What is meant by sustainable agriculture? Discuss the sustainable agriculture practices and systems in India. Provide suggestions to improve agricultural incomes from sustainable agriculture.
In short
Sustainable agriculture maintains farm productivity and incomes while conserving soil, water and climate resilience, using practices such as crop rotation, integrated pest management, agroforestry and natural farming. Incomes can rise through farmer training, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund credit, e-NAM markets and PMKSY irrigation, as Andhra Pradesh's natural farming clusters show.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 265 words
NMSA and RKVY
NMSA focuses on rainfed areas with water efficiency and integrated farming, notably in Andhra Pradesh; RKVY funds sustainable agriculture projects, generating over 2 million jobs including in horticulture and aquaculture.
Soil Health and Infrastructure
Soil Health Card Scheme2 encourages balanced fertilizer use, reducing soil degradation; Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) supports credit for post-harvest infrastructure, improving market access and reducing wastage in Andhra Pradesh.
Low Adoption and Finance Issues
Organic farming covers only 2% of net sown area; natural farming is limited; small farmers in Andhra Pradesh struggle with credit for sustainable inputs like drip irrigation.
Climate and Budget Constraints
Droughts in Rayalaseema and floods in coastal Andhra Pradesh increase vulnerability; NMSA receives less than 1% of agriculture budget, limiting extension and technology dissemination.
Agroecological Practices and Capacity Building
Expanding crop rotation, integrated pest management, and agroforestry; scaling training under RKVY and NMSA to improve farmer knowledge and market linkages.
Finance, Technology, and Climate Resilience
Expanding credit via AIF and digital platforms like e-NAM; implementing efficient irrigation under PMKSY in drought-prone areas to stabilize incomes.
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