Plunder of natural resources must be curbed

Surinder S Kukal

AN agrarian state like Punjab needs a practical and doable agricultural policy. It is expected that the policy being framed will factor in all aspects of the agricultural production system. Till date, half-baked policies revolved around agricultural production, marketing, subsidies, etc. without much emphasis on climate resilience and conservation of natural resources. This resulted in depletion and degradation of natural resources, including water, soil and air, over the years. In the absence of any clear-cut policy, the water cycle, carbon cycle and nutrient cycle — responsible for the renewal of these resources — have got disturbed. The three resource components of the environment — air, soil and water — are most critical for agricultural sustainability. However, their increasing degradation is taking a toll not only on human and animal health but have also put a question mark on the sustainability of agriculture in Punjab.

The intensive cropping, coupled with high-yielding varieties and non-recycling of crop residue in Punjab, has led to excessive mining of soil nutrients, leading to a stage where we cannot think of growing an ordinary crop without adding nutrients artificially in the form of chemical fertilisers. The organic carbon content, considered to be the lifeline of soil fertility, is quite low (0.51%) in soils of the state. The fertility of the soil has also degraded due to intensive tillage, leading to surface and subsurface compaction.

The ratio/percentage of groundwater extraction to recharge in major cities of the state is very high. The release of untreated industrial effluents, domestic sewage and animal waste in surface water bodies is a major issue of concern.

Over the past few years, every passing year is reported to have been warmer than the previous one. Heat stress during February and March is becoming a recurring phenomenon, thereby affecting wheat yields. The cropping year of 2021-22 witnessed heat stress, which resulted in loss of wheat grain yield to the extent of 25% in some districts. February this year has already been declared the warmest month in several decades. Too much heat in February-March can sterilise the pollens, apart from shrinking the grains, thereby leading to loss of wheat productivity. The minimum temperatures are also showing an increasing trend over the years. Apart from affecting crop yields, heat stress is resulting in higher water demand in agricultural and other sectors.

Untimely rain or no rain is affecting agricultural production. Erratic rainfall distribution has been taking a toll on groundwater resources and crop productivity in many parts of the country.

The Punjab Government is keen to come out with a sustainable agricultural policy so as to handhold small and medium farmers, who are the worst sufferers of depleting natural resources and worsening climatic conditions. However, to achieve this objective, natural resource conservation and climate resilience have to be the pivotal points of any such policy which could sustain farming for many years to come. Some key issues need to be addressed in the agricultural policy of the state:

n Integrated agriculture: Natural or organic farming being advocated across the country may not prove to be effective in many parts, particularly in Punjab, where the benchmark for agricultural productivity is quite high. However, to sustain natural resources like water, soil and air, it is important to move from purely chemical to integrated agriculture, including recycling of crop and animal residues.

n Conservation agriculture: To restore the natural carbon cycle, it is a must to revert to the principle of nature that all biomass should become part of the soil. Thus, strategies for crop and animal residue management need to be chalked out, including the development of indigenously developed machinery and agronomic practices.

n Crop diversification: To successfully diversify the cropping pattern, plans need to be prepared at the block/cluster level based on water availability, niche area crops and a market chain, including value addition or at least grading of the produce.

n Reorienting research: It’s time for agricultural research organisations to shift their focus from production to resource conservation and climate resilience. As heatwaves and moisture stress are likely to intensify in the coming times, we need to focus on developing heat/moisture/salt stress-tolerant crop cultivars.

n Life cycle assessment (LCA) of cropping system: Crop cultivation strictly as per the state agricultural university’s recommendations must be ensured, such as the judicious use of inputs, especially water, nutrients and pesticides. A brand of sustainably produced product (SPP) could be developed, based on LCA for its marketing for imports or for domestic use.

An agricultural policy focusing on resource conservation and climate resilience is the need of the hour; it can ensure sustaining profitable farming, apart from conservation of natural resources and climate mitigation.

The author is Member, Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority