Assessing the Policy Landscape: Opportunities and Constraints for Scaling Sustainable Agriculture in India

India’s agricultural sector is at a crossroads, grappling with the dual imperatives of feeding a growing population and preserving environmental integrity. This paper critically examines the policy landscape that shapes the adoption and scaling of sustainable agriculture practices across the country. By mapping existing national and state‑level initiatives—such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, and emerging climate‑smart incentive schemes—the study identifies key opportunities for accelerating eco‑friendly farming, including the integration of digital extension services, promotion of agro‑ecological inputs, and the leveraging of public‑private partnerships. At the same time, it foregrounds persistent constraints: fragmented institutional coordination, inadequate credit flow to smallholders, insufficient infrastructure for post‑harvest handling, and policy gaps that favor input‑intensive monoculture. Employing a mixed‑methods approach that combines policy document analysis, stakeholder interviews, and case studies from diverse agro‑ecological zones, the research delineates actionable policy recommendations aimed at aligning agricultural growth with sustainability objectives.