CARBON FOOTPRINT OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE

Abstract

Green Revolution pioneered in increasing food production in India, but this led to a significant increase in the carbon footprint, raising concerns about sustainability and its implications for food production and climate change. Given India’s status as the world’s third largest GHG emitter and with agriculture responsible for 18 % of total national emissions, the study aligns with national priorities outlined in India’s Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs) (Sapkota et al., 2019). With the predicted rise in population, there is an urgent need to transition towards sustainable agricultural practices that maximise yield while minimising environmental impact. This dissertation explores the dynamics of carbon emissions and sustainability in Indian agriculture from 1966 to 2017. The study comprehensively analyses the carbon footprint associated with green revolution technologies for significant crops at the district level in India. Specifically, the study examines carbon emission trends, crop-specific contributions, and district-level variations in carbon sustainability indices (CSI) across significant crops. Over the study period, carbon emissions from agricultural inputs increased significantly, driven by intensive farming practices and the widespread adoption of green revolution technologies, escalating from 6.85 Tg in 1966 to 37.5 Tg in 2017. Notably, crops such as rice, sugarcane and wheat emerged as significant contributors to carbon emissions, with rice exhibiting a six-fold increase since 1966. District-level assessments revealed diverse CSI values across regions and crops, with a noticeable shift towards negative values in 2017, indicating reduced input use efficiency at the district level. This research underscores the critical imperative of transitioning towards sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate carbon emissions while preserving food security and ecological sustainability. The study aims to inform evidence-based policies and interventions to foster a more carbon-efficient agricultural landscape by delineating emissions trends and highlighting district-level variations in carbon sustainability.