agriculture review
by aditya abhishek
Modern farming techniques are intensive use of farm machinery, use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, selective breeding, genetically modified crops, etc.
Since industrialization, the population started increasing rapidly across the globe. Hence, modern farming techniques helped farmers to produce more, but at what cost?
With the introduction of high-yielding crop varieties, the native crop varieties came to the risk of extinction. For instance, yellow ragi have become extinct now.
Practicing excessive tillage to remove weeds and clods, has led to the erosion of soil. This causes a reduction in crop yield over time.
Residues of chemical fertilizers and pesticides pollute nearby water bodies, soil and underground water. It poses a direct threat to animal and human health.
Soil contains millions of beneficial organisms required to decompose organic materials, excessive use of chemicals destroys these organisms and disturbs the ecosystem.
Monocropping leads to a reduction in soil fertility. Moreover cultivating the same crop again and again for a longer time leads to loss of nutrients from the soil.
Humans can reverse this process by adopting sustainable farming practices such as the use of organic fertilizers, multiple cropping, Integrated pest management, zero tillage, etc.
thanks for reading!