Title: Future of Bio-fertilizers in Indian agriculture: An Overview
Abstract: In India the availability and affordability of fossil fuel based chemical fertilizers at the farm level have been ensured only through imports and subsidies. Today, biofertilizers have emerged as a highly potent alternative to chemical fertilizers due to their eco-friendly, easy to apply, non-toxic and cost effective nature. Also, they make nutrients that are naturally abundant in soil or atmosphere, usable for plants and act as supplements to agrochemicals. In addition, they are a product that is likely to be commercially promising in the long run once information becomes available adequately to producers and farmers through experience and communication. In India, government has been trying to increase the application of bio fertilizers along with modern agrochemicals. This paper underlines the success/failure issues in Indian context and for its future in India emphasizes the need for high degree of innovation and active participation in scientific research and development, public awareness programmes to enhance the extra-potential of sustainable agriculture development as well as encouraging private organization and policy makers to take interest in this field.