Cropping System Intensification: Implications on Food Security and Environmental Sustainability in India

Abstract

The study aims to advance the understanding of different stakeholders  about the sustainable intensification in India by assessing current cropping systems, analyzing the effects of intensification, comparing traditional and intensified systems, suggesting alternative cropping systems, and providing evidence-based policy recommendations to promote environmentally responsible agricultural practices. Globally, agroecosystems face serious environmental issues, which poses a significant challenge to achieving human food security. The world population is increasing at the rate of 1.3% while per capita effective cultivated land decreases at the rate of 0.55% per annum. The task is much more daunting in South Asia, especially in India, where annual population growth is ~2%. Hence, there is minimal scope to expand cropland to accommodate the food requirement of ever-increasing population. So, there is a need to increase the cropping frequency on the given piece of land for a definite period in sustainable manner. Intensive cropping systems have substantially increased energy use, fertilizer, and other input consumption, which causes environmental degradation and reduces agricultural sustainability. Thus, sustainable intensification is crucial for enhancing farm production, food security, agrobiodiversity, and ecological sustainability in India. Currently, the cropping intensity of India is ~143% this indicates that there is considerable scope to increase the cropping intensity through sustainable intensification, which can potentially cater to the nutritious food requirement of an ever-increasing population without compromising the environmental sustainability. Sustainable intensification is a robust substitution of traditional cropping systems to produce more food with lesser ecological footprints. This review aims to update the information on the areas under dominant cropping systems of India and the impact of cropping system intensification on food production, soil health, environmental quality, and economic returns and suggest alternative cropping systems for enhancing food production and achieving sustainable development goals. The outcome of this article will also be useful for the academicians and policy developers to plan a robust road map for environmentally sound, soil-supportive, and productive agricultural production planning in India. This study will expand the current understanding of the researchers and policy planners, which will backstop the cropping system research and planning in the country to achieve India’s Bonn challenges and COP-26 commitments besides achieving environmental sustainability, zero hunger, and cleaner production targets.