Cultures and Climate Change

Most parts of North Karnataka are dry lands with scanty rainfall. Farmers take hardly one crop in a year as rain fed farming. As the soils are deep black, good moisture holding capacity covers for the scanty rainfall in the region. Farmers loosing crops due to droughts has been common in the past. But last time they lost their crops and livelihoods for unbelievable events. The year 2009 witnessed a weather unthinkable for the people who have been living there. Flash floods submerged a number of villages destroying lakhs of hectares of crops. Drought prone areas were witness to floods.
Climate change is now a reality as impacts are seen in many places around the world like North Karnataka. Though many factors can be listed for climate change phenomenon, it is the lifestyle of the societies around the world which is the mother of all those factors.
Take for example consumerism. Consumerist lifestyles are encouraged by urbanization, long distance transport, industrial goods, etc. which are the features of industrial economy at the cost of natural resources. Both are complemented by globalization, today.
Culture verses Religion
It is interesting to analyze how these lifestyles and concepts of industrial development are related to religions and cultures! Prior to the birth of monotheistic religions, there were no religions but cultures around the world. Religion is a way of worship while culture is a way of life which includes worship. Culture promotes diversity, decentralization and localization while religion promotes uniformity, centralization and globalization. Hinduism and its offshoots like Jainism, Budhism, etc are cultures while Christianity and Islam are religions in this sense.
Multiplicity of God Promoting Natural Resources
Cultures practice and respect multiplicity of god as the way of worship. The basis is diversity because way of life is dictated by local conditions. It is an instrument of respecting different components of an ecosystem such as land, soil, water, air, vegetation, animals, birds, etc. This ensures that they are not exploited or polluted (for greed) due to emotional bonding we humans develop with them. In India, gods embody the components of nature. Lord Shiva adores crescent moon and holy ganga atop his head, and reptile cobra around his neck. His vehicle is Nandi, a bull and every god has one or the other wild creature as its vehicle. Elephant is for godess Laxmi, mouse for lord Ganesha, crow for Lord Shani, tiger/lion for godess Durga, etc. Cow, closely connected with Krishna and Rishis, is holy because of its importance in agriculture. He-buffelo is the vehicle of Lord Yama. Lord Ganesha represents elephant and Hanuman represents monkey. Rural communities worship forest by creating the concept of Devara Kaadu means God’s Forest to protect forests around them.
And remember, every temple has a sacred tree in its premises and gods are worshipped with the leaves and flowers of trees and plants commonly found in that particular region. Even the grass, which is a weed, is holy to gods in Hindu culture. Most homes worship tulasi (Ocimum) as scared at home.
Festivals are meant to worship one or the other forms of nature. Sankranti is the festival of harvest showing gratitude to crops for bountiful harvest. People worship soil on a festival day called Bhoomi Hunnime. Every river is named after a goddess in India. Nagarapanchami is the festival of cobra. Ayudha pooja is the festival of weapons and implements. Initiated by Pandavas during Mahabharath times, every sphere of life has adopted it to suit their occupation like farmers worshipping agriculture implements. Remember again, there is no uniformity of practices in any of the festivals. They are unique to locations evolved on local conditions. If Ugadi is the new year for South Indians, Deepavali is for North Indians. Ways of worship and food cultures of festivals are also different from location to location.
Food cultures are based on the major cropping systems in an area determined by the agro climatic conditions there. Each district has its own food culture in hindu way of life. If it is millet based in southern Karnataka, it is jowar based in northern districts, and rice based in western ghats and coastal belts. Again within a food culture, they are diverse and unique to a particular region.
Imagine the festivals in religions. They are celebrated more or less uniformly around the world. There are specific ways of worships and celebrations in them. Rose cultivation is done in different parts of the world for export during Christmas season. As it cannot be grown in all locations, it is done under greenhouse conditions (with semi-artificial conditions like temperature, sunlight, humidity, and fertilizers and pesticides to grow). Similarly, cake is prepared all around the world irrespective of the food systems. Ramzan is celebrated by sacrificing animals universally in different parts of the world irrespective of the local conditions (there are practices of animal sacrifice in hindu festivals but they are restricted to locations, not an universal practice). Such uniform lifestyles get promoted because of single god concept which cannot encourage diversified worships, localized practices or decentralized social systems.
An example of birthday celebration is worth quoting here. People celebrate their birthdays by praying to a god in temples, lighting an oil lamp (with the widely used oil of the region) to a god at home, etc in hindu culture while cake and industrial candles are used in western lifestyle.
Culture and Climate Change
Diversity and localization, a feature of cultures, insure against commercialization of life support systems and monopoly by market forces. It prevents exploitation and control of communities by large industrial forces and multinational companies. Diversity promotes only local and small enterprises. When the economic activities are localized and decentralized, large scale industrialization, urbanization and related destruction of natural resources are minimized. Commercialization of lifestyles invariably promotes industrialization as it spreads uniformity. But uniformity in lifestyles is not practical nor is it sustainable due to diverse natural resources and climatic conditions. Monotheistic religions spread uniform lifestyles. If humans promote lifestyles, it seeks to create semi-artificial or artificial conditions to facilitate development, destroying natural resources for infrastructures. As it is well established, industrial models of development are the cause of climate change. Climatic conditions should promote or dictate lifestyles. If so, then humans have to respect forms of nature around them and live harmoniously with its components. Multiplicity of god concept is the only practical way of life to promote love and respect for the components of nature. That is possible in cultures not religions. This model of development can arrest the climate change phenomenon besides establishing peace and harmony.
Uniformity is the greatest threat to the world. What world needs today are not religions but cultures and globalization of cultures.

Climate Change Challenges and Sustainable Development

The models of modern economic development are crumbling, worldwide. There are obvious reasons for the collapse of such systems. Centralized development methods, industrialization as means of development, globalization of trades, neglect of natural resources and urbanization are the main factors responsible for the failures.

Market Model or Industrial Model

We have centralized most of the life supporting systems, today. Economic activity, administration, food systems, garments, anything you name. Food, for example, travels thousands of miles in many countries before served on one’s table for dining. It undergoes transport, processing, packing, preservation, etc. In India, tomato travels from southern state of Karnataka to northern territory of Delhi, over 1500 km before it is marketed. Similarly, potato and onion. Potato is subjected to days of cold storage besides transport. Localized food systems and marketing are sidelined and, they are replaced by super market cultures. Business interests drive these things rather than needs of the people. Many perishables are destroyed in the process and market instability is the common phenomenon in these models.

It is destroying local cultures too. For example, food culture of a particular location evolves over hundreds of years based on climate, soil, agro ecosystems and crop species. This is forward linkage evolved by communities. Local marketing is also evolved based on these location specific conditions. But market economy operates exactly opposite to this. It first creates products, food systems and then technologies to suit them. That gets promoted in the life systems, instead of prevailing conditions supporting the life systems. Industrial interests and economies of scale drive this. Like potato chips industry promoting potato crop and variety suitable for the industry in an area irrespective of farming systems prevalent. This doesn’t take care of cropping systems and practices and, it doesn’t promote local varieties evolved in the area. To make these successful, favorable and semi-artificial conditions are created with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and climate also, sometimes. Greenhouse cultivation is one such example of creating conditions to replace the prevailing climate. When such external inputs and technologies are promoted, they indirectly destroy local genetic resources, plant and microbial species, soil, water, local economies and food systems. These exogenous models, thus, degenerate environment and natural resources, both directly and indirectly as industries of fertilizer, seed or pesticide come up to promote these practices. Directly, destroy land and vegetation by creating infrastructure and, indirectly emit greenhouse gases through non-renewable energy sources used by these support industries.

This model is neither sustainable nor stable. Because, it is not need-driven but dependent on created needs and, industrial and market interests, which cannot be easily managed, predicted or regulated. As a result, it leads to instability and exploitation of livelihoods of people. This market or industrial agriculture is the extension of capitalism to agriculture.

We are following the same model in economic and service sectors also. Economic recession is the result of such practices and policies. Booming economies give credits to even unworthy customers and promote demands for property, goods and services. Credit card scams of the US are one such example. Financial institutions have come up and become bankrupt due to promotional lending instead of need based lending. Booming real estate is also the result of such money flow without any real wealth generation. Not surprisingly, being unstable and illusionary, it is failing.

Diversity, localization, decentralization and regeneration of natural resources have no place in such models of development. Instead, these models destroy them all. Globalization of trade has an ‘add on effect’ on centralization and uniformity in these sectors. Uniformity destroys biodiversity and natural resources. Today’s trade promotes such tendencies leading to alarming situations.

Sustainable Model

Sustainable model of development is exactly opposite to these practices. It is about diversity not homogeneity, local systems not global network, decentralized not controlled by few hands, regenerative not degenerative of natural resources. Moreover, it is forward linkage not backward linkage and internalized not dependent on external factors. Thus, it is endogenous not exogenous. Sustainable model is about catering to the needs of people and not about creating the needs as in case of market economic model.

Let us analyze such a model through sustainable agriculture practices. A cropping system is evolved over a long period of time based on soil and agro-climatic conditions of a region. Cultivars or varieties are also evolved from the natural base of the region. It is supported by regions vegetation, livestock species and traditional varieties. Mixed cropping and soil fertility management through biomass are integral part of such agriculture. Please read components of sustainable agriculture in this blog for better understanding of sustainable agriculture. Here, the practices are internalized with little or no external inputs like chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Draught animals are used for operations instead of machines. Local support systems such as village level blacksmiths, carpenters, etc for agricultural implements are integral part of this system. These rural systems support local employment and micro enterprises. The food system is also based on the local cropping pattern. Markets, mostly local, are developed in accordance with cropping systems. Block level shandies are the best examples of such marketing systems. This is forward linkage based on agriculture production system of the region.

Facing Climate Change Challenges

The three biggest factors of climate change, as we know, are industrial pollution through greenhouse gases, transportation and chemical agricultural practices. Since sustainable practices don’t require industrial support, direct and indirect effects of climate change are eliminated. With internalized input systems in place, industrial support for mechanization and inputs is hardly needed, thus mitigating the climate change factors. Sustainable crop and farming practices regenerate environment reducing climate change elements and, local economy drastically reduces transport, both surface and air.

Urbanization is indirectly contributing to climate change by destroying natural resources and environment. Sustainable agriculture promotes rural employment, which is crucial to prevent migration from rural area particularly in developing countries like India as more than 65% of the population lives in villages. Promoting more employment in agricultural systems through sustainable farming and local micro enterprises as support system to agriculture and, strengthened rural economy play an important role in preventing migration and urbanization.

In nutshell, sustainable models, generating natural resources as wealth and promoting local economic models, can reduce factors responsible for climate change such as industries, transport and environment degenerating agricultural practices to a great extent to save the planet and humankind from certain disaster. In other words, globalization of localization is the approach to be seriously considered for development process to mitigate climate change and make the world safer.

Can Sustainable Agriculture feed the Population !

With the introduction of green revolution technologies, the food grain production has gone up manifold. Modern, high yielding varieties supported by technologies such as fertilizers, pesticides, mechanization, irrigation, etc have contributed to the magnificent increase in the production. Many developing countries like India have become self sufficient in food production.

On the flip side, modern farming has affected ecology and led to degradation of natural resources particularly soil and water. Moreover, under fragile ecosystem, the crop production is becoming stagnant and showing the signs of decline. The additional technological introduction is not contributing to any further increase in the production and a point of diminishing marginal returns is looming large over production front in agriculture.

Due to degrading environment and natural resources, no modern technology can assure indefinite increase in production. But the population is growing at an alarming rate, which is the potential cause for food crisis in the future.

In this backdrop, sustainable agriculture is considered a new road ahead by development visionaries. The agricultural community has no dispute over the idealness of the sustainable practices. But the real issue is about production potential to meet the food demand. No doubt that sustainable practices cannot yield to the same measure as modern practices in the initial stages of farming, but over the years, it can ensure similar and stable yields.

What are the key aspects to make it successful !

Eating junk food : We are eating more because we eat junk food. Modern practices have been harping on production in terms of quantity but not quality. Various researches have conclusively proved beyond doubt that food produced under sustainable or organic farming are better in nutritional quality. It has direct bearing on consumption. For example, farmers themselves have experienced that some traditional varieties of rice and finger millet can cook well and the quantity of grain or floor required for a family is 30-35% less compared to modern varieties under chemical farming. This is due to rich mineral content in those grains. Traditional varieties, evolved over thousands of years, under a particular agro climatic condition, adapt well and produce superior quality grains than the externally introduced ones. The milk of local animal breeds has more fat and proteins than the exotics. Sustainable agricultural practices produce better quality produce than the modern practices. Traditional or indigenous varieties adapt and produce better quality produce. Therefore, identification and introduction of superior local genetic resources in breeding process is an important scientific approach in sustainable agriculture to meet food demand in the changed scenario.

Post harvest management : The losses in transit, storage and distribution are too significant to ignore. Food Corporation of India has recorded 25-30% loss of food grains in storages, quite often. Sustainable agriculture can achieve a yield of 75-80% under conventional agriculture within a reasonable period of 2-3 years. Streamlining of post-harvest operations and minimizing the losses is a very important strategy to meet the food demand under sustainable agriculture. Creating decentralized infrastructure and distribution can have great impact on post-harvest management and reducing the losses.

Eco-friendly practices : Innovative practices have proved successful in obtaining yields comparable in some cases and much higher in some others. SRI (system of rice intensification) in rice, for example, with 30-40% less water consumption using semi-aerated soil condition can give additional yield of 50%, on an average. Similarly, mulching and other in-situ moisture conservation practices can improve yield under sustainable practices particularly under rain fed farming.

Food and crop diversity : Mono cropping, as a natural consequence of modern agriculture, tends to erode diversity in food and cropping systems. Out of known 4500 crop species in the world, hardly 20 are adding to 90% of our food requirement. Again, few varieties in each crop account for more than 90% of the production. Diversified food, due to rich nutritional value, has great potential to reduce consumption. Reinventing multi-cropping and species diversity in farming systems is central to sustainable agriculture.

Land diversion : Considerable land is being diverted every year through policies of the state. In 1970’s, large area under food grains was diverted to silkworm rearing in south India by establishing silk industry and motivating the farmers. Similarly, cotton is being promoted on large scale to boost export economy. Urbanization and industrial development policies are diverting areas under food grains and horticulture. This has to stop somewhere to ensure food production for the growing population. Increasing pressure on land through reducing the cultivable area pushes us to chemical and intensive farming, which is not ecologically sustainable.

Sustainable marketing : Promoting decentralized, local marketing processes gives stability to agricultural production. Cropping system determined by an agro climatic situation has to dictate agricultural market. This stabilizes the demand-supply chain. This, in turn, scales down unorganized production by the farmers dictated by fluctuating distant market, which is also a source of post harvest losses. Sustainable marketing and sustainable farming always go together.

Agro eco system : Reviving agro ecology is the sure way of increasing productivity and sustaining it. It enriches the soil through biomass, conserves other natural resources (water, insect and microbial environments) and creates microclimate. It creates pivotal role in recycling of nutrients to sustain soil productivity thus contributing to production.

Development policies : Achieving food production through sustainable practices needs teeth to state policies. Balancing export and domestic economies, putting a lid to urbanization and diversion of land, post harvest management and distribution, interventions in institutional research, etc can make it happen. Phase wise transition to sustainable agriculture and a meticulous plan for the future can take it forward.

Eco-friendly Soil Nutrient Management

When the first fertilizer was manufactured in the 19th century, scientific community was euphoric that it would be the panacea for all the ills plaguing agriculture in the world. Undoubtedly, synthetic nutrient sources have led to huge increase in production of crops particularly on low fertile soils with high yielding varieties and hybrids. Fertilizers result in rapid growth and development of plants when applied particularly under irrigated conditions.

The euphoria was short lived. Soon, we could notice the grave dangers of synthetic fertilizers on the health of the soil, quality of underground water, microbial ecology, tolerance of crops to pests and diseases, etc. Over the years, synthetic fertilizers make the soil biologically inert resulting in poor soil structure and dominance of soil borne pathogens. Fertilized soils degrade in water holding capacity due to depletion of beneficial soil microbes and biomass content. Fertilized crops are susceptible to pests and diseases due to lush growth, which necessitates heavy pesticide applications. Synthetic pesticides destroy the dynamic equation between insect pests/pathogens and beneficial insects/microbes. The cost of production increases in the inorganic farming practices due to degradation of ecology. The farming practice heavily dependent on external, synthetic sources and poisonous pesticides is not ecologically sustainable. The food thus produced is unhealthy due to accumulated toxic substances in the food chain. Synthetic fertilizers are the key factor in this vicious cycle of unsustainable farming.

Are there alternatives!
Alternative soil nutrient management could be the turning point in reversing these unhealthy farming systems. Adding organic carbon and biomass is the effective way out. Scientific community world over has accepted the un-sustainability of inorganic sources for soil and crop management. But, it has been pondering over the alternative sources, as the manures and biomass are bulky and low in nutrients. The quantity required to meet the nutrient demand is exorbitantly high compared to concentrated inorganic fertilizers.

The concentrated organic manures such as edible and non-edible oil cakes contain high nutrients but are uneconomical on the farmers’ field. Among the bulky manures, horse manure, pig manure, night soil, sludge and chicken manure are quite high in nutrients. Chicken manure is widely available and most economical also. It contains 3% nitrogen, 2.5% P2O5 and 1.5% K2O besides being rich in secondary and micronutrients.

The comparison between chicken manure and synthetic fertilizers throws some interesting facts. 1000kg chicken manure supplies 30kg N, 25kg P2O5 and 15kg K2O. To supply this through fertilizers, farmer has to apply 52kg DAP, 45kg Urea and 25kg MOP. Under the local conditions, the cost of chicken manure would be RS. 600-700 per 1000kg. The costs of fertilizers would be about Rs. 900-950 for the above quantity. To supply micronutrients corresponding to chicken manure, it would cost much higher with fertilizers as micronutrient fertilizers are to be added separately. In short, a farmer has to spend Rs. 10 per kg of N, P2O5 and K2O together through chicken manure while Rs. 13 through NPK fertilizers. It clearly demonstrates that, there are organic sources, which are cost effective, ecologically sustainable and practical.

Chicken manure is available in the country in large quantities as poultry is a huge meat industry. Other such widely available sources are sludge, pig manure and fishmeal. They are potential sources of nutrients to the soil as alternatives to chemical fertilizers.

Environmental pollution
The utilization of these sources also helps in combating environmental pollution as they are dumped as wastes or diverted as in case of sludge. Based on local conditions, such organic wastes can be recycled for soil nutrient management. In most developing countries, these wastes are the sources of ground water contamination and human diseases.

Policy directions
State policies in this direction can create conducive atmosphere to utilize such organic wastes in sustainable agriculture. Establishing small-scale industries to recycle the wastes and subsidies through departments to promote their applications can be of great impact on the ground situation in farming systems. It is well known that fertilizers are popular more due to government patronage through subsidies and fertilizer industries than due to farmers’ preference as such.

Essential Components of Sustainable Farming

Indigenous variety: It is evolved over a number of decades and centuries in an agro climatic region. It is easily adaptable, responsive to low input conditions, tolerant to drought, pests and diseases. Nutritionally better in quality.

Livestock: Source of manure and biomass for soil nutrition. Manures from livestock add beneficial microbes to the soil. Manure from poultry birds is an effective alternative to chemical fertilizers as it is a rich in major nutrients besides supplying secondary and micronutrients also. Livestock is income generating besides being the source of nutrition for the farming family.

Agro forestry: Creates microclimate. Important instrument in maintaining temperature, humidity, ecological balance like promoting natural enemies of pests, preventing soil and water erosion, etc. Useful source of fodder for livestock and fuel wood for the farming family. Adds biomass to the soil. Promotes the population of useful pollinators like honey bee. Attracts birds which are natural enemies of insect pests. Birds add guano, a source of nutrient to the soil.

Soil and water conservation: Practices such as bunding , trench cum bunding, farm ponds, contour sowing, bench terracing help conserve the fertile top soil and improve the water table thus making crop growing more successful under adverse conditions also.

Soil management and manures : Application of manures, vermicompost, oil cakes etc improve soil fertility, water holding capacity, texture and structure. Practices like green leaf manuring and green manuring in-situ keep the soil nitrogen rich. They create healthy soil by promoting beneficial microbes. Application of tank silt and forest soil improves texture, fertility and water holding capacity of the soils.

Water management: Mulching is the most effective tool in conserving moisture. It presents weed growth thus reducing the cost in farming. Water requirement of a crop reduces by 40% in mulching. It keeps the soil soft, aerated and promotes proliferation of beneficial microbes in the root zone. Indirectly, it improves crop growth. From the practical point of view, a farmer can increase his cropped area by 40% with the same available water by adopting mulching. Adoption of low water input technology like SRI in wet land paddy is another such practice for water management.

Multicropping and Intercropping: Increase the biodiversity, reduces pest and disease problems, ensures food and nutritional security, improves the soil health and fertility. It insures against crop failure risks. Acts as buffer against market fluctuations which hit the farmer in mono cropping practices. Intercropping (like in banana) increases the use efficiency of precious resources like water and gives additional income besides the main crop. Important component like fodder can be incorporated in intercropping.

Fodder crop: Closely linked to soil and water management as it is the source of feed for livestock. It should be a part of multicropping and intercropping in a sustainable farming practice.

Innovative crop practices: Plant intensification technique, raised bed in vegetables, border cropping, trap cropping, biodynamic practices, Homa therapy, EM, pheromone traps, NPVs, seed treatment, etc make the farming more successful and sustainable.

Can Production Driven Market Sustain Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods?

Market driven agricultural economy particularly after globalization, is showing the signs of severe fatigue on the rural faces in India. Market instabilities are a result of more centralized and long distance distribution of agricultural produce and products for marketing. Market preferences are leading to monoculture, introduction of high cost and chemical practices like inadaptable hybrid / high yielding varieties, indiscriminate use of fertilizers/chemicals and as a result, land/soil degradation. Erosion of agro-biodiversity is the most disheartening consequence of this market driven agricultural entrepreneurship.

Can Market be Production Driven!

A serious thought process has to begin to revive the biodiversity, multi-cropping based cropping systems in accordance with agro-climatic conditions of a given location or region. The approach towards development of technology has to be endogenous so that it becomes situation friendly. For example, breeding of high yielding varieties or hybrids has to make use of locally available, superior genetic resources of the same regions of introduction. Introduction of exotics can be done by taking into consideration the evolutionary agro climatic conditions of the genetic bases. Cropping pattern and varietal introduction should be primarily driven by suitability to climate, soil and farming practices. Considering the evolutionary conditions of genetic resources is the sure way ensuring adaptability. Similarly, market development needs to be promoted for the crops and products of the regions. Mainstream market initiatives should absorb the local production guided by suitable cropping system. Market driving the cropping pattern is not sustainable since creating suitable conditions for inadaptable crops and species is not practical / feasible. This is the root cause of high cost of production, frequent crop failures, unmanageable pest and disease incidences and ecological imbalances.

Market initiatives, guided by cropping pattern and production systems have positive impact on the ground. It promotes sustainable agriculture driven by agro climatic conditions. It sustains the livelihoods of farmers without affecting the ecological balance and agro biodiversity. Such initiatives are decentralized marketing relying more on local produce and products. These market tendencies are stable also. Block level shandies, agricultural produce fairs at taluk levels, corporate sectors decentralizing the supply chain by linking their outlets to local productions and promoting local food produce in urban and semi urban areas are the possible leads in this direction of sustainable marketing practices.

Policy Interventions

Promotion of medium, small and very small entrepreneurship in supply chain and marketing can give good results in this direction. Policy interventions from development of technology to marketing management are crucial to realize the objectives of sustainable livelihoods and revive the agricultural economy in rural areas.

Market Driven Agriculture

Is Market Driven Production System Sustainable in Agriculture!

Post green revolution, agriculture is becoming more and more complicated and technology savvy enterprise. Technology has made vast invasions on production systems. Latest advances have made possible even simulation of required environment for growing the crops. Greenhouse technology, for example, makes year round cultivation of crops possible. Soilless culture such as hydroponics and rock wool give an illusion of agriculture without natural medium anywhere in the world. Thanks to corporate sector, diverse crops and varieties are finding places throughout the world like globalised, manufactured goods.

Globalised market tendencies have opened up flood gates for various food produces and products. Contract farming and buy back arrangements are the buzz words of cash rich farmers. Export boom is driving big business houses to build infrastructures for commercial enterprises in agriculture.

But a close analysis of the ground situation gives a shocking picture of agriculture and horticulture in India. Most of the export dependent floriculture units are facing closures either due to crash in export market or increasing cost of cultivation or quality problems as a result of pests and diseases. Farmers rushing to market driven crops like vanilla, ginger, perishable western vegetables, etc are in a soup as a result of unstable market tendencies.
Intensive, modern technologies have failed to give long term returns due to increasing cost of production and degradation of agro ecology. Medium and large farmers are facing debt trap as a result of irreversible stages they have reached in farming systems.

Besides, agro biodiversity is the biggest casualty of the modern market driven agriculture due to intensive monoculture package by the technologists. Degradation of agro ecology, soil and as a result, increasing intensity of pests and diseases is adding to very high cost of production. Lack of adaptable varieties and hybrids has made the situation worse for farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.

Fluctuation in the market demand and prices has made the profession a vicious circle of exploitation and distress. This is adding to the woes of landless laborers also in the rural areas due to worsening situation of the farming community. As a result, farmers’ apathy towards farming, abandoning of profession and migration of rural population is the common scenario in the country. Today, rural India is a mirror image of unsustainable agriculture economy and lost hopes of the future.