Abstract:
The Government of India aims to double farm incomes by 2022. A mechanism of payment for ecosystem services, which would compensate farmers for the value of the non-market agroecosystem services they produce, would address the issues of farm income and the deep ecological crisis in agriculture. This strategy would be within the fiscal ability of the government and would only use the existing allocation for agriculture. The institutional framework required to implement PES already exists. If properly implemented, PES could persuade Indian farmers to adopt ecologically sensitive agricultural practices which, in turn, could double farm income.
