Carbon Neutral Farming Methods

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Carbon Neutral Farming Methods: Relevance

Kerala is set to become the first state in India to introduce carbon-neutral farming methods to mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture.

The state will introduce carbon-neutral farming methods in selected locations, for which the government has allocated ₹6 crore in the 2022-23 Budget.
In the first phase, carbon-neutral farming will be implemented in 13 farms, and steps are on to convert the State Seed Farm at Aluva a carbon-neutral farm.
In the second phase, model carbon-neutral farms will be developed in all the 140 Assembly constituencies.

Carbon-neutral agriculture is becoming the need of the hour for environmental balance and improved health and safe sustenance of future generations.
Kerala is witnessing the impact of global warming and climate change, as was evidenced by the unpredictable heavy rain and flooding in recent times.
In such a situation, it is imperative for the state to adopt new and innovative agricultural practices.
Carbon neutral agriculture would reduce carbon emissions and help carbon to be stored in the soil.

The state government has decided to form an organic agriculture mission in 2022 to ensure the production of safe food within the state.
As part of the mission, farmers will be trained in agriculture practices that reduce emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.
Further, ecological engineering, composting, increasing the level of organic carbon in the soil and carbon sequestration in soil will be given more thrust.
Workshops on carbon neutral agriculture will be organised in every panchayat.

Carbon farming is a system of agricultural management that helps the land store more carbon and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that it releases into the atmosphere.
For example, Indian farmers can manage their grazing lands to conserve and restore vegetation, including tree cover along waterways.
Similarly, farmers can also implement fertilizer reduction strategies, such as applying compost or biochar, to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases tied up in vegetation.

Agriculture and climate change are closely related.
Agriculture is regarded as one of the main sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), two of the potent greenhouse gases, however, it also holds a great potential to sequester and store carbon in plants, trees and soils.
A more carbon neutral agriculture is possible, if proper farm management practices are adopted to optimise the carbon balance in farming systems.
These can include practices aiming at reducing livestock CH4 emission, practices that result in a reduced use of farm inputs (e.g. fuels, pesticides, fertilisers) or practices that help keep carbon stored in soils.