11/06/2020 - Agriculture

IAS Parliament 4 years

KEY POINTS

· Covid-19 has brought into sharp focus the need to reorient our food basket. Plant-based nutrition will be seen as a more sustainable system of production and consumption from the environment and nutrition viewpoint. This fits well with SDG-12 (responsible consumption and production).

· By 2030, when our population crosses 150 crore, the estimated demand for pulses will be 33 mt. If we have to meet the requirements and avoid imports, our current yields of 835kg/ha have to go up by at least 30% in this decade.

· Efforts to develop higher-yielding varieties are going on, especially at the Directorate of Pulses Research, based at Kanpur, and ICRISAT, Hyderabad.

· Micro-irrigation tool like Hose Reel technology-based irrigation system could be perfectly suited for these crops.

· To fight yield-reducing water stress, we should not hesitate to use modern technology like the GM trait Water Use Efficiency, which will act as an insurance policy for the farmers against drought.

· Similarly, we should use modern genomics and dig deeper into their genome to find useful genes that can help these crops to resist pests, diseases and water stress conditions. Private investments could be encouraged in this area through strong PPP projects.

· Encouraging farmers to grow pulses as mixed crops with sugar cane and to bring 1.2 mha of additional cultivation of pulses in rice fallow lands is a good step. Increased yields and production should not reduce the price realisation of the farmers.

· Market reforms to improve profitability are critical. While the new e-NAM is expected to help, we may have to make more efforts in setting up village-level primary processing and grading centres. The government may encourage new entrepreneurs and FPOs to jump in by providing them with policy and funding support.

· It is time to convert some of the acreages under cereals to grow pulses. This will help bring greater balance to the crop portfolio, especially considering the changing food basket. It is also better for the environment.

Aradhana Tiwari 4 years

The COVID-19 pandemic can be a catalyst for social change. We must build back better and transition our production and consumption patterns towards more sustainable practices.

Plant-based nutrition( from pulses, etc.) will be seen as a more sustainable system of production and consumption(SDG-12) from the environment and nutrition viewpoint.

>>> Reasons to shift the focus of cropping pattern towards "Pulses" ?

- Export/Import Commodity : Pulses are valuable as export and import commodity globally. India is the largest producer with about 36% area and 26% production share in the world.

- Source of nutrition : They are the major source of protein and minerals, and plays an important role in the food and nutritional security. It makes a major part of the protein intake for the poor in South Asia and the majority of vegetarian population in India.

>>> Challenges in the direction of shifting :

- Loss to farmers : Increase in the acerage of pulse production, though brought the pulses prices under control- which is beneficial to the consumers, but due a steep fall in the market prices, especially when large-scale imports took place, the farmers, who had switched to growing pulses, lost heavily in the process.

- Loss to govt : When govt entered the market in a big way to procure pulses at support prices - to provide relief to the farmers, it led to loss of money to the govt.

- Further, weather-related issues, pests and diseases and improper application of fertilisers resulted into its less yields.

>>> What needs to be done to make this shift of increasing acerage of pulses- 'a success' ?

- Invest in using modern science and technology like "Hose Reel technology-based irrigation system" to increase its yield.

- To fight yield-reducing water stress, we should use modern technology like the "GM trait Water Use Efficiency", which will also act as an insurance policy for the farmers against drought.

- Similarly, we should use "modern genomics" and dig deeper into their genome to find useful genes that can help these crops to resist pests, diseases and water stress conditions.

- Further,to reduce the use of pesticides and increase yields- develop "hybrids of pulses" in the line of 'Bt cotton'.

- Private investments could be encouraged in this area through strong PPP projects.

- Market reforms like e-NAM are expected to help, we may have to make more efforts in setting up village-level primary processing and grading centres.

- Furthermore, Pulses need to be included in PDS and in the mid-day meals to improve nutrition standards.

>>> Conclusion :

In recent years, intensive cereal production systems and use of hybrid varieties have led to the degradation of soil fertility, poor soil health and even led to extinction of traditional pulse cultivars. Therefore, increasing the acerage of pulses in the cropping system is crucial for long-term sustainability of the system.