Sustaining agriculture production through crop-diversification: Pulses as a key alternative

Abstract

Though India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses and contributes 26% and 30% to the worldís production and consumption, respectively, there is need to enhance production to meet the projected demand of 32 mt by 2030 and 39 mt by 2050. A daily component of about every Indian meal, pulses helps meet the daily nutritional needs, particularly vegetable protein. Besides this, food legumes are also able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and also provide soil cover. Amongst different agro-ecosystems prevailing in India, pulses have great opportunity to find place in improving sustainability. The present agricultural technologies need a shift towards profit oriented sustainable farming systems. Significant increase in area and production of pulse crops is possible by crop diversification, intercropping, growing in fallow season, precision farming, and mechanized method of cultivation complimented with generous governmental policies can aptly aid in sustaining agricultural produce by adopting pulses as a key component in the existing cropping systems.