If we look at our traditional agricultural practices it was diversified and had the right balance of nutrition. Further, the health of the soil was also good, but with green revolution and the need to provide for all, introduced the monoculture for crops which has disturbed the traditional food systems as well as degraded the soil. With increasing climate impact, monoculture is getting heavily impacted. Monoculture also let to less nutrition value of the food eaten by the community leading to malnutrition, thus there is a need to diversity the food basket. Micro credit is required as need for capital for small and medium farmers without collaterals is huge.

Dr Abha Mishra thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Crop diversification helps divide the risk posed by fluctuating market prices. If in one season the vegetables don't perform well, the farmer can sail through by the income brought in by the pulses that year. And when both the crops get good price, there is also an opportunity to maximize the earnings. This practice allows farmers to expand the production, which helps generate a higher level of income. Agricultural diversification is essential for sustainable livelihoods for the reasons: It leads to shift of workforce from crop production to other allied activities like poultry, livestock, etc.The need for diversification arises because: There is a greater risk of depending exclusively on farming for livelihood; and. To provide productive sustainable livelihood options to rural people. Agriculture Diversification refers to either a change in cropping pattern or the farmers opting for other non-farming options like poultry farming, animal husbandry, etc. This practice allows farmers to expand the production, which helps generate a higher level of income. Reduces the risk of crop failure: As different crops will respond to climate scenarios in different ways, crop diversification will significantly reduce the risk of total crop failure. Further, diversification will also help in mitigating natural calamities. The problems faced by the sample farmers of crop diversification as lack of infrastructure, lack of farm resources, illiteracy, ignorance, lack of capital, risk taking ability, climatic factors, lack of technical knowledge and socio economic factors constraints, respectively. In this system, people who have difficulty in accessing financial support, microfinance helps them to grow their business by providing financial support. They provide various financial services like loans, deposits, savings accounts, money transfers insurance etc. Not only has it enabled last-mile connectivity by affording loans to borrowers living in the remotest corners of the country, but has also helped in empowering underprivileged classes, reducing poverty, and improving living standards. Microfinance has a strong positive impact on improving the livelihood of the urban poor. It revealed that microfinance has a major role in reducing poverty amongst the urban poor. For many, microfinance is a way to promote economic development, employment and growth through the support of micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses; for others it is a way for the poor to manage their finances more effectively and take advantage of economic opportunities while managing the risks. It acts as an anti-poverty vaccine for the people living in rural areas. It aims at supporting communities of the economically excluded to achieve greater level of asset creation and income security at the household and community level. Microfinance in India plays a major role in the development of India. It act as an anti-poverty vaccine for the people living in rural areas. It aims at assisting communities of the economically excluded to achieve greater level of asset creation and income security at the household and community level.