Sustainable Agriculture: Perspective, Practices and Applications in the Field

Sustainable agriculture is both a science and a practice, spanning the social, biophysical, ecological, and economic sustainability of farming systems yet no commonly accepted definition exists. Its meaning has been shaped largely by political and scientific discourse, with little room for farmers’ own experience, and the sector remains fragmented by ideology, differences in local agroecological and farming contexts, institutional challenges to adapt practices and transition at steady pace, and the continued pull of green revolution methods. This calls for a nuanced understanding grounded in science, local realities, and farmers’ experience.

CSOs and government extension personnel play a critical role here, working directly with smallholder farmers, women’s groups, and marginalised communities underserved by formal institutions. But sustainable agriculture is knowledge and skill intensive; it demands reading ecological processes, understanding soils and crops as living systems, and applying science to local conditions across soil health, seed systems, bio-inputs, crop planning, pest and weed ecology, water management, and integrated farming, all contextualised within farmers’ socio-economic realities. Field teams, often from diverse backgrounds with limited agroecological exposure and working within project-based, resource-constrained structures, struggle to build these capacities.

This points to the need for structured learning spaces that combine conceptual clarity with field-based learning moving beyond ideology to help practitioners understand the science, principles, and limits of different approaches, and translate these into locally relevant, season-specific practice.

This 9‑day residential course designed in association with CSA, Hyderabad, meets this need through a rigorous, practice-grounded exploration of diverse approaches combining knowledge sessions with field activities, participatory exercises, village visits, simulation games, and reflection, so participants connect science with practice, resolve open questions, and build conviction to champion this emerging field.

Who should attend?

It is intended for practitioners, thematic leaders, programme managers, KVK scientists, and extension personnel working with minimum of 3 – 4 years of experience in natural resource management, extension services, agricultural livelihoods, or rural development.

Eligibility and selection

All applicants are required to have a functional working knowledge of both Hindi and English, along with basic practical experience in farming or agricultural practices.

Pedagogy

The course will be transacted through interactive sessions, lectures, small group activities, videos, hands on exercises, observatory learning in KVK farm, farmer testimonials, case stories, exposure visits, simulation game, etc.

Medium of instruction: A mix of English and Hindi. The course will be conducted face-to-face only. Course materials will be available in English.