Kerala seed farm declared as first carbon neutral farm

Subject :Environment

Section: Climate change

Context: Kerala Chief Minister declared a seed farm, located in Aluva here, as the first carbon neutral farm in the country.

More on the News:

A significant reduction in carbon emission has helped the seed farm, under the Agricultural Department, achieve carbon neutral status.
The total amount of carbon emission from the farm, located at Thuruthu in Aluva, in the last one year was 43 tons but its overall procurement was 213 ton.
Compared to the emission rate, as many as 170 tons of more carbon have been procured at the farm, which helped it to be declared as the first carbon neutral seed farm in the country.
The Kerala state will introduce carbon-neutral farming methods in selected locations, for which the government has allocated ₹6 crore in the 2022-23 Budget.
In the first phase, carbon-neutral farming will be implemented in 13 farms under the Agriculture department and tribal areas, and steps are on to convert the State Seed Farm at Aluva a carbon-neutral farm.
In the second phase, model carbon-neutral farms will be developed in all the 140 Assembly constituencies.

Carbon Neutral Farming

Carbon neutral farming refers to the practice of agricultural methods that do not emit more carbon than they sequester from the atmosphere.
It involves implementing practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promoting methods that increase carbon sequestration. Examples of carbon neutral farming practices include reducing the use of fossil fuels, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, reducing tillage, and promoting cover crops.
Improving soil health through integrated farming methods, rotation of crops, adoption of fertigation, precision farming methods, changing the ways in which the soil is irrigated and limiting the indiscriminate use of fertilizers were important for preventing soil degradation and thus reducing carbon footprint in agriculture.

Need for Carbon-neutral farming:

Climate change mitigation: Agriculture is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, which are the primary cause of climate change. Carbon-neutral farming can help to mitigate these emissions by reducing the use of fossil fuels and sequestering carbon in the soil.
Soil health: Carbon-neutral farming practices can improve soil health by increasing the organic matter content in the soil. This, in turn, improves soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability.
Biodiversity: Carbon-neutral farming practices can promote biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife and promoting the growth of native plant species.
Food security: Carbon-neutral farming practices can help to ensure food security by promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing the risk of crop failures due to climate change.
Economic benefits: Carbon-neutral farming can provide economic benefits by reducing input costs and increasing yields over the long term. It can also create new income streams for farmers through carbon credit markets.