Respected Sir, Rk Naresh

Conservation agriculture in India sustains soil quality by minimizing soil disturbance and promoting the retention of crop residues, which improves organic matter content, reduces erosion, and conserves water resources. This approach is essential in India to combat soil degradation, enhance agricultural sustainability, and efficiently manage water resources in water-scarce regions.

Dear Dr Himanshu Tiwari thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has multiple beneficial effects on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. In addition, CA can reduce the negative impacts of conventional agricultural practices on soil health while conserving the production and provision of soil ecosystem services. CA influences soil physical properties such as bulk density and porosity as well as chemical and biological properties. Soil conservation focuses on keeping soils healthy through a combination of practices and techniques. Individuals committed to soil conservation help ensure that soil is fertile and productive, and protect it from erosion and deterioration. Water distribution is uneven and therefore, large parts of India remain deficient in rain, as well as groundwater. CA enhances crop production systems' resilience and climate resilience by reducing energy use and emissions. It also offers resilience to drought and excessive heat, as increased soil moisture increases transpiration during crop maturity, thereby protecting crops from terminal heat. Keeping soil covered, through planting and structural development or the result of the spatial arrangement of the solid soil, prevents soil from wearing away and promotes water conservation. Farmers often work to prevent soil erosion in the off season by planting cover crops.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a set of agricultural practices that aim to conserve, improve, and make more efficient use of natural resources through integrated management of available soil, water and biological resources combined with external inputs. It is based on three core principles:

CA has a number of potential benefits for sustaining soil quality and conserving water resources in India. These include:

• Improved soil structure: CA practices such as minimal soil disturbance and permanent soil cover can help to improve soil structure. This makes the soil more resistant to erosion, improves water infiltration and retention, and increases the availability of nutrients to plants.
• Increased soil organic matter: CA practices can help to increase soil organic matter levels. Soil organic matter is essential for soil health, as it helps to improve water infiltration and retention, nutrient availability, and soil structure.
• Reduced water use: CA practices such as minimal soil disturbance and permanent soil cover can help to reduce water use by improving water infiltration and retention. This is particularly important in India, where water resources are scarce and climate change is increasing the risk of drought.

In addition to these benefits, CA can also help to improve crop yields, reduce production costs, and increase farmer profitability.

Here are some examples of how CA is being used to sustain soil quality and conserve water resources in India:

• In the Indo-Gangetic Plains, CA is being used to reduce soil erosion and improve water infiltration in the wheat-rice cropping system. This is being done by using no-till seeders to plant wheat directly into the stubble of the previous rice crop.
• In the rainfed regions of India, CA is being used to improve soil moisture retention and reduce crop water requirements. This is being done by using cover crops and mulching to protect the soil surface and reduce evaporation.
• In the arid and semi-arid regions of India, CA is being used to improve soil fertility and increase crop yields. This is being done by using crop rotations and intercropping to improve nutrient availability and reduce pest and disease problems.

The Government of India is also promoting CA through various initiatives, such as the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and the National Mission on Climate Change.

CA is a promising approach for sustaining soil quality and conserving water resources in India. However, it is important to note that CA is a complex system and requires careful planning and management. Farmers need to be trained on CA practices and provided with access to the necessary inputs and equipment.

Dr Murtadha Shukur thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Keeping soil covered, through planting and structural development or the result of the spatial arrangement of the solid soil, prevents soil from wearing away and promotes water conservation. Farmers often work to prevent soil erosion in the off season by planting cover crops. Conservation Agriculture (CA) enhances crop production systems' resilience and climate resilience by reducing energy use and emissions. It also offers resilience to drought and excessive heat, as increased soil moisture increases transpiration during crop maturity, thereby protecting crops from terminal heat. Conservation tillage is a set of practices that leave crop residues on the surface which increases water infiltration and reduces erosion. It is a practice used in conventional agriculture to reduce the effects of tillage on soil erosion. Soil conservation focuses on keeping soils healthy through a combination of practices and techniques. Individuals committed to soil conservation help ensure that soil is fertile and productive, and protect it from erosion and deterioration. CA has a number of potential benefits for sustaining soil quality and conserving water resources in India. These include: Improved soil structure: CA practices such as minimal soil disturbance and permanent soil cover can help to improve soil structure.