Regenerative agriculture: methods and key features
Why in the news
Policy attention in India turned to regenerative farming as weak soils, water stress and climate swings threaten long-run farm output.
Key facts
- A holistic approach with soil health and biodiversity at the centre.
- Unlike ordinary sustainability, which only maintains conditions, it restores and improves land health over time.
- Goals: richer soil, better water retention, more biodiversity, climate-resilient farms and secure incomes.
- Minimum tillage and year-round soil cover protect structure, microbes and moisture.
- Crop-livestock integration uses dung and urine as natural inputs.
| Method | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Bio-formulations | Farm-derived inputs replace synthetic fertilisers and pesticides to revive soil microbes |
| Soil armour | Cover cropping, green manuring and mulching shield topsoil, hold moisture, build organic matter, cycle nutrients |
| Diversification | Crops combined with livestock, agroforestry, horticulture, fisheries and apiculture for multiple income streams |
| Precision water use | Drip and sprinklers deliver water to roots, avoiding nutrient leaching and runoff |
Bio-inputs
- Beejamrut: seed treatment.
- Jeevamrut: liquid microbial culture; GhanJeevamrut: its solid form.
- Neemastra: neem-based pest control.
- Dashparni: ten-leaf botanical extract against pests.
Exam angle
- Likely question: which bio-input is a seed treatment? Answer: Beejamrut.
- Related terms: minimum tillage, green manuring, agroforestry, apiculture.