Whalesbook
Dekho, India ki kheti se practically 16% desh ka greenhouse gas emission nikalta hai. Iska main reason hai hamara wahi purana rice-wheat system aur bhar bhar ke nitrogen fertilizers ka use, jisse nitrous oxide (N₂O) nikalta hai. Aur wo jo chawal ke khet mein pani bhara rehta hai, usse methane (CH₄) release hota hai. Ye cereal-centric farming hamari zameen ko bhi kharab kar rahi hai, pani bhi khatam kar rahi hai aur environment ko bhi nuksan pahuncha rahi hai.
Par solution hai, aur woh bhi nature ka diya hua! Ye dals, jaise chickpeas, groundnuts, soybeans, lentils – yeh sab natural nitrogen fixers hain. Yeh hawa mein se nitrogen lekar seedha zameen mein daal dete hain. Isse synthetic nitrogen fertilizers ki zarurat bahut kam ho jaati hai, aur N₂O emissions bhi kam ho jate hain. Ek 2023 ki study kehti hai ki ye khud 70 kg nitrogen per hectare tak fix kar sakte hain, jo ki bahar se urea daalne ke barabar hai. Is natural fertilization se plants bhi acche ugte hain aur soil ki fertility bhi badhti hai.
Aur mazedaar baat ye hai ki dalhan ugne wale khet ki zameen cereal monoculture wale khet se zyada healthy hoti hai. Studies ne dikhaya hai ki 11% zyada NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) aur 16-17% zyada carbon sequestration hota hai. Paani bhi ye 25% kam maangte hain cereal ke comparison mein. Agar inke environmental benefits, jaise natural fertilization aur pani bachana, ko ecosystem services ki tarah value karein, toh ye ₹15,000 per hectare tak kama sakte hain.
Magar, itne sab fayde hone ke bawajood, India ne dalhan ki potential ko abhi poori tarah use nahi kiya hai. Dalhan abhi sirf 21% khet mein ugta hai, jabki cereals lagbhag aadhe khet par hain aur unka production zyada tezi se badh raha hai. Iska reason hai policy ka bias. Green Revolution ke time se hi rice aur wheat ko subsidies, irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, aur MSP ka support mil raha hai. Market mein bhi cereals ko better procurement aur logistics milte hain, isliye dalhan peeche reh gaya hai.