Scheme
Regenerative Agriculture, Natural Farming and Soil Health Cards
GS3 AgriculturePrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 23 August 2026, PIB published a explainer on regenerative agriculture, with progress figures on natural farming, Per Drop More Crop and Soil Health Cards as of March-May 2026.
- What it is
- Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach that aims to rebuild soil health and biodiversity, not just maintain them. In India it is promoted through several existing schemes, such as the National Mission on Natural Farming, PKVY, Per Drop More Crop and the Soil Health Card Scheme.
Don’t confuse with Regenerative vs sustainable agriculture: Sustainable farming mainly aims to maintain existing conditions. Regenerative farming aims to improve them by rebuilding soil and biodiversity.
Don’t confuse with Natural farming (NMNF) vs organic farming (PKVY): NMNF is chemical-free farming using on-farm inputs from native livestock, such as Jeevamrit. PKVY supports organic farming with certification and market links.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
The facts for this issue are being checked.
Why it matters
- Healthy soils raise productivity, store more carbon and cut input costs for small farmers.
- Practices like agroforestry and micro-irrigation build climate resilience and support SDG 13.
Problems
- Years of intensive cultivation and heavy chemical use have left many soils less responsive.
- Small and marginal farmers face higher costs and uncertain harvests as soil health declines.
Way forward
- Scale up bio-input access and trained Community Resource Persons through KVKs.
- Combine soil testing advice with balanced fertiliser use, micro-irrigation and integrated farming.
Put in your answer
Agriculture growth: Agriculture and allied sectors recorded decadal growth of 4.45 percent in FY16-FY25, the highest in previous decades.
Micro-irrigation coverage: Per Drop More Crop covered about 109 lakh hectares as of May 2026.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q14Define Integrated Farming System and explain its benefit to small and marginal farmers.
- 2019Mains GS3 · Q3How far Integrated Farming System helps sustain agricultural production.
- 2018Mains GS3 · Q8Ecological and economic benefits of Sikkim becoming an organic state.
- 2017Prelims Q72Which statements about the Soil Health Card Scheme's aims are correct?
- 2026Prelims Q28Objectives of the Rainfed Area Development initiative under NMSA, including Integrated Farming Systems.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting syllabus topic on sustainable agriculture, linked to natural farming and Soil Health Card schemes; scheme questions are 16% of news-linked Prelims, but this explainer offers no fresh provision to test.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.