- The central government plans to set up thousands of bio-inputs resource centres (BRCs) to help farmers transition to natural farming.
- However, evidence from outcomes of past attempts at non-chemical transitioning in agriculture, reveals challenges in on-ground implementation, particularly in states where economic incentives favour chemical fertilisers.
- The success of BRCs will depend on technological innovations that can prolong the shelf life of the bio-inputs, and the measures to increase organic inputs must prove economically meaningful to farmers, write the authors of this commentary.
- The views in this commentary are that of the authors.
In the union budget 2024, the emphasis on low-carbon farming practices, breeding crops for climate stress, and a non-populistic approach, seemed to be the hallmark for agriculture. The cut in fertiliser allocation is a bold political move, given the upward trend in fertiliser consumption observed since 2017. The call for breeding for climate stress tolerance brings much needed focus back on agricultural research. The commitment to transitioning one crore farmers to natural farming, while adopting a value chain and branding approach is commendable for its mitigation emphasis…………Read More https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/commentary-challenges-in-scaling-natural-farming-with-bio-input-resource-centres/
Post Source/Credit/Courtesy: Mongabay India
[Commentary] Challenges in scaling natural farming with bio-input resource centres