2022 Volume 32 Issue S Pages 299-302
New approaches and technologies involving application of blended modern agroecological science and indigenous knowledge systems have shown to enhance food security while conserving natural resources and soil and water under stress conditions. Under hot arid zone of Thar desert Mr. Mangilal Patel, a farmer of Pali India, decided to go for agriculture innovations and convert his barren area into an integrated farm utilizing sustainable approaches. Under rainfed conditions he practiced diversified cropping systems including green gram and sesame in rainy season followed by sequential crops of chickpea and mustard as rainfed and wheat and cumin under irrigated conditions in winter season, which reduces the climate-driven crop failure as variety of crops have different management practices to climatic adaptability. His selection of crops and legumes efficiently utilized the natural resources such as land, light, water and nutrient and increase biodiversity, productivity, resilience and stability of agroecosystem. In addition, crops facing threats from the same or similar pests or requiring high nutrient inputs were not grown in bordering fields or in a sequential season in the same field. Leguminous crops have less water requirement and fix nitrogen which is beneficial to other nonlegume crops. Thus, innovative agriculture based on crop rotation model integrating different crop components produce sufficient yield by maintaining crop sequence, increasing soil fertility and manage equitable socio-economic access outcome to the poorest section of the society.
