Can farming be sustainable?

The Farming Conundrum

A sustainable agriculture is one which neither depletes the people nor the land – Wendell Berry

In the wake of the Green Revolution, India had achieved its long-sought surplus of food production. Nonetheless, this surplus came at the cost of significant environmental and ecological harm over its duration. Although HYV seeds have improved crop yields dramatically, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has had an equally negative impact on the environment. Apart from environmental and ecological degradation, the revolutionary phase even eradicated indigenous species from the farms. In addition, climate change has further aggravated this situation. Agricultural practices today are destructive rather than protective. Sustainable farming is the real issue.

A farmer since he was 14, my father has always been involved in farming. By the time I was 14, my father had realized that farming was no longer profitable. As a result, he did not recommend that I pursue agriculture as a profession. The days of productive and profitable farming are long gone. When farming doesn’t make money, why do so many farmers still cling to do it? The truth of the matter is that these farmers have no knowledge of anything other than farming. They have cultivated farms as part of their culture and tradition for centuries.

The percentage of people giving up farming is on the rise as input costs increase and debts grow. Despite its agrarian economy, India still battles with hunger. According to the global hunger index, India ranks lower than neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh. There have been attempts to address this issue through government schemes such as PMGKAY, National Food Security Act, Poshan Abhiyan Act, but these have been partially successful.

As input prices rise, farmers are prompted to ask for better prices in the market. Regardless of whether he gets a price that would place him on the profit side, the price of food seems inflated. The spike in food prices coupled with the surge in mineral and fuel prices have resulted in wholesale food price inflation. Society as a whole is being affected by this cyclical change. Furthermore, we cannot purchase food at a loss from producers or force traders to sell the produce at a low price. Additionally, we cannot increase subsidies or normalize prices in a way that would increase tax burdens on citizens. What then can be done?

Suppose a farmer produces one kg of rice at a cost of Rs.20. If only he sells it for Rs.25 or more, he will make a profit. In addition, traders must pay for transportation, storage, and processing. Finally, the end-consumer can purchase it for 30 or more, which is inflated for any average household and unaffordable for those living below the poverty line. Imagine if the cost to produce one kg could be brought down to just Rs.10 by reducing input costs, and the consumers could pay just Rs.15?

Sustainable farming

The concept of Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) has arrived, which is a relief. This is being hailed as the chemical-free green revolution. By using this technique, farmers no longer had to rely on loans and would be able to cut production costs drastically, ending their debt cycle. As an alternative to synthetic fertilizers, this technique proposes the use of natural fertilizers such as cow dung, fermented cow urine, and neem leaves.

An intelligent combination of these is also being considered as an alternative to synthetic pesticides. Using this technique, input costs are reduced significantly. The project also proposes using a part of the harvest as seed for the following crop instead of opting for expensive HYV seeds. Rather than heavy mechanized tilling, it proposes minimal tilling of land while supplementing it with chemical-free fertility enhancers like the fermented combination of low cost items such as jaggery, cow dung, and pulses.

The program encourages farmers to adopt multiple cropping instead of homogenous cropping. Farmers can achieve profits when farming is done at low cost with minimal yields at an optimal price. This ZBNF experiment has been carried out in an extensive area in Andhra Pradesh. Modi has stressed the need to move toward ZBNF over the past year. Following the COP conference in Glasgow, he formally requested the farmers to adopt ZBNF. In line with this, the State Government of Andhra Pradesh plans to convert the entire state to 100% natural farming. This will make it the biggest agroecology program in the country.

There are some drawbacks to this method as well. Some farmers who have tried it out have reported low yields as well as frequent pest infestations. Production is low and results are inconclusive to a large extent. There is still a need for scientific validation. Although some scientific reports have emphasized that this technique promises optimal yield at a reduced cost, it is not consistent. Reports indicate that yields go down and fertility drops after successive years.

The dilemma farmers’ face is which technique they must employ in order to survive as well as maintain protective agriculture. In order to overcome this growing crisis, government support is essential, aided by extensive research in the agriculture sector. The use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides should only be reserved for last resort in agriculture.

Indigenous farming methods should be highlighted, in my opinion. Especially those that involve crop rotations that ensure nutrients return to the soil. This in turn, retains the fertility of the soil in the future. Scientific knowledge is essential to retrieve the old indigenous pest and disease-resistant genetic varieties of seeds. These seeds were able to withstand the changes in the ecosystem. Both the government and the farming community have a duty to make sure food is available at an affordable price for everyone while ensuring farmers’ prosperity.

If we follow these then the day will come when fathers will be happy to allow their children to pursue agriculture as a profession.