On March 8th and 9th, Dr. Eric Davidson, Professor at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, along with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) team, went for a two-day field visit to Rahata and Shrirampur blocks in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra under the EDF–CSA (Climate Smart Agriculture) project.
As part of the visit, the team engaged with Master Trainer Agri-Entrepreneurs and N-Balance practicing among sugarcane farmers. The discussions centered around enhancing soil health and productivity through climate-smart practices. Dr. Davidson emphasized the significance of mulching, intercropping, and biochar application, and highlighted how these interventions can strengthen smallholder resilience against climate variability.
Key Insights include:
- N-Balance as a simple yet scientific tool to promote fertilizer use efficiency
- Adjust fertilizer input when using biochar, as it initially retains nutrients before gradually releasing them back into the soil.
- Importance of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) from legumes like soybean in nutrient estimates
- Recommendation to scale N-Balance usage at block/district levels for wider impact
The visit concluded with a strong endorsement to scale N-Balance usage at block and district levels, enabling wider adoption of precision nutrient management practices. The experience reinforced our shared commitment to advancing climate-resilient agriculture through the integration of science-based tools, farmer wisdom, and field-level innovations.
