Excess use of hazardous agrochemicals and inorganic fertilizers resulted negative impact on environmental outcomes and degraded soil function, biological diversity, and ecosystem services. A 15-year long-term (2004–05 to 2017–18) field experiment was conducted to improve the ecosystem services with soil quality restoration and stabilization of yield through agronomic manipulation in the rice (Oryza sativa)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) system under Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). Three crop management practices (i) organic crop management, (ii) inorganic crop management, and (iii) integrated crop management were evaluated at four locations (i) Jabalpur, (ii) Ludhiana, (iii) Pantnagar, and (iv) Modipuram in a factorial randomized block design and replicated thrice at each location. Among the spatial variation, the highest soil quality indicators like soil microbial biomass carbon (0.52 mg g⁻¹), fungal (46.2 CFU × 10⁴ CFU), bacterial (54.2 CFU × 10⁶ CFU), and actinomycetes viable cells (23.0 CFU × 10⁶ CFU), and nutrients (available N and available P) were observed at Pantnagar than other location. The soilpH varied from 7.2 to 8.3, and the lowest bulk density (ρb) was recorded at Jabalpur and Modipuram. Subsequently, higher system productivity (8,196.7 kg ha⁻¹) and net returns were obtained in Pantnagar > Ludhiana, and it was 44.1–63.4% higher than in Modipuram and Jabalpur. Among the crop management, organic crop management significantly improved (p< 0.05) ρb, soil organic carbon, available N, available P, and available K by 3.7%, 33.3%, 16.4%, 37.8%, and 20.3% over inorganic crop management, respectively. Similarly, the highest bacterial, fungal, and actinomycetes viable cell counts were found under the organic plots, followed by integrated plots. In terms of productivity, integrated crop management (ICM) had increased the system productivity by 4.7%–6.7% and net returns by 22.2% and 23.5% over inorganic and organic crop management. Similarly, the highest sustainability yield index (SYI) was recorded in integrated crop management (0.77) as compared to inorganic (0.74) and organic management (0.75). The soil quality index was estimated as 0.60, 0.53, and 0.54 in organic, inorganic, and ICM, respectively. Hence, the study indicated that the application of organic amendments under organic or integrated crop management improves the system’s resiliency and sustainability. Therefore, the study concludes that towards organic approach (integrated application of organic amendments with a gradual reduction in mineral fertilizers) is better suitable for keeping the rice–wheat system productivity and sustainable in the long term.

Introduction: Developing an intensive sustainable model and feeding a rising population are worldwide challenges. The task is much more daunting in the North Eastern Himalayas, where, low productive maize (Zea mays)- fallow is the main production system in the upland. To increase farm productivity, nutritional security, and energy dietary returns while maintaining environmental sustainability and economic viability, short-duration crops must be included in the maize–fallow system.Methods: A field study was conducted in sandy clay loam soil with a randomized complete block design with three replications for three continuous years (2018–2021) under organic management with two crop management practices, viz., (i) conservation agriculture and (ii) conventional agriculture, and six crop diversification options, viz., (i) maize–sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata)–vegetable pea (Pisum sativa) (M-SC-VP), (ii) maize–sweet corn-mustard (Brassica juncea) (M-SC-M), (iii) maize–sweet corn–lentil (Lens culinaris) (M-SC-L), (iv) maize–sweet corn–vegetable broad bean (Vicia faba) (M-SC-VB), (v) maize (local)–vegetable pea (M-VP), and (vi) maize (local)–fallow (M-F).Results: The results showed that, the average system productivity was 5.3% lower for conventional agriculture than conservation agriculture. System carbohydrate, protein, fat, dietary fiber, and dietary energy were ~6.9, 6.8, 7.8, 6.7, and 7%, higher in conservation agriculture than in conventional agriculture, respectively. Similarly, system macronutrients (Ca, Mg, P, and K) and system micronutrients yield (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) were, 5.2–8% and 6.9–7.4% higher in conservation agriculture than in conventional agriculture, respectively. On average, over the years, crop diversification with M-SC-VP/M-SC-VB intensive crop rotation had higher system productivity (158%), production efficiency (157%), net returns (benefit–cost ratio) (44%), and dietary net energy returns (16.6%) than the local maize–vegetable pea system. Similarly, the M-SC-VP/M-SC-VB system improved the nutritional security by improving Ca, Mg, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu yield by 35.5–135.7% than the local M-VP system.Discussion: Conservation agriculture with M-SC-VP/M-SC-VB rotation showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher productivity, carbohydrate yield, protein yield, fat yield, and dietary fiber production. It is concluded that conservation agriculture improved soil health and performed better than conventional agriculture in maize-based intensive cropping systems. Overall results indicate that crop diversification with M-SC-VP/M-SC-VB can potentially increase calorie and protein consumption and farm profitability.

Climate change impacts agricultural productivity and farmers’ income, integrated farming systems (IFS) provide a mechanism to cope with such impacts. The nature and extent of climatic aberrations, perceived impact, and adaptation strategies by the farmers reduce the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate 2160 IFS farmers about their perceptions of climate change, barriers, and the likelihood of adapting to the negative impacts of climate change. The study observed an increasing rainfall trend for humid (4.18 mm/year) and semi-arid (0.35 mm/year) regions, while a decreasing trend was observed in sub-humid (−2.02 mm/year) and arid (−0.20 mm/year) regions over the last 38 years. The annual rise in temperature trends observed in different ACZs varied between 0.011–0.014 °C. Nearly 79% of IFS farmers perceived an increase in temperature, decreasing rainfall, variability in the onset of monsoon, heavy terminal rains, mid-season dry spells, and frequent floods due to climate change. The arid, semi-arid, sub-humid, and humid farmers’ adapted several measures in different components with an adaption index of 50.2%, 66.6%, 83.3%, and 91.6%, respectively. The majority of the IFS farmers perceived constraints in adopting measures to climate change, such as meta barriers, capacity barriers, and water barriers. Therefore, we infer that educated farmers involved in diversified and profitable farms with small to medium landholdings are concerned more about climate change in undertaking adaptive strategies to reduce the environmental impact of climate change.

Introduction: Millets are nutritionally superior and climate-resilient short-duration crops and hold a prominent place in cropping sequences around the world. They have immense potential to grow in a marginal environment due to diverse adaptive mechanisms.Methods: An experiment was conducted in an organic production system in the North Eastern Himalayan foothills of India for 3 consecutive years by evaluating high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of different millets, viz., finger millet, foxtail millet, little millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, and browntop millet, along with local landraces of finger millets (Sikkim-1 and Sikkim-2; Nagaland-1 and Nagaland-2) to identify stable, high-yielding, and nutritionally superior genotypes suited for the region.Results: Among the various millets, finger millet, followed by little millet and foxtail millet, proved their superiority in terms of productivity (ranging between 1.16 and 1.43 Mg ha⁻¹) compared to other millets. Among different varieties of finger millets, cv. VL Mandua 352 recorded the highest average grain yield (1.43 Mg ha⁻¹) followed by local landraces, Nagaland-2 (1.31 Mg ha⁻¹) and Sikkim-1 (1.25 Mg ha⁻¹). Root traits such as total root length, root volume, average diameter of roots, and root surface area were significantly higher in finger millet landraces Nagaland-1, Nagaland-2, and Sikkim-1 compared to the rest of the millet genotypes. The different millets were found to be rich sources of protein as recorded in foxtail millet cv. SiA 3088 (12.3%), proso millet cv. TNAU 145 (11.5%), and finger millet landraces, Sikkim-1 and Nagaland-2 (8.7% each). Finger millet landrace Sikkim-2 recorded the highest omega-6 content (1.16%), followed by barnyard millet cv. VL 207 (1.09%). Barnyard millet cv. VL 207 recorded the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content (1.23%), followed by foxtail millet cv. SiA 3088 (1.09%). The local finger millet landraces Sikkim-1 and Sikkim-2 recorded the highest levels of histidine (0.41%) and tryptophan (0.12%), respectively. Sikkim-1 and Nagaland-2 recorded the highest level of thiamine (0.32%) compared to the HYVs.Conclusion: These findings indicate that finger millet has great potential in the organic production system of the North Eastern Himalayan Region (NEHR) of India, and apart from HYVs like VL Mandua 352, local landraces, viz., Nagaland-2 and Sikkim-1, should also be promoted for ensuring food and nutritional security in this fragile ecosystem.

Introduction: The increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration, which mainly is attributed to fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation, is often suggested as one of the prime causative factors toward accelerated global warming. This commends for sequestration of atmospheric carbon under terrestrial systems to partially offset fossil-fuel emissions. Concerning the same, agricultural sector presents an extensive opportunity, especially for countries such as India where over 55% of the population is engaged in the agriculture sector.Methods: Sequestering atmospheric carbon in agriculture requires the adoption of climate-resilient alternative agriculture practices without compromising food security. The deliberated study highlights the options of alteration in current conventional farming practices and its economic evaluation for sequestrating carbon under two Climate Change (CC) scenarios, viz., RCP 4.5 and 8.5, over three temporal scales, i.e., 2020, 2030, and 2050. Considering the current land-use pattern and existing growth rate in land-use shifting, three land-use policies, namely, Business as Usual (BaU), Optimistic, and Pessimistic scenario, integrated with CC scenarios were contemplated. Six possible futuristic scenarios were generated for the assessment of carbon sequestration and its valuation following the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoff (InVEST) model.Results: The results suggested that across the studied region adopting an optimistic policy over BaU and pessimistic scenario, carbon can sequestrate an additional 0.64 to 1.46 Mt. (2.35 to 5.36 million ton CO₂e) having an economic value of 193.4 to 504.8 million USD.Results: Moreover, the outcomes of the study are advocated for the policy of carbon credit in the agriculture sector, which shall contribute toward meeting various nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) as well.