(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Green Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture

(MAY-2024)

Green Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture

Introduction:

The rapid transformation of agricultural system, along with declining soil fertility and biodiversity loss, raises concerns about sustaining agricultural productivity. Agricultural development is achieved when it yields high-quality food while protecting and enhancing environmental quality. The widespread use of agrochemicals for various agricultural purposes can harm both the ecosystem and human health due to their persistent nature.

Key findings need to be taken:

To address this, we must reduce reliance on chemical-based agro-products and seek environmental friendly alternatives. As expanding agricultural land beyond its current utilisation is constrained by the depletion of natural resources.
Global urbanisation, escalating energy costs, and population growth adversely influence the environment, highlighting the urgency for technology-driven solutions to enhance energy and cost efficiency. The need is to achieve sustainable agriculture that improves yields and income without compromising environmental integrity.

Green Technology

Green Technology (GT) refers to environmentally beneficial technology designed to mitigate environmental damage, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development. Green technology encompasses environmentally friendly technologies that are implemented without damaging environmental stability, also known as 'clean' technology.
These technologies leverage renewable resources to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, making processes sustainable and reducing natural resource consumption. Green technology application in agriculture offers opportunities to increase yield, improve product quality, maintain soil fertility, and adopt to eco-friendly techniques.
However, this necessitates a paradigm shift in research and policy in developing countries. Integrating research, awareness, and application of green technologies is essential to strive towards sustainable development in the agricultural sector.

Green Technologies Adopted in Agriculture

Green technologies used by farmers is not entirely new and holds the potential to increase farm yield and profits by employing environmentally sustainable, ecologically sound, and economically reliable techniques. These include organic farming, agroforestry, solar energy technology, mixed farming practices, biogas, multiple cropping, crop rotation, and integrated pest management.

Organic farming, practiced since ancient times, relies on techniques like crop rotation, green manure, compost, and biological pest control. Key features include weed management without pesticides, soil management through crop rotation, and the use of animal manure and green manure crops. Increased awareness about sustainable development has prompted farmers to manage fields more efficiently, driven by consumer demand for locally grown, organic, and sustainable products. Considered as a green technology, it relies on ecological processes to enhance soil fertility and productivity while minimising negative impacts on the environment and human health.
Agroforestry integrates trees with crops or livestock on the same land, fostering ecological and economic interactions. It is a dynamic, natural resource management system that diversifies and sustains production, benefitting farmers at all levels.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pest control, sustainable method promoting the utilisation of natural pest control mechanisms to cultivate robust crops while minimising disruption to ecosystems and environmental risk. It minimises environmental risks and is applicable in both urban and rural areas.
Solar energy, derived from the sun's radiant light and heat, can be harnessed through solar heating and photovoltaic technology. Solar photovoltaic technology converts sunlight into energy using semiconductors, applicable in agricultural production for tasks like water pumping, lighting rural houses, and pest management.
Biogas technology utilises agricultural waste to produce renewable energy and fertilisers, making it environmentally friendly. Anaerobic digestion transforms agricultural waste into fuel and fertiliser. The by-products are used for organic crop production, enhancing soil fertility, and serving as a sustainable alternative to inorganic fertilisers by providing nutrients and improving soil penetration capacity.
Mixed farming is a common agricultural practice, involves using crop residues to feed animals and utilising their faeces as fertiliser for growing crops, enriching the soil. This approach helps farmers to reduce the risks associated with single-crop production and is considered a leading technique for promoting eco-friendly food production.
Crop rotation offers socio-economic and environmental benefits, as it enhances profitability by introducing high-value crops and mitigates economic risks by combining crops. Diversifying rotations with pulses or vegetables boosts dietary micronutrient production to combat hidden hunger. Additionally, lowers reliance on synthetic fertilisers, reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and revives farmland biodiversity.
Agricultural biotechnology modifies organism components to enhance crop development, enabling farmers to produce abundant and cost-effective crops sustainably. Professionals engineer pest and disease-resistant plants to minimise environmental disruptions, thereby decreasing pesticide usage.

Advantages of Green Technology in Agriculture

Challenges for Adoption of Green Technologies by Farmers

High initial costs: Initial investments in green technologies, including equipment, infrastructure, and research and development, pose challenges for adoption by small-scale farmers.
Limited adoption and technological dependence: Farmers resistance to new green technologies, lack sufficient knowledge about the potentials and limitations of green technology. Often, required to understand and implement knowledge-intensive approaches like IPM and INM.
Location-specific: The environmental and natural resource impacts of technology depend on the location; technology may be profitable for one farm in a region but not for others.
Knowledge and training gaps: Farmers frequently lack the necessary expertise to effectively employ green technologies, which often demand technical proficiency and the adaptation of farming practices.
Energy requirements: Certain green technologies, such as precision agriculture tools and automated systems, can be energy-intensive, resulting in increased operational expenses and potential conflicts with efforts to reduce carbon footprints.

Conclusion

The green technologies are revolutionising the agricultural sector, but it is important to recognise that environmental conservation requires a multifaceted approach. It won't be a single technology that can addresses environmental challenges, rather a combination of new green technologies, sometimes integrated with traditional methods, will be necessary. Green technology enhances resource efficiency, reduces environmental impact, and improves agricultural productivity.