Conservation Agriculture: A new paradigms to increase resource use efficiency

Abstract

Worldwide, conservation farming systems play a major role in sustainable agricultural production. Even after realizing the full potential of irrigation, a major part of the farming areas of most countries will remain rainfed. Land holdings of the poor, small and marginal farmers are mostly dependent upon rainfall. Common property re- sources like grazing land, tree lots and village tanks which are the mainstay of the livelihood of the rural landless people are again entirely dependent upon the rainfall of the area. Rainfed areas have, therefore, assumed great importance for adequate and equitable food and livelihood security of the increasing population of the develop- ing countries. Land degradation is another threat to our food and environmental security. Almost 150 million ha land is degraded due to erosion, water-logging and salinization. Tillage practice in modern agriculture of devel- oped countries had most concern to sustain production in conservation of natural resources. Recycling of crop residues, growing crop of high volume biomass, change in cropping pattern, agroforestry, silvipasture are the some of the modules in conservation agriculture (CA). Annually, 400 m ha-m water is available through rainfall, out of which 75 m ha-m water lossed in erosion and courtly facing problem for drinking water, industrial use and very limited water (30%) is available for irrigation. Harvesting of rainwater in-situ and collecting through various mechanical measures and use of it for at least one protective irrigation during dry spell needs atmost attention in conservation agriculture. Crop management in changing weather and efficient utilization of bio-diversity to de- velop ideal plant genotypes for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance is another challenge in CA. CA is environmen- tally sustainable and generates considerable net social gains to society. Caution must be taken to avoid blanket adoption of just everywhere; it should be site-specific and need based.