• Recently, the Indian Council for Agricultural research (ICAR) has developed a Geo-referenced organic map of India and has identified around 88 bio-control agents as well as 22 bio-pesticides in order to promote organic agriculture.

How will these bio-control agents help in promoting organic farming ?

• The identification of bio- control agents in due respect its specific location will be able to reflect the potentiality of the Agricultural sector.
• Through these bio- control agents there is a possibility to detect the influence of certain viruses and bacteria who are beneficial to the agricultural.
• Eg: Rhizobium bacteria helps in enhancing the fertility of the soil by nitrogen fixation.
• Certain bacteria are also useful in decomposing the farm waste which can be utilised further.
• The GOI has a goal to remove the use of chemical fertilizers completely by 2025 in order to attain a better quality of food and it can be achieved via an alternate route of organic farming with the use of bio- products.
• Hence, solutions are in front of us but there are certain areas where we need to work upon for the better gains from organic farming.

How can ICT help the agricultural and allied sector? 

• In today’s era, the use of technology in every field is essential for maintaining the global standard.
• The use of ICT in the agricultural sector has been very useful especially for providing various information, advisories to the farmers who are living in remote areas via krishi vigyan Kendra or through PM- KISAN portal.
• Under the PM-KISAN portal, all the krishi vigyan kendras are linked as well as more than 5,00,000 farmers are registered through which a holistic advisory can be given to all the farmers.
• Eg: soil fertility, plantations, fertilizer dosage etc.
• In order to cover a wide spectrum in agriculture, there is a need to create a database of farmers which can provide a real time assessment through the use of technology especially space technology as well as field level scientists.
• Thus, the cost of production goes down as specified information is provided to farmers through mobile phones or any other device.
• Even there is a proposed idea of developing a pan India level app in which all the villages have to be mapped as well as farmers are registered in order to create a more defensive network.
• It may create a 2 way communication as all the agricultural institutions as well as 720 krishi vigyan Kendra will be linked.
• Hence, the ICT has played a vital role in shaping the agricultural sector in today’s era.

How will natural farming and agroecology can accelerate the inclusive economic growth for India?

• The government is trying to promote organic farming via PM Kisan paramparagat Yojana under which farmers are supported financially also.
• There are various initiatives by state governments like telangana who are trying to shift towards natural farming.
• Eg: zero budget natural farming (ZBNF).
• There are various research groups which are evaluating the externalities of natural farming because it should be beneficial to farmers as well as the country.
• Thus, the practice of natural farming has to be evolved in such a way under which production as well as income should be high and the main focus should lie on its sustainability for the farmers.

Way Forward:

• The recent Covid-19 pandemic has created a need for organic farming and agro-ecology because it may help us to be safe from virus mutation to some extent.
• The use of chemical fertilizers should be cut-shorted without compromising the level of productivity which should be sustainable also.
• Organic farming is more sustainable in dry lands rather than in Indo-gangetic plains for which necessary steps have to be taken to create a sustainable ecosystem.
• Thus, organic farming and agroecology can pave the way for better and sustainable agriculture which inturn will help India to maintain its standard at the global level.