16-November-2024-Editorial

SUSTAINABILITY IN INDIA’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

India’s rising agricultural exports, especially tea and sugar, are driving economic growth. However, this surge brings challenges, including environmental degradation, resource mismanagement, and labour exploitation.

Sustainable agriculture ensures long-term productivity while balancing economic, ecological, and social needs.

What Does Sustainability in Agriculture Mean?

Economic Sustainability

• Sustainability is more than economic gains; it involves maintaining long-term productivity.
• Prevents depletion of natural resources, ensuring future agricultural potential.

Ecological Sustainability

• Focus on preserving natural ecosystems and reducing chemical inputs.
• Efficient water management is crucial to avoid environmental damage.

Social Sustainability

• Ensures fair wages, safe working conditions, and labour rights for workers.
• Promotes equity and inclusivity in agricultural systems.

Lifecycle Approach

• Considers sustainability at all stages, from pre-sowing to post-harvest.
• Prevents resource wastage and promotes efficient production systems.

Key Sustainability Concerns in India’s Agriculture

1. Challenges in Tea Production

Human-Wildlife Conflicts

• Tea plantations near forests often face wildlife intrusion, causing crop damage.
• Elephant conflicts are especially common, affecting plantations and safety.

Chemical Usage

• Excessive use of harmful pesticides like DDT and Endosulfan increases health risks.
• Leads to chemical residues in tea, impacting product safety.

Labour Issues

• Women form a large part of the workforce in tea plantations but face low wages and unsafe conditions.
• Despite the Plantations Labour Act, 1951, labour rights are poorly enforced.

2. Concerns in the Sugar Industry

Water Mismanagement

• Sugarcane consumes 1,500–2,000 litres of water per kg of sugar.
• Despite covering only 25% of cropped land, sugarcane uses 60% of irrigation water, reducing resources for other crops.

Biodiversity Loss

• Large-scale cultivation in Karnataka and Maharashtra has replaced natural grasslands, harming wildlife habitats.

Labour Challenges

• Workers face long hours, debt cycles, and harsh conditions.
• Rising temperatures worsen their health and productivity.

3. Sustainability Issues in Agricultural Exports

Post-Harvest Losses

• Lack of proper storage and transport infrastructure leads to food wastage.
• In 2022, food losses in India were valued at ₹1.53 lakh crore (USD 18.5 billion).

Climate Change

• Extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heatwaves disrupt agricultural productivity.
• Soil degradation and water scarcity further affect crop quality and export viability.

Addressing Sustainability Challenges

1. Solutions for Tea Industry

• Develop and use climate-resilient tea varieties to withstand environmental changes.
• Implement agroforestry to reduce climate risks and enhance biodiversity.
• Provide fair prices and direct market access to farmers.
• Improve practices for managing wildlife conflicts near plantations.
• Monitor chemical residue levels to ensure safe and high-quality tea production.

2. Solutions for Sugar Industry

Water Efficiency

• Promote drip irrigation, which can cut water usage by up to 50%.
• Conserve water resources and enhance crop productivity.

Waste Utilisation

• Use by-products like bagasse (for bioenergy) and vinasse (as fertilizer) to reduce waste.
• Transition sugar mills into biorefineries, making the industry energy efficient.

Improving Labour Conditions

• Ensure fair wages, healthcare access, and social safety nets for workers.
• Provide education and better working environments to boost labour welfare.

3. Sustainability in Agricultural Exports

Crop Diversification

• Promote sustainable crops like millets, which require fewer resources and improve soil health.
• Millets’ exports increased from USD 26.97 million in 2020-21 to USD 75.45 million in 2022-23.

Balancing Domestic and Export Demands

• Avoid over-reliance on specific commodities to ensure resource availability for domestic needs.

Enhancing Supply Chains

• Develop cold storage and efficient transport to reduce food wastage.
• Foster collaboration across the supply chain to achieve sustainability goals.

Environmental Safeguards

• Encourage organic farming, reduce water use, and preserve soil health.
• Implement policies to ensure sustainable production without exhausting natural resources.

Conclusion

India’s agricultural exports hold immense potential for economic growth, but sustainability is key to long-term success. Addressing water management, reducing chemical inputs, improving labour conditions, and adopting eco-friendly practices can create a balanced and equitable agricultural system. By integrating sustainability at every stage, India can ensure its agricultural sector thrives without compromising the environment or the livelihoods of its workers.