Regenerative Agriculture

Why in News?

Regenerative agriculture is gradually reshaping the future of Indian farming by focusing on restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity and improving the resilience of farms to climate-related stresses.

About Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach centred on the restoration of soil health and enhancement of biodiversity.

Unlike conventional approaches that primarily aim to sustain existing agricultural conditions, regenerative agriculture seeks to actively restore and improve soil ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity and increase the resilience of farms against climate-related stresses.

Principles of Regenerative Agriculture

The major principles include minimising soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, protecting living roots of perennial crops, integrating livestock, limiting the use of chemical inputs, and enhancing biodiversity.

Popular Regenerative Agricultural Practices in India

Micro-irrigation: Drip and sprinkler irrigation deliver water closer to plant roots, thereby reducing water wastage and improving water-use efficiency.

Natural Farming: It relies on on-farm biological inputs such as Beejamrut, Jeevamrut, GhanJeevamrut, Neemastra and Dashparni. It also promotes multi-cropping, mulching, cover cropping, minimal soil disturbance and livestock integration.

Soil Health Management: Practices such as green manuring, cover cropping and mulching increase soil organic matter, protect soil from erosion, conserve moisture and support nutrient cycling.

Integrated Farming Systems: Different activities such as crops, livestock, fisheries, horticulture, agroforestry and apiculture can be integrated. Such diversification can reduce the risk of crop failure and provide additional livelihood opportunities.

Agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops can provide additional income while improving soil moisture, regulating local temperatures and increasing carbon storage.