New farming technology holds potential to stop desertification

What’s Happening ?

• Innovation: Desert ‘soilification’ technology using an indigenous bioformulation.
• Objective: Convert arid desert sand into agriculturally productive soil, combating desertification in western Rajasthan.
• Location: Banseli village, Ajmer district, Rajasthan (edge of Thar desert).
• Timeline: Seeds sown in November 2024, harvested April 2025.
• Crop: Wheat variety Wheat-4079, indigenous.
• Yield Outcome:
  • 13 kg seeds → 260 kg wheat per 1,000 sq. metres (ratio 1:20).
  • Higher than normal wheat agriculture.
• Irrigation Efficiency: Only 3 cycles required instead of 5–6 in conventional wheat farming, showing high water retention.

Relevance :

• GS III (Environment & Agriculture): Desertification, soil degradation, water-efficient biotech farming, dryland crop diversification.
• GS II (Governance): Role of CUoR, KVK, Rajasthan Horticulture Dept; policy relevance for Desert Development Programme.

Why It’s in the News ?

• Environmental significance: Technology could stop the expansion of Thar desert towards the National Capital Region (NCR).
• Societal impact: Demonstrates applied science turning into productive agriculture in hostile conditions.
• Policy relevance: Supports sustainable agriculture, desert management, and water conservation, linked to GS III topics like Environment, Agriculture, and Disaster Management.

Scientific Background

• Technology:
  • Sand transformed into soil-like structure using polymers and bioformulations.
  • Promotes cross-linking of sand particles and stimulates beneficial microbes.
  • Enhances stress resistance of crops in arid conditions.
• Laboratory Trials:
  • Crops tested: Bajra, guar gum, chickpea.
  • Result: 54% higher yield in bioformulation-amended sand.
• Field Trials:
  • Pilot wheat crop on 1,000 sq. metres of desert land.
  • Success demonstrates scalability in real desert conditions.

Institutional Support

• Lead Institution: Central University of Rajasthan (CUoR), Department of Microbiology.
• Collaborators:
  • Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK): Layout planning and scaling of field trials.
  • Rajasthan Horticulture Department: Field facilitation.
• Research Team: Led by Prof. Akhil Agrawal, executed by research scholar Diksha Kumari.

Future Plans

• Crop Expansion: Plan to grow millet, green gram, and other dryland crops.
• Geographic Expansion: Extend technology across Rajasthan and other arid regions of India.
• Sustainability: Reduce water dependency in agriculture, address desertification and soil degradation.

Broader Context

• Environmental Concern:
  • Desertification in western Rajasthan, worsened by:
    • Degradation of Aravali ranges.
    • Unscientific plantation drives.
    • Changes in rainfall patterns and sand dune spread.
• Agricultural Significance:
  • Provides a solution to low productivity in arid lands.
  • Demonstrates integration of biotechnology and sustainable farming.
• Global Relevance: Could be a model for desert agriculture in other arid regions worldwide.

Strategic Implications

• Climate Adaptation: Shows potential for water-efficient farming under extreme climatic conditions.
• Technology Transfer: Can inform government schemes like Desert Development Programme and watershed management initiatives.
• Socioeconomic Impact: Promotes livelihood security in marginal lands, improves local food production, and may reduce migration from desert areas.