According to a new report titled 'Reimagining Indian Agriculture: Unlocking the Regenerative Opportunity,' about a third of India's land is already suffering from soil degradation. This situation raises serious concerns regarding agricultural yields, farmers' incomes, and the country's long-term food security.
The report cites data from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). According to this data, approximately 11.5–12 crore hectares of land, which accounts for about 33 percent of the country's total area, have been affected by soil deterioration by 2024.
Soil condition is a matter of concern because Indian agriculture heavily relies on the quality of this soil. A decline in its quality can negatively affect the productive capacity of agricultural lands. Furthermore, climate change and groundwater scarcity intensify risks in agriculture, jeopardizing food production, farmers' livelihoods, and long-term food security.
The report emphasizes that changes in farming methods are necessary to restore degraded lands. It is essential to actively promote 'regenerative agriculture'—an approach aimed not only at preserving the land but also at improving soil health, biodiversity, water use, and the entire agricultural environment.
Techniques that can be employed in this type of farming include minimal tillage, the use of cover crops, crop rotation, integrating agriculture with tree cultivation and livestock. These methods help increase organic matter in the soil, improve nutrient and water use, and reduce dependence on external chemical fertilizers.
However, implementing these methods on a large scale faces several challenges. The report notes high initial costs, difficulties in obtaining loans or financial assistance for farmers, underdeveloped carbon and environmental markets, weak monitoring systems, and concerns about reduced production in the initial stages.
Despite the challenges, various programs supporting this type of agriculture are already operational in India. The National Mission for Organic Farming has allocated 2481 crore rupees, aiming to prepare one million farmers to adopt such practices. The AgriSure Fund holds an amount of 750 crore rupees, and under the Traditional Agricultural Development Programme, groups engaged in organic farming receive 31,500 rupees per hectare over three years.
However, the report states that India still lacks a universally accepted definition of regenerative agriculture and a unified national structure. The report suggests that government support should not be limited to subsidies based solely on fertilizers, seeds, and other agricultural inputs. Instead, farmers should be incentivized based on outcomes such as soil organic carbon content, water productivity, reduction in agricultural resource use, biodiversity, and farmer income stability.