The practice of turning the soil before planting is so universal that the plough has for centuries been a symbol of agriculture. Continual soil inversion can in some situations lead to a degradation of soil structure leading to a compacted soil composed of fine particles with low levels of soil organic matter. Such soils are more prone to soil loss through water and wind erosion eventually resulting in desertification. This process can directly and indirectly cause a wide range of environmental problems.
To combat soil loss and preserve soil moisture, soil conservation techniques were developed and known as ‘conservation tillage’(CT), this involves soil management practices that minimize the disruption of the soil’s structure, composition and natural bio diversity, thereby minimizing erosion and degradation, but also water contamination. The technique of conservation tillage (CT) is a sustainable development producing technique, with its application of minimal-tillage; zero-tillage; crop stubble management and weeding keeps the crop stubble suitable for covering the soil surface, and reducing water erosion. Other husbandry techniques may also be used in conjunction including cover cropping and non- or surface incorporation of crop residues and this broader approach is termed “conservation agriculture.”
Often farmers using conservation tillage also plant "cover" crops - underneath the main crop or between two different crops - to cover and protect the soil. Cover crops have additional benefits according to the species planted. For instance, legumes enrich the soil with nutrients, while plants with strong, deep roots break up compacted soil. This new method of crop cultivation is known as conservation agriculture - because it conserves the nutrients in the soil, conserves water by improving absorption and infiltration and conserves biodiversity by protecting the natural balance in the fields.
Traditional farming systems in the rice-wheat cropping areas of India were heavily reliant on tillage to prepare a fine seed-bed for sowing. There has been a cultural belief that ‘good farmers’ ploughed the land many times, exacting a heavy toll on soil health and overall productivity. Breaking long-held traditional beliefs and farming practices in India called for a novel approach to resolve the herbicide resistance problem and ended up helping the degraded soils as well. Adoption of the zero-tillage means that future strategies for food security in India can now be based on conservation agriculture with better management of land, water, energy and biological resources.
To promote faster and extensive adoption of resource conservation technologies, a better understanding is needed not only of their impacts at various levels of aggregation (field, farm and region), but also of the factors that influence the adoption and diffusion. Research has indicated the potential technological benefits, but experience suggests that successful adoption depends on a favorable confluence of technical, economic, institutional and policy factors It is only by understanding these factors that researchers, extension specialists, machinery manufacturers and policymakers will be able to modify the technology, delivery mechanisms and policy environment to stimulate successful adoption and diffusion.
