‘Creating jobs in agriculture is essential as AI goes to disrupt service sector’

You’ve labored lots on One Well being and Web Zero. Are you able to briefly clarify these ideas?

One well being is in regards to the well being of all the pieces round us. We regularly assume that well being solely refers to human well being. With out defending the well being of the environment, human well being can’t be protected. One well being means the well being of the soil, water, vegetation, meals, animals and all the pieces round us, together with the microbes within the soil. It’s a new idea that got here out very effectively within the G20 summit. It implies that human beings can not survive with out the help of all these items round them. It’s a holistic method in the direction of defending the well being.

Web Zero refers back to the human efforts to scale back the antagonistic environmental impression at each stage. Aside from human beings, each species on earth contributes one thing good to the earth and its atmosphere. They attempt to shield their habitats in their very own means. The human being is the one species that wishes all the pieces for him. Earthworm lives with out harming the atmosphere. Web Zero idea makes an attempt to see whether or not human being may also stay like that.

Is it doable virtually?

In fact, it’s. We have to return to our conventional techniques. Simply evaluate. To provide one kilogram of rice, you want 2000 to five,000 litres of water. You’ll then harvest the crop, course of, clear, transport, and prepare dinner it. There are seven layers concerned earlier than you devour the rice. Every layer adversely impacts the atmosphere in its personal means. You’ll get about 300 to 400 energy by consuming about 250 grams of rice. If you happen to eat 250 grams of guava, you’re going to get the identical quantity of energy with none unfavourable impression on the atmosphere. The fruit has advanced carbohydrates, advanced minerals and different diet. Cultivation of guava is far simpler as in comparison with that of rice. We will go for guava as a substitute of rice. That is simply an instance. We will consider such alternate options in all issues to maneuver in the direction of Web Zero.

Individuals from rural areas in Kalyana Karnataka area migrate to cities in quest of higher a livelihood, as their dryland agriculture will not be worthwhile. How do you information them to make even dryland agriculture worthwhile?

Our land has turn out to be unproductive as a result of we’ve shifted from sustainable practices. Earlier than the Inexperienced Revolution, our soil was fertile. To have good soil, we want three basic items: leaf litter, manure from animals and water-holding capability. If these items are there, all the pieces else could possibly be taken care of. We used to have compost produced by cattle dung and leaf litter. There was no further price for fertilises. Now we have eliminated bushes from agricultural lands. With no bushes on the panorama, the rainwater merely flows out because the soil doesn’t have water-holding capability. We adopted the fashionable farming system discarding the normal one. The self-sufficient agriculture grew to become input-oriented agriculture. Shifting to fashionable agriculture elevated the price of cultivation by 70%, together with 21% for fertilisers, 14% for seeds and 15% for pesticides. Shifting from polyculture to monoculture has additionally adversely impacted the agricultural financial system. Polyculture may meet 70% of your meals necessities akin to quite a lot of pulses, cereals, greens and fruits. Monoculture compelled farmers to purchase them out there.

The one method to handle the migration challenge is to develop the fashions for sustainable dryland farming primarily based on our conventional farming techniques. If the agriculture is sustainable and worthwhile, the individuals will keep again of their villages.

Is reverse migration doable?

The share of agriculture within the GDP is drastically falling. Presently, it contributes round 17% of the GDP as in comparison with 54% by the service sector and 27% by the commercial sector. With the expansion of Synthetic Intelligence, the service sector goes to break down with an enormous lack of jobs. Unemployment will rise. We have to create job alternatives in villages.

Do you assume that the federal government has a job to play on this?

Sure, the federal government has a better function to play. It’s providing subsidies for a lot of fashionable farming actions. It wants to increase subsidies and different types of encouragement to the farmers who need to return to conventional farming. If all farmers scale back using urea simply by one bag, it makes lots of optimistic impression on the atmosphere. Within the current system of agricultural produces advertising and marketing, main revenue is appropriated by middlemen. Each farmers on the one finish and the customers on the opposite finish are at a loss. We’d like intermediating constructions. Nonetheless, the federal government ought to undertake applied sciences to manage their inordinate share in revenue.

Don’t you assume that convincing the individuals is a difficult process?

Sure, it’s. However, seeing results in believing. I had introduced out round 400 publications and anyone hardly learn them. That’s the reason I’m specializing in growing virtually achievable fashions. After I carried out my mannequin in my village, many individuals have been impressed and began following it. When you’ve got one acre of land, you possibly can simply earn ₹1 lakh a yr.

What do it’s important to say to the farming group?

The well being of the nation is measured by the well being of the individuals and the well being of the soil. Each are interconnected. I typically advise farmers to rear cattle, preserve soil, plant bushes and produce seeds on their very own. This stuff make their farming extra sustainable by drastically slicing down the prices incurred on pesticides, fertiliser and seeds.

Revealed – March 19, 2025 11:35 am IST