Prospects and Issues in the Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in India

Conservation agriculture involves practices such as crop rotations, minimal soil disturbance, and maintaining permanent soil cover through crop residues or cover crops. Despite various challenges to its widespread adoption, India has made significant progress over the past two decades in developing, refining, and promoting conservation-based agricultural technologies. Notable advancements have been made in the Indo-Gangetic plains, especially in the adoption of no-till wheat within the rice-wheat cropping system. Advocates of conservation agriculture understand the trade-offs but recognize that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. These methods offer potential advantages including reduced production costs, improved water and nutrient conservation, increased crop diversity and yields, and more efficient resource utilization.