Energy analysis and options of Indian agriculture

Agriculture accounts for most of the energy consumed in India. Non-commercial sources may be insufficient for food production. Substitutes or alternatives have to be developed for some agricultural products. It is feasible to produce cheaper acceptable substitutes for sugar (from crop residues), milk (from corn), animal feeds (from waste recycling), etc. Physical inputs and outputs transformed to energy were used to evaluate energy utilization in agriculture. Major inputs were farmyard manure (FYM), irrigation, bullocks, and farm equipment. Inputs were computed from the stage of primary fuels. Tubewell irrigation consumed 9.4 GJ/ha and accounted for 6.8% of the energy output of sorghum fodder, 13.9% of berseem, 15.2% of wheat grain, 15.9% of sugar, and 37.0% of rice. Inputs were 249–324 MJ/cm-ha in different crops. Fully utilized, the minimum energy inputs through equipment for one hectare of wheat would be 9.2 GJ on bullock-operated farms and 5.9 GJ on tractor-operated farms. Actually, because of small farm sizes, use is 29.2 GJ on bullock-powered farms and 8.3 GJ on farms with tractors. Costs of wheat production are about 40% higher on bullock-operated farms. Pest and weed control account for less than 2% of the energy inputs of crops. Energy returns as grain are 99% for wheat, 76–90% for rice, 17–28% for corn, and 52% for planted sugar and 103% in ratooned sugar cane. An annual crop rotation of paddy and wheat in Haryana consumed less energy and yields more energy (edible and as biomass) than sugar cane.