Conservation Agriculture historical and future development in South Asia

What is it about?

With South Asia and India's continued growing population there is a need to find ways to responsibly maintain food security and also help the many small, resource poor landholders to get out of poverty. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is one management system being promoted that reduces costs, labor (drudgery), lowers greenhouse gas emissions and uses natural resources more efficiently without sacrificing yield. One important issue is improving soil health so future generations can also produce enough food to feed the population. This paper explains how this management system has evolved in South Asia and its success in the major cropping systems of the Indo_Gangetic Plains of South Asia and some future thrusts being studied.

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Why is it important?

Much of the technology used by the Green Revolution to reduce hunger and famines in South Asia is already being used by farmers. What is needed in the future is technology that responsibly intensifies production from present agricultural land since unused land is either not available or too marginal to help. But this has to be done without compromising ecosystem services and the environment. CA is one management system that can help do this now and in the future.

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