land and regenerate the soil by going back to our traditional methods of farming with the four pillars of Zero
Budget Natural farming (ZBNF) i.e. Jeevamrit, Beejamrit, Acchadana or Mulching and Whapasa
(Khadse et al. 2018) [7] This is a possible step for sustainable growth of agriculture to produce nutritious
food in sufficient quantity with ecosystem sustainability.
... Significant social and economic developments occurring in India and other Southern Asian countries in the past half century may be credited to the Green Revolution (GR), which has transferred these countries from food-grain deficits to surpluses and sustained rapid population growth 1,2 . Great success notwithstanding, negative effects of the GR on the ecological environment have also drawn increasing attention during the past two decades [3][4][5] . These side effects manifest mostly as environmental degradation consequent to intensive cultivation, such as deforestation from conversion to cropland, soil degradation, and salinization 4,6 . ...
The Green Revolution (GR) enhances crop yields significantly that contributes greatly to the social and economic development of many less developed countries. However, the increasing crop yields might rise crop residue biomass burning, leading to adverse environmental and health consequences. We assess the impact of crop residue burning associated with the GR-induced growing crop yields on benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) pollution, a congener of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with strong carcinogenicity. We find a significant increasing trend of BaP emission and contamination from crop residue biomass burning from the mid-1960s to 2010s in India, coinciding with the growing crop yields occurring during the GR. Our results reveal that agricultural BaP emission driven lifetime lung cancer risk (ILCR) in India increased 2.6 times from the onset of GR in the mid-1960s to 2014 and the 57% population in India was exposed to the BaP level higher than the India national standard (1 ng m−3). We show that the reduction of open crop residue burning during the rice and wheat residue burning period would be a very effective measure to reduce BaP environmental contamination and health risk.
... However, the increased food production during the Green Revolution ( e.g., by applying nitrogen fertilizers) was at the expense of environmental degradation. It has caused severe degradation of land and water resources, soil pollution, and high levels of GHG emissions ( Rahman, 2015). To address these challenges, research on nitrogen fertilizer management focused more on nutrient stewardship principles that entail right rate, right time, right methods, and right source ( 4R) of nutrient application ( IFA, 2009). ...
... This led to a deterioration of the animal health and to high levels of pesticide residues in milk [22]. Another example is the increasing environmental concerns on the widespread use of insecticides against tsetse flies, vectors of trypanosomes, the causal agents of nagana or animal trypanosomiasis, the economically most important disease of livestock in Africa, which has motivated research into environmentally more friendly control strategies [23]. ...
One Health (OH) has gained considerable prominence since the beginning of the 21st century, among others, driven by the recent epidemics and the increasing importance of zoonotic diseases. Yet despite the holistic and multidimensional nature of OH, to date most emphasis has been on the interactions between animal and human health, with considerably less attention to environmental and plant health. However, there is growing evidence that the challenges of climate change, growing food and nutritional insecurity, and biodiversity loss can best be addressed within the context of the OH framework. Conceptionally Integrated Pest Management (IPM) could perfectly fit into such an approach, but historically IPM has been practiced very much in a compartmentalised manner. New approaches like Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Intensification offer solutions to how to successfully embed IPM into a OH framework.
... Green revolution solves the problem of food insufficiency but, did not emphasize sustainability in crop production, the only adaptation of cereal-based cropping system without the inclusion of legumes crop which, leads emerge several issues related to environment and soil ecosystem, biodiversity (Bajiya et al., 2017). The notable adverse effects are soil degradation, soil salinity, degrade soil health, depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool, decrease in crop productivity, stagnation of yield, shifting of weed flora, contamination of groundwater, change in cropping pattern, the resurgence in pest due to excess use plant protection chemical, over mining of nutrients which advances food and nutritional insecurity (Datta and De Jong, 2002;Meena, 2013;Rahman, 2015). In this context, legumes play a foremost important in alleviating environment-related challenges. ...
Food and nutritional security, environmental sustainability, mitigating climatic vulnerability, shifting of weed flora, weed developed resistance against the herbicide, high capital investment through manual weed management, and increasing the requirement for energy input in the agriculture sector are the major issues in crop production in the coming years. It is no doubt that the introduction of herbicide in the agriculture sector increases the income of farmers, which boost the economy of the nation, but its improper uses create several problems. The consumption of herbicide in the world during 2018 was 1.30Mt. The excess uses of herbicide in agriculture pose several consequences such as environmental pollution, increasing demand for energy in the industrial sector, increase resistance in different weed species, appearing novel weed flora in the cropping system, and incurred higher cost of cultivation in crop production. Sustainable food production is one of the important tools in maintaining ecological balance and soil health. In this circumstance, integrating legumes into cropping systems provides several ecosystem services which fulfill the objectives of ecological weed management. Sustainable intensification is fulfilling the demand for food and ensuring nutritional security in a sustainable manner while maintaining biodiversity and providing many ecosystem services. In a cropping system or single crop production weeds are poses a serious loss by reducing crop growth, yield, quality, depletes fertility status of soil, and act as an alternate host for several insects, pest, and diseases. The yields reduction in direct-seeded rice due to weeds was reported up to 90%. Globally, more than US 25 billion annually across the globe. Therefore, to tackle such issues of weed the integration of legumes in the different crop production systems as cover crop, relay crop, green manure crop, brown manuring crop play a key role in providing many ecosystem services such as suppressing weed species by smothering or by allelopathy effect, break the life cycle of disease and pest, increasing carbon (C) and N pool in soil, enhancing soil organic matter content, enhance soil health by improving physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. In intercropping system, legumes have better suppression on weed flora by reducing their density and biomass. Further, legumes fulfill the requirement of N of the component crop. Legumes in the crop rotation system break the infestation of frequently occurrence weeds due to its allelopathic effects or smothering effects on the weed seed bank. Based on the diverse benefits of legumes, it is ensured that legumes either in the cropping system or alone as crop residue plays a key role in driving sustainable intensification.
... Enormous use of chemical inputs led to decrease in production efficiency of natural resources with the signs of new problems like degradation and pollution [1]. The irrigated lands got exhausted due to the intensive agricultural practices whereas, the dry lands were not utilised up to the mark due to the prevailing extensive agricultural practices. ...
The scale was developed to measure the performance level of extension personnel in promoting sustainable dry farming in central dry zone of Karnataka. Dry farming areas are the areas which receives an annual rainfall of 750 mm or less than that and there is no irrigation facility for raising crops. Dry farming is the scientific management of soil and crops under dry lands without irrigation. In total 38 statements were framed in scale with review of literature, experts' suggestion and the role & responsibilities prescribed by State Department of Agriculture, Karnataka to their staff. The edited statements in form of questionnaires were sent to 109 judges to rate the relevancy of statements with the help of online platform 'Google Forms'. Out of 109, 21 completely filled questionnaires were received in the span of 3 months with many reminders through mail and phone calls. In total 20 statements were selected out of 38 which were having mean relevancy score more than 4.00 and relevancy percentage more than 80. Then t-test has been administered for item analysis and all the 20 selected statements were found to have t-value more than the standard value i.e., 1.75 and hence all 20 statements were retained to the final scale. The r-value was found to be 0.78 and hence the scale was found to be reliable and valid to use in future for the similar investigations.
... After independence, the challenge was to feed our growing population and the chemo-centric technological advancement during green revolution period boosted the production potential and provided food security to the nation (Swami 2020). The success of intensive agriculture and green revolution in recent decades has often masked significant externalities by affecting natural resources and human health (Rahman 2015). Nowadays emerging realization about conservation of natural resources as well as detrimental effects associated with the use of agrochemicals has shifted attention in alternate forms of agriculture in the world. ...
The organic manures contain large proportion of organic matter, small quantities of plant nutrients and play pivotal role in improving the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The use of FYM and compost in agriculture is an age old practice to improve crop productivity. The inoculations of microorganisms in soil are also beneficial for maintaining soil health though decomposition of organic matter, N fixation, solubilization/mineralization, production of antibiotics and plant growth regulators etc. In the paper, the roles of vermicompost, FYM and biofertilizers on crop productivity and soil health have been discussed in detail. The bioxidation and stabilization of organic material by using earthworms and mesophilic microorganisms is known as vermicomposting. The vermicompost applications in soil stimulate soil microbial activity and mineralization processes. The application of FYM and vermicompost boost the activities of beneficial soil microorganisms and improve the supply of mineral nutrients, soil structure, water retention capability and enzymatic activities. Seed or soil inoculated biofertilizers promotes the nutrient cycling and improves crop productivity with two ways i.e. direct - N fixation, solubilization of nutrients production of phytohormones, indirect – development of resistance in plant against the stress and diseases and heavy metals bioremediation. The use of manures along with biofertilizers in farming ensures the improvement in soil biodiversity and food safety for human consumption. The use of manures in agriculture is essential for sustainable production systems and to keep the soil alive and healthy.
... Despite the prominent role played by the green revolution in empowering the nation, it did have its share of drawbacks which raises questions on its sustainability in the backdrop of Economic viability (Rahman, S.,2015). Some of the prominent issues are highlighted below: ...
India is predominantly an agricultural nation. Agriculture is the source of livelihood security for majority of the rural population. Indian agriculture has witnessed several transformations since the beginning of planned economic development. These technological shifts have induced our farmers to adopt new technologies which are not native to our system. Majority of these technologies are imported or indigenously developed on imported ideas. Although these new technologies did help in transforming food deficit nation into food surplus nation, it seems like Green Revolution has run its course. Our paper is a descriptive attempt to trace the development of Indian agriculture along with identifying inherent structural problems it has. The final objective of the paper is not necessarily to give wholistic solutions to the problems but to discuss the issues at hand in hope of creating a conducive environment in academia for finding better solution.
... In the recent past, high cost of agricultural inputs and diminishing economic returns have adversely affected the socio-economic conditions of Indian Farmers. Loss of long-term soil fertility, soil erosion, diminishing water resources, soil and water pollution, salinized ground water, higher incidences of human, plant and animal diseases and increased global warming are the major adverse impacts of over exploitation of agricultural technologies adopted during Green Revolution (Rahman, 2015). ...
With the adverse impacts of intensive green revolution on Indian agriculture, recently the farmers have shown their interest towards the organic and natural farming production systems. Organic concoctions like Jeevamrit / Jeevamrutha which is a microbial culture prepared from the on-farm inputs like cow dung, urine, jiggery and pulse flour has been found a suitable formulation in natural farming to meet the nutritional demands of the crops. Jeevamrit is a traditional fermented liquid organic concoction commonly used as soil microbial enhancer in natural farming. It is a rich source of Bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and also contains other beneficial microorganisms. It is claimed that the application of jeevamrit stimulates crop growth and repels some of the insect-pests.
... The adverse effects of the Green Revolution on the agro-ecosystems are becoming more visible now and the changing climatic conditions are making it worse ( Rahman, 2015 ). With the growing population, degrading landscapes, and roughly stable cropped areas that have been impacting agricultural output negatively and hence the sustainability of food production, it is increasingly becoming necessary to take land remediation measures to improve soil health ( Singh, 2000 ). ...
The use of chemical fertilizers is expensive and one of the main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture. On the other hand, the use of organic manure is always debated for low productivity and profitability while many suggest that it is an effective strategy to improve soil fertility, reduce the production cost and mitigate the GHG emissions from agricultural fields. The aim of this study was to assess the technical performance, economic feasibility, and environmental sustainability of various nutrient management practices in three different major cropping systems in Maharashtra. Based on the data collected, a comparative analysis, for the benefit-cost (BC) ratio, GHG emission, and crop productivity, was performed to evaluate the chemical, organic, integrated, and conventional nutrient management practices. The results showed that crops managed with integrated nutrient practices and organic manures showed a higher BC ratio, comparatively higher yield, and lower GHG emissions. In comparison with conventional nutrient practices, the fertilizer-induced GHG intensity was reduced considerably when the crops were treated with organic manure alone (60.17%) and integrated nutrient management (52.21%). The plots treated with organic and integrated nutrient management reported positive BC ratios in most of the crops while plots treated with chemical fertilizers and conventional practice reported negative BC ratios in many crops. Also, the use of organic manure helps in mitigating crop losses caused by bio-physical stresses to a certain extent. Increased use of organic inputs will bring many tangible and intangible benefits which will help to make the agricultural production system more sustainable. The results obtained are helpful to strengthen the recommendation of the use of organic manures to improve soil health, sustain productivity, increase profitability and reduce the environmental footprints of agriculture production systems.
... After independence, the challenge was to feed our growing population and the chemo-centric technological advancement during green revolution period boosted the production potential and provided food security to the nation (Swami 2020). The success of intensive agriculture and green revolution in recent decades has often masked significant externalities by affecting natural resources and human health (Rahman 2015). Nowadays emerging realization about conservation of natural resources as well as detrimental effects associated with the use of agrochemicals has shifted attention in alternate forms of agriculture in the world. ...
Various human activities like over-utilization of natural resources, mining, deforestation, excessive use of fertilizers and effluents discharged from industries have led to great deterioration of the ecosystems. This degradation has resulted in the reduced productivity of the ecosystems. Various methods have been applied for the restoration of these degraded ecosystems. Application of ecosystem engineers for improving the quality of the environment is one such approach being used widely nowadays. Organisms that control the availability of resources to other organisms in the ecosystem by making physical and chemical changes in it behave as the ecosystem engineers. The process adopted by them for the creation, modification and maintenance of the ecosystem is ecosystem engineering. Among various ecosystem engineers, earthworms are also known as one of the very important engineers. They play a very crucial role in the ecosystem because of their importance in the improvement of the habitat through various types of interactions with other organisms. They maintain the buffering capacity of soil and increase the availability of nutrients in the soil. Formation of soil structure and its stability are also enhanced by them. Earthworms in association with fungi, microbes and biochar help in the improvement of soil properties and thus enhance the process of bioremediation. In this chapter an attempt has been made to gather the information on various roles played by earthworms as ecosystem engineers and their mechanisms for the remediation of heavy metals and pesticides in the soil.
... commercial interests and ignorance in India's much-lauded Green Revolution (Rahman, 2015;Pingali, 2012). Ethical evaluation done in the Global North must focus systematically on the potentially negative consequences of policies and practices on the Global South. ...
This chapter tackles the alluring narratives of the powerful that conform to the dictum of “the winner writes the history”. In a world that is increasingly unequal and full of injustices, with economic exploitation seen as necessary for development, Ofir and Gallagher focus our attention on the ethical consequences of a dominant narrative on development, and how the world has been shaped in this way. They present this as an issue that evaluators need to be aware of and engage with, as otherwise both they and their evaluations become willfully or unwittingly part of the continuation of injustice and exploitation. In their view, culturally responsive evaluations should emphasize values-informed practices that intersect with the interests of the Global South. This assumes the shared interests between societies and between people and nature and opposes these to the interests of the Global North, the “developers”. Ofir and Gallagher report on the experience of the South-to-South Evaluation (S2SE) initiative that was initiated to elevate and further advance the substantial, yet still under-utilized, indigenous knowledge, capacities and resources of the Global South, and to ensure that evaluation in all its forms effectively serves and supports countries and societies in the South in their development and cooperation efforts by combining the most appropriate knowledge and methods from around the world. They see this as a necessary step to enable evaluation to follow the ethical imperatives of tackling bad, doing no harm and doing good.
... On the other hand, a grim story surfaced up as the country was reaping the fruits of success. The agricultural intensification over the years led to degradation of the fragile agroecosystems (Rahman, 2015). Overuse or abuse of the several components of GR led to disastrous consequences for the environment (Pingali, 2012). ...
Green Revolution (GR) marked the era of food self-sufficiency in the country and worldwide. But several prices were paid for the huge leap in agricultural productivity, which occurred in terms of deterioration of soil health, nutrient imbalances, and accelerated soil erosion triggered by agricultural intensification. This article revisits the soil erosion status of India and quantifies in economic and energy terms the cost of losses incurred due to water erosion. The quantifiable loss of nutrients [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and carbon (C)] from the loss of 1 mm (15 t) soil from 1 ha of arable land is approximated to be Rs. 2155 to 3742 (2020-21 price) which indicates the huge financial losses borne by farmers where the average annual soil loss rate of India is 15.35 t ha-1 year-1. This calls for the shifting of our present agricultural systems towards ecological intensification by following a system approach to achieve productivity gains through maintenance of soil health rather than a single approach like using high yielding seeds, practicing nutrient management, effecting disease control, etc. Such an approach would not only ensure the sustainability of agriculture systems in the future but also attain the cherished target of land degradation neutrality set for 2030.
... After all, drivers of challenges and of change should influence assessments of performance of policies, strategies and interventions. It is ethical to assess Global South communities and societies' efforts to change and grow sustainably if at the same time we consider potential or actual negative outcomes -well-illustrated by, for example, the consequences of global supply chains, commercial interests and ignorance in India's much-lauded Green Revolution (Rahman, 2015;Pingali, 2012). Ethical evaluation done in the Global North must focus systematically on the potentially negative consequences of policies and practices on the Global South. ...
... Since the beginning of the green revolution, Indian farmers started using high-yield seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to increase crop produce [93]. According to the World Bank, pesticide usage in arable land in India is much higher compared to the rest of the world [65]. ...
India is a leader when it comes to agriculture. A significant part of the country’s population depends on agriculture for livelihood. However, many of them face challenges due to using unreliable farming techniques. Sometimes the challenges increase to the extent that they commit suicide. Besides, India is highly populated, and its population is steadily increasing, requiring its government to grow its GDP and increase its energy supply proportionately. This paper reviews integrating solar farming with agriculture, known as Agrivoltaics, as a Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) option for Indian farmers. This study is further supported by the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of agrivoltaics. Using the SWOT analysis, this article presents how agrivoltaics can make agriculture sustainable and reliable. This paper identifies rural electrification, water conservation, yield improvement, sustainable income generation, and reduction in the usage of pesticides as the strengths of agrivoltaics. Similarly, the paper presents weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to agrivoltaics in India. The research concludes with the findings that agrivoltaics have the potential of meeting multiple objectives such as meeting global commitments, offering employment, providing economic stability, increasing clean energy production capacity, conserving natural resources, and succeeding in several others. The paper also includes a discussion about the findings, suggestions, and implications of adopting agrivoltaics on a large scale in India.
Nitrogen (N) deficiency limits crop productivity. In this study, rhizoengineering with biofilm producing rhizobacteria (BPR) contributing to productivity, physiology, and bioactive contents in tomato was examined under N-deficient field conditions. Here, different BPR including Leclercia adecarboxylata ESK12, Enterobacter ludwigii ESK17, Glutamicibacter arilaitensis ESM4, E. cloacae ESM12, Bacillus subtilis ESM14, Pseudomonas putida ESM17 and Exiguobacterium acetylicum ESM24 were used for the rhizoengineering of tomato plants. Rhizoengineered plants showed significant increase in growth attributes (15.73%–150.13 %) compared to the control plants. However, production of hydrogen peroxide (21.49–59.38 %), electrolyte leakage (19.5–38.07 %) and malondialdehyde accumulation (36.27–46.31 %) were increased remarkably more in the control plants than the rhizoengineered plants, thus N deficiency induced the oxidative stress. Compared to the control, photosynthetic rate, leaf temperature, stomatal conductance, intrinsic and instantaneous water use efficiency, relative water content, proline and catalase activity were incredibly enhanced in the rhizoengineered plants, suggesting both non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant systems might protect tomato plants from oxidative stress under N-deficient field conditions. Yield (10.24–66.21 %), lycopene (4.8–7.94 times), flavonoids (52.32–110.46 %), phenolics (9.79–23.5 %), antioxidant activity (34.09–86.36 %) and certain minerals were significantly increased in the tomatoes from rhizoengineered plants. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that tomato plants treated with BPR induced distinct profiles compared to the control. Among all the applied BPR strains, ESM4 and ESM14 performed better in terms of biomass production, while ESK12 and ESK17 showed better results for reducing oxidative stress and increasing bioactive compounds in tomato, respectively. Thus, rhizoengineering with BPR can be utilized to mitigate the oxidative damage and increase the productivity and bioactive compounds in tomato under N-deficient field conditions.
Soil health is a key factor for protecting agricultural income and ensuring food security. Rapid urbanisation and intensive farming have impacted agriculture and the green belt. Soil conditions are also adversely aggravated by the quality of irrigation water. The deteriorating quality of soil has been a major concern for a long time. Reasons for reduction in soil fertility can be attributed to extractive farming practices involving higher use of chemicals and burning of crop residues which results in desertification. The absence of land laws which provides for a governing framework for the conservation of the top soil, maintenance of soil quality, mitigating erosion and for addressing fertility issues has aggravated the challenge. Though land and agriculture are State subjects, the Government of India has taken cognizance of these issues by adopting policies and schemes for soil health management. The authors in the paper attempt to analyse the law, policy and institutional framework, including the applicability of environmental doctrines such as the ‘precautionary principle’ ‘polluter pays’ and ‘public trust doctrine’ to ensure soil sustainability for ameliorating soil health.
Sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions faces unique challenges that require targeted assessment and intervention. Addressing the knowledge gap in this context, the current study evaluates the sustainability performance of 50 rainfed farms in the Zaër Region of northwestern Morocco using the innovative Indicateurs de Durabilité des Exploitations Agricoles /IDEA method (indicators of farming systems sustainability), which encompasses agro-ecological, social and economic criteria to assess the three pillars of sustainability. Customized assessment criteria and a tailored scoring system, specific to the region’s context, are employed, resulting in a comprehensive grid with 18 indicators across nine components. Data analysis and visualization were facilitated using statistical methods and an Excel macro. The findings reveal limitations in the sustainability of the surveyed farms. Socio-territorial factors, including issues with product quality, insufficient farmer training, limited workforce mobilization and low social involvement, contribute to the overall sustainability challenges. Agroecologically, low crop diversification, inadequate space management, and excessive reliance on chemical inputs are identified as areas of concern. On the economic scale, low specialization levels hinder economic viability despite some financial autonomy. The study emphasizes the need for interventions to enhance sustainability in rainfed agrosystems. Recommendations are provided to address socio-territorial constraints, improve agricultural practices, and promote economic viability. The findings have implications for policymakers, farmers and stakeholders, offering valuable insights for prioritizing strategies and actions to achieve sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions.
Agriculture was, by default, organic throughout the world before the technique of manufacturing synthetic nitrogenous fertilizer was discovered in 1903. However, availability of agro-chemicals became very common after the Second World War and the agriculture started becoming more and more chemical based. Synthetic fertilizers were introduced in India during 1965-66 and their use grew rapidly along with the high yielding varieties during the green revolution period and Indian farming, by and large, became chemical based. However, by the end of the twentieth century the ill-effects of such chemical-based farming were very well understood by the common Indian people and demand for organically produced food started growing. Different methods and procedures of growing organic food got popularity among the growers, however, a sense of confusion on package of practices on organic/natural farming kept on growing simultaneously. This review article was designed to make various concepts related to organic/natural farming crystal clear for the readers. Principals of organic farming, crop cultivation strategies in organic/natural farming, challenges in organic/ natural farming and possibilities and suggestions in organic/natural farming have been elaborately articulated in this review.
Plant pests, pathogens, and their causal diseases account for more than 40% evidential crop loss. They naturally impede the overall growth and yield of cultivated and stored crops. Measures taken to reduce this damage prompted the use of chemicals as pesticides that, with stern efficiency, repressed pest injury and their infection in the host plant. Nevertheless, the conventional usage of these chemicals as pest control has raised grave concerns due to their detrimental effect on the environment, causing a threat to biosustainability. Strong synthetics used for plant pest control created acute toxicity and pollution to the natural biota. Therefore, these markedly familiar concerns of acute biological harm raised the need for eco-safe biological pest-controlling sources, reducing plant damage and increasing healthy crop growth.
Biological pesticides can be an effective replacement over synthetic chemicals due to characteristic bioresponsivity, reliability, and a reliant high efficacy. Biopesticides are mainly comprised of bio-organisms or their derivatives, including plant-based chemicals, microbio products, and semiochemicals that are conveniently and reasonably available, eco-degradable, employing a suited action mechanism for targeted and increased effectivity for biocontrolling attacking pests. Biological pest control, as an emerging alternative against chemical pest control, indict an inadequate response due to the related insufficient knowledge in overcoming the limiting constraints of biopesticide production. Minimizing chemical usage will deter evolving pest resistance against their plant host, hence promoting the prevalent application of biopesticides. Compellingly, biological pesticides should be widely incurred in the programs of integrated pest management (IPM) as an essential eco-friendly pest-controlling tool. This chapter provides the insights regarding biopesticides as an efficacious alternative of plant pest control, its derivation source, formulation, their varied action mechanisms against controlling the targeted pest, and finally achieving the goals of the sustainable environment and eco-safe agriculture for meeting the needed market demands. Positive recent market trends also indicate an increased shift for adapting the use of biopesticides in India and worldwide.
Integration between different components of the food system would foster achieving food and nutrition security as a key pillar of sustainable development. Significant improvement has been made in the field of food and nutrition security as well as in institutionalizing integration in food and agriculture, nutrition and health policymaking to achieve sustainable development in the Iranian context, however, the sectors are still operating somewhat in isolation from one another while this is in sharp contrast with the integrative nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of this study was to draw a comprehensive picture of the journey from coordination to integration and in institutionalizing food and nutrition security and its policymaking within the framework of national development in Iran. In this study, 43 multi-lateral upstream documents in food and agriculture, nutrition and health sectors were analyzed using a deductive document analysis method. Three series of data coding were performed, including (a) exploring the direct and indirect components of agriculture, food, nutrition and health systems, (b) exploring the policy integration based on processual policy integration framework and (c) Exploring the alignment state of policy components with the SDGs. Our study showed that despite implementing several multi-lateral interventions, and in some cases integrated policies, food and nutrition insecurity are still critical concerns. The study affirms that although remarkable improvements in food and nutrition policy-making and institutional capacity development have been realized, the country’s journey from the “nutrition sciences” to “food and nutrition policy” has not ended yet and integration in food and nutrition policymaking is yet to be achieved in the country. To effectively address the issue, multi-sectoral representation in joint work should be transformed into inter-sectoral integration based on interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral research at policy and integrated operational agenda for all sectors involved. In this process, participation of civil society, women, the private sector and the industry should be well recognized and encouraged.
Groundwater from 15 centres from different areas of Aligarh district used for irrigation, domestic and canals were collected bimonthly from January 1996 to December 2006 and analysed for pesticides, heavy metals (Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni) and nutrients. The results indicate that pH, alkalinity, NO 3-, F-, PO43-, Cl -, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni increased continuously during the period of study. The results also denote that upto the year 2000 the alkalinity, NO3-, F-, PO43-, Cl -, Zn, Ni, Cu, Fe and Pb were within the permissible limit while Cr and Cu were at threshold level. After year 2000, F-, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cr and Cd became beyond permissible limit. The concentration of heavy metals was found higher in domestic wells than in irrigation wells. Pestcides viz., 2,4-D, Malathion, parathion, Aldrin/dieldrin in studied groundwater sample were within the recommended limits upto year 2000 while concentration of HCH and DDT was found beyond the permissible limit. These studies also found that the amount of DDT, HCH in irrigation wells became almost constant after year 2002. During these studies it was also found that concentration of 2,4-D became beyond permissible limit after 2001. Results of these studies also denote that concentration of nutrients, heavy metals and pesticides decreased with increase in depth of wells.
Monitoring of 210 bovine milk samples collected from local markets in the Nadia district of West Bengal during 2011 was performed. Samples were collected in summer and winter seasons. Analysis of pesticides was performed by using a multiresidue method validated in the laboratory. The quantification was performed using GC-ECD. Analysis revealed the presence of lindane in less than 1 % of milk samples. Endosulfan I and II were also detected and were found to exceed MRL recommended by Codex. Overall 1.90 % of the analyzed samples showed trace to measurable amount of pesticide residues. The monitored area provided pesticide residues data of milk, assisting in future scientific assessment on pesticide usage.
The large scale use of organochlorine insecticides (OCIs) in developing countries has caused serious concern due to their persistence in the environment. OCIs are characterized by their stability for long periods which may lead to toxicological implication on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem (Aruda et al. 1988, Cochieri and Arnese 1988, Sarkar and Sen Gupta 1988). About 55000 tons of pesticides are used in agriculture and public health every year (Sen Gupta and Quasim 1985). Continuous use of pesticides to combat pests of this contamination of water has led to spillage and percolation to subsoil systems and water bodies has been a matter of concern even in the developed countries, in view of their risk to communities consuming polluted drinking water. This is the first report of its kind about the residual presence of major OCIs such as HCH and DDT in different sources of water (Wells, handpumps and ponds) samples in and around Bhopal, india. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total number of sixty water samples from different wells, handpumps and ponds were collected from various locations in and around Bhopal, India for the analysis. Each sample of water in replicates of eight was taken (one liter) in 2L separatory funnel and mixed with 3 x 150mL distilled n-hexane (Spectrochem Pvt. Ltd. Bombay), shaken for 30 rain. The organic phase was separated from aqueous phase. The extraction was carried out successively with 3 x 5OmL n-hexane. The combined extract was concentrated to volume of 10 mL with vaccum rotary evaporator at 50~ dissolved in 25 mL distilled acetonitrile (Spectrochem Pvt.Ltd. Bombay) and washed with (4 % w/v) 450 mL sodium sulphate. It was extracted again with 3 x 25 mL portion of n-hexane. The combined n-hexane extract was concentrated to a volume of 1 mL. Each sample was cleaned up prior to GLC analysis using a neutral two step procedure to eliminate known interfering compounds. The n-hexane extract was applied to a mixed phase prewashed chromatographic column containing 1 x 5 cm bed of anhydrous sodium sulphate at the bottom followed by 1 x t0 cm of activated charcoal (E.Merck India Ltd,) in approximately 600 mg celiite 545 (Fishers Scientific) and eluted with 40 mL 5% benzene/hexane.