does not make economic sense, if farming is not profitable, and if basic needs are not
provided for the system is unsustainable. Society at large also requires that sustainable practices have a sound economic basis. Long-term subsidies to large groups
of either producers or consumers distort the true picture of costs and can only be
maintained by support from the profits of other sectors. Agricultural sustainability
then demands that farmers continue to make a good living and that the population as
a whole be supplied with an abundance of high quality food at reasonable cost.
Agriculture is a way of life. Many people are born into this way of life or choose
it in preference to what others may describe as the advantages of life in the city.
Sustaining rural life must then provide the basic services related to education,
health, recreation, etc., that all humans have a right to expect. Each one of us is
involved directly or indirectly in all aspects of agriculture. Agriculture is also a
time- and labour-intensive occupation. When the resource base is deficient, the
demands for long hours and heavy physical work can be especially severe. It is
therefore an essential requirement for human well-being that requirements for being
a successful farmer are not as harsh as to preclude opportunities for education,
recreation and relaxation. This applies to all the members of the farm family as well
as the rural community as a whole. Government policy has encouraged productivity
at the expense of other factors, including a need to provide facilities and opportunities for all in the rural community. One consequence is the consolidation of land
and resources in the hands of a small proportion of the total population, leaving
many people with marginal holdings or even no land at all. Unless adequate support
by way of accessible employment in other activities is available, an unsustainable
population of dispossessed persons develops in the rural community. As is the case
for sustainability in any setting, sustainable agriculture must consider and bring
together sound practices in the environmental, economic and social spheres.
1.2 Sustainable Agriculture
The total geographical area of the state is 155.71 lakh ha. Out of this, the net sown
area is about 56.91 lakh ha, which is nearly 36 % of the geographical area. The state
has about 43.52 lakh operational holdings (Agricultural Census 2005–06) of which
small and marginal farmers (having <2 ha land) own 86.16 % of the holdings. The
emphasis is on increasing the productivity per unit land area and increasing cropping intensity. The cultivable area of the state is 61.80 lakh ha, of which 29.14 lakh
ha are high land, 17.55 lakh ha medium land and 15.11 lakh ha low land. Irrigation
facility in the kharif season is available to only 34 % of cultivated area. Although
normal rainfall of the State is 1451.2 mm spread over 69 rainy days, there are
seasonal fluctuations, both in forms of quantity and distribution. This greatly
influences kharif crops. A number of developmental schemes are being implemented to assist farmers to adopt better and scientific methods of crop husbandry
for enhancing production and productivity. Often it is observed during interactions
and from feedback evaluation that the farmers are unable to tap the provisions under
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D. Chand and R. Gartia
provided for the system is unsustainable. Society at large also requires that sustainable practices have a sound economic basis. Long-term subsidies to large groups
of either producers or consumers distort the true picture of costs and can only be
maintained by support from the profits of other sectors. Agricultural sustainability
then demands that farmers continue to make a good living and that the population as
a whole be supplied with an abundance of high quality food at reasonable cost.
Agriculture is a way of life. Many people are born into this way of life or choose
it in preference to what others may describe as the advantages of life in the city.
Sustaining rural life must then provide the basic services related to education,
health, recreation, etc., that all humans have a right to expect. Each one of us is
involved directly or indirectly in all aspects of agriculture. Agriculture is also a
time- and labour-intensive occupation. When the resource base is deficient, the
demands for long hours and heavy physical work can be especially severe. It is
therefore an essential requirement for human well-being that requirements for being
a successful farmer are not as harsh as to preclude opportunities for education,
recreation and relaxation. This applies to all the members of the farm family as well
as the rural community as a whole. Government policy has encouraged productivity
at the expense of other factors, including a need to provide facilities and opportunities for all in the rural community. One consequence is the consolidation of land
and resources in the hands of a small proportion of the total population, leaving
many people with marginal holdings or even no land at all. Unless adequate support
by way of accessible employment in other activities is available, an unsustainable
population of dispossessed persons develops in the rural community. As is the case
for sustainability in any setting, sustainable agriculture must consider and bring
together sound practices in the environmental, economic and social spheres.
1.2 Sustainable Agriculture
The total geographical area of the state is 155.71 lakh ha. Out of this, the net sown
area is about 56.91 lakh ha, which is nearly 36 % of the geographical area. The state
has about 43.52 lakh operational holdings (Agricultural Census 2005–06) of which
small and marginal farmers (having <2 ha land) own 86.16 % of the holdings. The
emphasis is on increasing the productivity per unit land area and increasing cropping intensity. The cultivable area of the state is 61.80 lakh ha, of which 29.14 lakh
ha are high land, 17.55 lakh ha medium land and 15.11 lakh ha low land. Irrigation
facility in the kharif season is available to only 34 % of cultivated area. Although
normal rainfall of the State is 1451.2 mm spread over 69 rainy days, there are
seasonal fluctuations, both in forms of quantity and distribution. This greatly
influences kharif crops. A number of developmental schemes are being implemented to assist farmers to adopt better and scientific methods of crop husbandry
for enhancing production and productivity. Often it is observed during interactions
and from feedback evaluation that the farmers are unable to tap the provisions under
264
D. Chand and R. Gartia