Accounting for nutrition and dietary diversity in an integrated organic and natural farming system

Abstract

This article highlights how integrated organic and natural farming can provide Indian farmers with a practical approach to improve soil health, farm profitability, resource-use efficiency and livelihood resilience. The main innovation is to look beyond crop yield and income by considering soil biodiversity, water productivity, pesticide use, nutrition and dietary diversity as interconnected benefits of a diversified farming system. Integration of crops with livestock, poultry, dairy, horticulture, fisheries and other enterprises can provide farmers with multiple sources of food and income throughout the year, reduce seasonal dependence on a single crop and strengthen
household food and nutritional security. Recycling of crop residues, livestock wastes and other farm resources can improve soil fertility and reduce dependence on purchased inputs. Overall, diversified integrated farming offers a farmer-friendly pathway for making Indian agriculture more sustainable, resource-efficient, economically viable and better able to support food, nutrition and livelihood security.