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Annual food grain production in India increased from about 50 million tons in 1950 to almost 220 million tons in 2007. Despite these impressive gains, the expected food grain demand for medium dietary requirement will be 253 million tons by 2011, 308 million tons by 2021, and 338 million tons by 2025. The food demand is driven by increase in population and possible change in diet because of increase in the earning power. India's population of 1,103 million in 2005 is projected to be 1,183 million in 2010, 1,260 million in 2015, 1,332 million in 2020, 1,396 million in 2025, 1,449 million in 2030 and is expected to stabilize at around 1,593 million in 2050. Therefore, an important question in the context is: How can India achieve food security while improving the environment and meeting the energy needs for a rapidly industrializing economy? While the quantum leap in food production ushered in during the Green Revolution of the 1960s and the 1970s is a success story to be proud of, there are several environmental concerns which needs immediate attention. Impressive gains in agricultural production through adoption of Green Revolution technology were achieved by growing input-responsive varieties on irrigated soils along with high utilization of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It was precisely the application of these technologies that raised environmental concerns because expanded agricultural productivity resulted in soil degradation and nutrient depletion. With increased use of chemicals came environmental pollution; increased irrigation brought about depletion of the ground water in tubewell irrigation and salinity and waterlogging in canal irrigation; while intensification of the rice-wheat system invited decline in biodiversity. The problem of soil degradation is exacerbated by drastic depletion of soil organic matter content caused by extractive farming practices including removal of crop residues for use as animal feed and other purposes, use of animal dung as residential/cooking fuel and uncontrolled grazing that denudes the soil of any biomass return.
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