Explain the factors that are critical for both decarbonisation and sustainability of the Indian Agriculture. (200 Words)
Refer - Financial Express
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Manish 2 years
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IAS Parliament 2 years
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IAS Parliament 2 years
KEY POINTS
· As per India’s third Biennial Update Report , in 2016, agriculture and livestock emitted 407,821 Gg of CO2e, around 14% of total emissions.
· Out of this, 61.3% is linked to livestock. The figures for Land use (LULUCF) are net sink of 307,820 Gg CO2e, representing 15% removal from total emissions, primarily from forest and cropland.
· Soil: Fertile soil enhances farm yields and incomes apart from being a carbon sink. Healthy soil holds more moisture and soil conservation methods reduce erosion.
· Freshwater: Agriculture consumes over 80% of freshwater in India, making conservation critical. Micro-irrigation with automation and adoption of low water-intensive species and farming practices is essentia.
· Alternate cropping: This contributes to GHG mitigation and is an emerging area in climate-smart farming. For example, seaweed cultivation as additive to cattle feed reduces biogenic methane emissions, improves feed quality, and enhances milk production.
· Bio-energy from farm waste: This offers immense potential for mitigating emissions as well as growth in non-farm economic activity. Manure-based community biogas plants can support clean cooking and distributed power.
· As for land use, the key elements are halting deforestation, rejuvenating degraded forests, and accelerating afforestation. India has been an early mover through its “Greening India Mission” and NDC and aims to create 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon sinks by 2030.
