Conservation agriculture is advocated as an alternative to the conventional production system. Soil disturbance regulation, surface residue management and crop rotation are the fundamentals (core pillars) of CA.
KEY ELEMENTS OF TRANSFORMATION
| CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE | CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE |
| 1. Cultivating land, using science and technology to dominate nature | 1. Least interference with natural processes |
| 2. Excessive mechanical tillage and soil erosion | 2. No till/drastically reduced tillage (biological tillage) |
| 3. Residue burning or incorporation | 3. Surface retention of residues |
| 4. Use of ex-situ FYM/ composts | 4. Use of in-situ organics/ composts |
| 5. Green manuring | 5. Brown manuring |
| 6. Free wheeling of farm machinery | 6. Controlled traffic |
| 7. Crop based management | 7. Cropping system based management |
| 8. Single or sole crops | 8. Intercropping/relay cropping |
| 9. Uneven field levels | 9. Precision laser land levelling |
CHALLENGES
- Difficulties in sowing and application of fertilisers and pesticides
- Problems of pest infestation
IMPACT OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE
- Economic benefits: Time saving and reduction in labour requirement; Reduction of costs eg fuel, machinery operating costs and maintenance
- Agronomic benefits: Increase in organic matter content of soil, in-situ soil water conservation, improvement of soil structure, and thus rooting zone.
- Soil Fertility: Fertiliser use efficiency, water holding capacity, soil aggregation, rooting environment and nutrient retention.
- Environment and social benefits: Reduced soil erosion, improves water and air quality, increased biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
WAY FORWARD
- Need to create awareness about Conservation agriculture related strategies among farmers
- Need to develop farm machinery to facilitate Conservation Agriculture.
- Integrated weed management involving chemical and non-chemical methods (residue, cover crops, varieties etc.) is essential for success of CA systems in the long run.