The Current Crossroads

The Green Revolution in the 1960s helped India overcome a time when food was scarce. It increased crop production and made the country more self-reliant. However, over the years, the use of chemical-based farming has started to create serious problems. Soil quality has gone down, water levels are falling, and many useful plants and insects have disappeared. There is also rising concern about the health effects of chemical traces left in food. Many small farmers now rely on expensive fertilizers and pesticides, which often puts them in debt.

Farming has also become harder because of climate change. Unpredictable rains, extreme weather, and rising temperatures are making it more difficult to grow crops. India now produces more food than before, yet many people still don’t get enough nutrition. At the same time, the way this food is being grown is putting pressure on the environment. Natural farming offers a clear and practical solution to many of these issues.

What is Natural Farming?

Natural farming represents a philosophy rooted in ecological harmony. It is not merely a chemical-free version of agriculture; it is a holistic method that encourages farmers to work with nature, rather than try to control or override it. It promotes the use of farm-based and bio-derived inputs such as fermented plant extracts, composted organic matter, and microbial-rich solutions that nourish the soil without depleting its life. The emphasis is on regenerating soil health, increasing biodiversity, and reducing reliance on market-bought synthetic inputs.

This approach relies on the natural rhythms and cycles of the ecosystem. It avoids aggressive tilling, monocropping, and synthetic pesticides, instead encouraging crop diversity, minimal soil disturbance, and the reuse of organic waste. Natural farming is, at its core, a closed-loop system, where what comes from the earth goes back to it, forming a self-sustaining cycle.

The Link Between Natural Farming and Food Security

Food security today means more than just having enough to eat. It also depends on how nutritious the food is, whether farmers can afford to grow it, and whether the farming methods are safe for the environment. Natural farming supports all of these needs.

Crops grown naturally often have more nutrients because the soil they grow in is healthier. These crops also have fewer chemicals, which makes them safer to eat and matches what many people are now looking for—cleaner, healthier food. For farmers, natural farming reduces the need to buy expensive fertilizers and pesticides. This can help them save money and earn a better income, especially for those with small plots of land.

Natural farming also helps in dealing with climate change. It improves the soil’s ability to store carbon and hold water, making farms more resistant to droughts and extreme weather. In today’s changing climate, this kind of resilience is very important. Natural farming also uses waste from farms, animals, and even cities in a useful way. Instead of throwing this waste away, it becomes part of the farming process. This not only reduces pollution but also makes farming more efficient and sustainable.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its many benefits, natural farming cannot scale overnight. Transitioning from chemical-intensive farming requires not just training, but a mindset shift. Farmers need support during the initial phases when yields may fluctuate, and they need access to credible information, community-based infrastructure, and market recognition for the produce they grow naturally.

Government programs and grassroots movements in various parts of the country have demonstrated that this transformation is not only possible but practical. With the right institutional support, from public policy to farmer cooperatives, natural farming can become a viable mainstream model. It also opens up possibilities for rural entrepreneurship, especially in the development and distribution of bio-inputs, composting systems, and waste-to-resource technologies.

At its most effective, this model thrives when local knowledge is combined with scientific rigor, and when communities are empowered to take ownership of their soil, water, and food systems. As consumers become more health-conscious and environmentally aware, the market for naturally grown food is also steadily expanding, further reinforcing the viability of this approach.

The Way Forward

India’s farming story has always combined new ideas with traditional methods. Natural farming can be the next step forward. It uses age-old techniques along with today’s knowledge about healthy soil and the environment. This approach doesn’t mean giving up on technology or big farms. It means using them in ways that protect nature instead of damaging it. If we want to make sure everyone has enough good food in the future, just growing more is not enough. We need to grow food in a way that is safer, healthier, and better for the planet. Natural farming helps us do that. It keeps the soil healthy, supports farmers, and gives people cleaner food. Choosing this way of farming is not about going back in time. It’s about moving forward more smartly and responsibly, one that stays connected to the land that feeds us.

The post Natural Farming and India’s Food Security: Why Going Back to Roots is the Way Forward appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

Diagram-1: The nine domains of growth

Bengaluru, Friday, 7 July 2025: Megatrends such as climate change, demographic shifts and technological disruptions are creating new avenues for value creation that transcend traditional industry boundaries. Amid this scenario, businesses are rapidly diversifying to capitalise on the evolving landscape. However, to navigate this transformation effectively, they require a fresh approach to identify where and how to diversify in order to seize value in motion. To support this need, PwC has developed a domain-based framework designed to guide strategic-decision making in this new era.

According to PwC India’s report, ‘Navigating the value shift’, Indian businesses can unlock USD 9.82 trillion in gross value added (GVA) by 2035 by tapping into these growth domains. Domains represent markets where businesses go beyond traditional sector boundaries to address fundamental human and industrial needs. Value within these domains is created through collaboration across ecosystems and interconnected value chains. By integrating diverse economic sectors, domains open up new avenues for growth, enabling a diverse range of companies to participate and thrive.

“India CEOs are already responding to these shifts. In PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey: India perspective published in January 2025, 40% of India CEOs stated that their companies have entered at least one new sector in the past five years, with half of them generating up to 20% of their revenue from these new ventures,” said Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC in India. “But to sustain momentum and unlock full value, businesses must move beyond ad hoc diversification. A domain-led lens that goes beyond the sector-led approach provides a powerful way to reimagine capabilities, collaborate across ecosystems, and build future-ready business and revenue models.”

The post Domains driven by human and industrial needs can unlock USD 9.82 trillion in growth opportunities by 2035: PwC India report appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

Researchers from Newcastle University have produced a new study that demonstrates how vulnerable fire-ice—frozen methane sealed as a solid underneath our oceans—is to melting as a result of climate change and potentially spilling into the ocean. According to this study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, this suggests that as a result of climate change, a lot more methane may be vulnerable and released into the atmosphere.

The methane-containing ice-like structure called methane hydrate, or fire-ice, is buried beneath the ocean floor. Under the oceans, marine methane stores enormous volumes of methane. Dissociated methane, which is released into the atmosphere and oceans when the oceans warm, causes it to thaw and contributes to global warming. The scientists examined the piece of the hydrate that dissociated during climatic warming off the coast of Mauritania in Northwest Africa using sophisticated three-dimensional seismic imaging techniques. They pinpointed a particular instance in which, during previous warm periods, dissociated methane traveled almost 40 km and was released through a field of underwater depressions known as pockmarks.

Leading author Professor Richard Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Global and Sustainability, Newcastle University, stated, “It was a Covid lockdown discovery; I pretty much stumbled over 23 pockmarks when I revisited imaging of strata just under the modern seafloor offshore of Mauritania. According to our research, they originated as a result of methane spewing out of hydrate and venting into the ocean from the lowest points of the continental slope. It was previously believed by scientists that this hydrate was not susceptible to climate change, but our findings indicate that a portion of it is.”

Methane Hydrate

The impact of temperature variations in the bottom water close to continental boundaries on methane release from hydrates has been the subject of earlier research. Still, the majority of these investigations were conducted in regions that contain a relatively modest fraction of the world’s methane hydrates. This is one of very few that look into the methane emission from the deeper underwater base of the hydrate stability zone. The findings indicate that a considerable amount of methane that was released from the hydrate stability zone moved in the direction of land.

The Head of Kiel, Germany’s GEOMAR Research Unit Marine Geodynamics, Professor Dr. Christian Berndt, continued, “This is an important discovery.” Until now, studies have concentrated on the shallowest regions of the hydrate stability zone because we believed that these are the only areas that are affected by changes in the climate. The latest findings unequivocally demonstrate that far greater amounts of methane could be released from marine hydrates, and further research is necessary to fully comprehend this phenomenon and the function of hydrates in the climate system.

After carbon dioxide (CO2), methane is the second most prevalent anthropogenic greenhouse gas. According to data from the US Environmental Protection Agency, methane makes up roughly 16% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

The findings of this study may be very helpful in predicting and mitigating the effects of methane on our changing climate. As the earth warms, the team intends to keep looking for signs of methane vents along the margin and attempting to forecast the locations of major methane seeps. To dig deeper into the pockmarks and try to establish a stronger connection between them and previous instances of global warming, the researchers are currently organising a scientific cruise.

Reference: Davies, R. J., Yang, J., Ireland, M. T., Berndt, C., Morales Maqueda, M. Á., & Huuse, M. (2023). 

The post Methane emissions from the deep ocean have been responsible for climate change appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

As the people around the world are grappling with the vagaries of nature in the face of climate change and environmental degradation, the need for a transition to green energy sources has become imperative. In India, the ruling establishment at the Centre has put spotlight on the significance of green energy and resultantly the pursuit of a sustainable future is gaining momentum. India’s geographical location offers huge potential for harnessing solar power, making it one of the world’s largest solar energy markets. The country is blessed with abundant renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, hydro and biomass.

Need of transition to renewable energy, says Minister RK Singh

Addressing the first International Conference on Green Hydrogen 2023, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh said that there is now a global consensus that necessitates a transition to renewable energy. “India is one of the lowest carbon emitters in the world, our per capita emissions are about one third of global average. This stems out of our culture which emphasizes simplicity, this culture is reflected in Mission LiFE as espoused by the Prime Minister,” he added.

Efforts for emissions reduction

On its Nationally Determined Contributions target, India has achieved 40 percent of non-fossil electricity target in 2021, 9 years before the deadline of 2030, the minister said, and added: “India has world-leading programmes in emissions reduction, such as LEDs, which has resulted in reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 103 million tons per annum. Our Perform Achieve Trade Scheme has reduced in emissions reductions of around 106 million tons per annum.” He informed that 42 percent of power generation capacity of India today is based on non-fossil-fuels and that the country will overachieve the target of 50 percent capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.

Govt push for energy efficiency

The ruling dispensation at the Centre under the premiership of Narendra Modi has taken significant steps to promote adoption of green energy. The introduction of the National Solar Mission and the National Wind Energy Mission has set ambitious targets for renewable energy capacity addition. Various financial incentives, tax benefits, and subsidies are being provided to attract investments in renewable energy projects. Additionally, the government’s push for energy efficiency and the adoption of electric vehicles complement the green energy drive, creating a holistic approach to a sustainable future.

Job opportunities

Green energy offers numerous advantages over traditional fossil fuels. It is environmentally friendly, producing minimal carbon emissions and reducing air pollution. This contributes to improving the overall air quality and public health. Renewable energy sources are infinite, ensuring long-term energy security and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Green energy projects can create job opportunities as well, driving economic growth and social development. Green energy technologies are becoming more cost-effective, with declining prices of solar panels and wind turbines, making them increasingly affordable and economically viable.

-RAMAKANT CHAUDHARY

Ramakant Chaudhary works with PR Professionals as DGM-Content Development, and has worked in various editorial roles with Financial Express, Mint (Hindustan Times Group), The Times Of India, Jagran Post (Dainik Jagran Group), The Pioneer, and The Political and Business Daily. He writes on politics, government policy, economy, infrastructure, real estate, social issues, lifestyle, and health

The post Green Energy: Paving the way for a sustainable future in India appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.