Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Here the basic issue is “threat of hidden costs and benefits in agri-food systems is effectively incorporated in to decision making for transformation”. It varies with country to country; state to state within the country, etc. and primarily depending upon weather and climate change – natural variability and type of ruling. Therefore I am looking at India – state of Andhra Pradesh. The issues like adulterated-polluted foods that cause health hazards. In India people spend huge sums towards health hazards. This is the major threat of hidden costs.
People are accustomed to polluted wheat and rice, particularly supplied under public distribution system at subsidized price. At COP 21 at Paris meet MNCs were successful in thwarting any steps against to chemical inputs and GM seeds. MNCs were the major beneficiaries of chemical fertilizer inputs, pesticides-insecticides, etc. and Genetically Modified [GM] seeds. So far nobody stopped their role in agriculture as governments are sub serving the interests of MNCs.
Here let me give a case of a farmer, Hemadri Reddy holding 40 acres of land invented by chance “Aundu Korra” that one time seeding gives four time harvests. Two years back [2002] for the first time planted in 5 acres. Each crop gave 10 quintals/acre. First time it fetched Rs, 5,000/quintal. Second harvest fetched Rs. 7, 500/quintal. 2nd year in Kharif season added 15 more acres. Third yield sold at Rs. 9,500/quintal and 4th harvest will take some more time. The investment per acre is around Rs. 20,000. He applied three times irrigation for a crop. By giving more number of irrigations the yield will go down. BY growing “Janumu” and mixing that in the soil and through ploughing the land germinated Aundu Korra fetched Rs. 15,000/quintals. Here the cost for tractor services got from fodder selling. Goat and Sheep manure on the proposed land is a cheap way of better fertilising system. This year he wanted extend two other crops, namely Korralu and Aricalu – all these are minor millets cultivated prior to profit driven green revolution technology which is a mono crop system, fodder is not suitable for animal feed and thus the traditional animal husbandry disappeared. The food is not nutritious and new diseases playing the major role. With this the cost of health care going up and up. Like this several hidden costs. In the case of millets the cost of lobour, etc. are minimal. Such innovations are aplenty in India but governments failed encourage spreading such innovations.
FAO on 7th December 2018 approved India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets. FAO proposed Year 2023 as an International year of Millets. Millets consists of Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Ragi (Finger Millet), and minor millets together termed as nutria-Cereals. Though it is a good initiative, yet it is to be seen how far these are going to be implemented in the back-drop of MNCs!!!
Animal husbandry played vital role in household food & nutrient security in rural India under traditional agriculture. This system has been affected severely with the green revolution with poor quality fodder under mono-crop system. This increased hidden costs. The unhealthy food of rice and wheat produced under huge government subsidy is supplied again under huge subsidy in Public Distribution System [PDS]. This affected severely the millet based dry-land crops area and consumption of millet based healthy diet for human and animal [fodder]. As a result, the native land races of these crops are in great threat. There is procurement system for rice, wheat & cotton that are grown under high subsidies. No such system exists for millets/minor millets.
Fragmentation of holdings is one of the main causes of low agricultural productivity as lot of times; and labour is wasted in moving seeds, fertilizers, implements and cattle, etc. In 1970-71 the average size was 2.28 ha; this was 1.41 in 1990-91; and 1.08 in 2015-16.
Cooperative farming/agriculture system overcomes the problem of smaller farm holdings. Cooperatives though not new to India, in agriculture there are few isolated cases only. Anand Dairy Milk [White Revolution] cooperative was highly successful in Gujarat. Private dairies are flourishing in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Sugarcane/Sugar cooperative in Maharashtra also showed the success path. Cooperative form of agriculture is the only solution under the present volatile political and climate conditions to achieve near sustainable production at farmers’ level and thereby strengthen their economic conditions and as well nation’s economy. Here farmers come together and cultivate the land without disturbing the boundaries by better utilization of the natural resources available in an effective way. Also, plan and store and sell the produce through cooperatives joining together. At present middlemen are profiting.
By including organic farming that includes components of traditional agriculture, namely animal husbandry, cropping system, crop rotation, etc. under cooperative agriculture system provide economic-food-nutrient security and as well provide employment. Organic agriculture is nothing but a traditional agriculture system wherein the later fertilizer is farmyard manure/green manure and for the former fertilizer is compost – several types. With chemical input technology in 1950-60s with mono crop based farming killed the animal husbandry based farming and thus nutrition based food security. To overcome the non-availability of farmyard manure, techniques were devised to create compost – on farm and off-farm [under traditional system]. Here progressive farmers’ innovation techniques can be incorporated.
Now people of developing countries are severely affected by the adulterated food including milk. Fruits are treated with chemicals. Chemicals are used to ripening of mango fruits. Oil is extracted from dead animals and mixed with others. Bt-cotton seed oil is produced illegally. Even though this is a major hazard the people of India are facing, the rulers are looking at real estate business at the cost of destruction of environment. Poor ethics and poor governance is ruling the roots of the nation. UN agencies can do something on such issues??? Whenever rulers change then nobody knows the changed government’s plans?
In conclusion, as long as soil and water pollution play the role in agriculture, we may achieve production in quantity but not in quality; As long as we follow chemical input-mono crop agriculture system we rarely achieve the nutrition security; The foods supplied through market chain are unhealthy food excluding organic foods, whatever may be claims of the suppliers; UN agencies and agencies like World Bank must work and help in the eradication of role of pollution in agriculture instead of wasting money on issues like “global warming and carbon credits”; However, under vote bank politics the chances of implementation of agricultural technology that provides socio-economic, food-nutrition security and that is environment friendly are bleak; particularly with changing guard frequently. However there is an urgent need for improving the quality of life of farming community and to achieve this goal: Rulers must keep vote bank agenda aside and develop national policy on agriculture technology and financial assistance programmes to agriculture sector, more particularly to farming community; To achieve this goal states and central agriculture ministries must come together; and as well at state level both ruling and opposition leaders must come together to evaluate the policy and give concrete suggestions; By taking into account such suggestions from the states, the centre must bring out the policy document and implement the same. This will also save the wasteful expenditure. The governments must think seriously to eradicate the production and sale of adulterated food stuff; treating fruits with chemicals; etc. Instead of harping on global warming and wasting billions of dollars on them, UN agencies must plan to help the nations by encouraging studies related natural variability in rainfall and thus adapting agriculture to such variations; UN agencies must plan to help the nations by building agriculture systems like organic farming + animal husbandry under cooperative agriculture structure;
The two natural resources that are vital for agriculture are soil and climate. Soil is static while climate is dynamic. Climate is beyond human control and thus needs to adapt to it. The two main climatic parameters that play vital role in agriculture are temperature and precipitation. In addition, the production is a function of agriculture technology and availability of sustainable irrigation facilities.
Role of “Climate Change on agriculture production, price-rise and food-nutrient security” is an issue widely discussed in recent times at national and international level by UN agencies, by media as well by governments in their planning. However, all such discussions lack practicality verified with ground realities over different parts of the globe. Sometimes the same organization presents two different reports that counter each other.
The author presented pros and cons on three agri bills brought out by the Indian government, in which contact farming formed the main component. However, later the government withdrew the three agri-bills. I submitted my comments to PM of India and Supreme Court appointed Committee [later published in a journal]. Prior to 2004 the ruling party started implementing corporate agriculture at Kuppam in AP with government money but failed. Here farmers whose land was used became laborers in their own land. I proposed cooperative farming, after 2004 the government assigned the task to prepare the plan of action to an Advisor. But the Advisor under the title cooperative farming included corporate farming that was failed. This I brought to the notice of states Chief minister of the AP State. He cancelled the program. Unfortunately he died in helicopter crash later.
Madhya Pradesh [MP] government formed a separate “Agriculture Cabinet” and passed a comprehensive “organic policy” to make MP an organic state. However, this does not translate in to action as the government is subsidizing (90%) to hybrid maize seed distribution programs involving the US based seed giant Monsanto and two other biotech companies under “Project Sunshine”. This is named as “Yellow revolution” and also it is being implemented in Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, among others. That means, government is telling something and doing something else due to the pressure from MNCs!!! Encouraging to produce polluted food.
The total subsidies [food & fertilizer] have increased from Rs. 12,158 crore in 1990-91 to Rs. 1,29,243 crore in 2008-09, an increase by 10.6 times and as a percentage of GDP, the total subsidies represent an increase from 0.85% in 1990-91 to 1.52% in 2008-09; The fertilizer subsidy has increased from Rs. 4,389 crore in 1990-91 to Rs. 75,849 crore in 2008-09 representing an increase of over 17 times and the fertilizer subsidy in India as percentage of the GDP varied from 0.47 in 2002-03 to 1.52 percent in 2008-09; The total food subsidy has jumped to Rs. 43,627 crore in 2008-09 from 2,450 crores in 1990-91, about 18-fold increase in less than two decades in absolute terms. But if one looks at the percentage of GDP, then the burden of food subsidies in India is much less than that of many other developing countries. The food subsidy in India as percentage of the GDP has varied from 0.41 in 1992-93 to 1.02 in 2002-03, and on an average remained at 0.66% over the last 19 years; During the nineties (1990-91 to 2000-01), fertilizer subsidy accounted for about 47% of the total subsidies and share of food subsidy was 35.1%. In the 2000s (2001-02 to 2008-09), food subsidy became dominant, accounting for 49.1% of the total subsidy while fertilizer subsidy accounted for 39.5%. However, during the last three years, fertilizer subsidy has taken the largest share and accounted for 58.7% of total subsidies in 2008-09. Y 2023 these have further increased in percentage with more area coming under irrigation and population growth. With all these farmers are producing unhealthy polluted foods.
There was a debate about whether the fertilizer subsidy benefits the farmers or the fertilizer industry. Furthermore, the benefits of fertilizer subsidy are heavily tilted to large farmers growing water-intensive crops like rice, sugarcane, wheat, cotton, in a handful of states. It also states that the share of farmer in the fertilizer subsidy increased from 24.54% in the triennium average ending (TE) 1983-84 to 75.62% in TE 1995-96 with an average share of 67.5% for the period 1981-82 to 2000-01 and the rest goes to the fertilizer industry.
More than 30% items subsidized by government goes in to black market; food items under PDS & chemical fertilizers. As per my proposal fertilizer subsidy directly given to farmers. This is under implementation and central government so far saved around one lakh crores. However this has to be implemented in all the states in India. At present the fertilizer purchased in black market goes to manufacturers of illicit liquor and fish/prawns ponds.
In Andhra Pradesh water-rich districts of East and West Godavari, Krishna and Nellore farmers declared crop holiday in three lakh hectares. They expressed that national food security is not important to them but it is the farmers’ financial security important. Overflow stocks from the Rabi crop, nobody there to lift neither these stocks nor the farmers getting minimum support price but government is helping millers-business lobby to export rice and amass wealth at the cost of farmers. In Telangana, the state government declared crop holiday for Rabi paddy cultivation. Some suggestions:
Firstly, provide input subsidies directly to farmers or farmers’ co-operatives instead directly to industry that saves the cost of black market by around 30%; Secondly, grains of dry-land crops that provide healthy food must also find place in subsidized sale under PDS system – only rice & wheat are the major beneficiaries, which is unhealthy food – Food and Nutrition Security Bill of 2013 included Sorghum, Pearl Millets, Finger Millet at Rs. 1 a Kg [wheat at Rs. 2 a Kg and Rice at Rs. 3 a kg] – on our proposal, however, the state governments are not implementing this as part of political game; Thirdly, Government must initiate action at war-footing to bring 100% cultivated area under canal irrigation – at present this is only 20% of the cultivated area & another 20% is under groundwater based irrigation, which is rapidly depleting and proportionately increasing power consumption to extract that water – though lakhs of crores are invested in irrigation projects by state governments but moving at snails speed due to corruption at political level; Fourthly, encourage farmers co-operatives – at present man-hours wasted by individual farmers to procure the basic needs is too large, natural resources are not properly utilized, sale of adulterated seeds, more particularly GM seeds & fertilizers are rampant; with the co-operative farming majority of them could be addressed and improve the economy of the farmers; Fifthly, improve the storage facilities & timely transport facilities – at present around 50% of the total production is damaged/rotten and illegally exported by middlemen due to non-availability of these facilities, that means it is nothing but we in reality achieving production at 50% level of normal production level effectively, which is still lower than research station results. This level of production we can easily achieve under organic farming by increasing area under irrigation at cheaper rate.. To achieve this following also must be attended.
Under Food Corporation of India, food is rotting in the godowns; Government must encourage adapting traditional farming systems centered approach with organic inputs (that includes animal husbandry) in place of crop centered chemical input technology approach; Government must collect traditional inventions of progressive farmers and strengthen these with research and then transfer to farmers with which we can bring down chemical input use and thus air, water, soil & food pollution and achieve good quality better yields/food; Government must establish commodity boards/extension services & strengthen government based seed development corporations – at present these are infested with private sector seed companies -- Government must strengthen the NPM in place of chemical pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, etc. Most important issue to be tackled is: UN Agencies and world Bank must look at controlling MNCs thereby we can bring down unhealthy food, destruction of soil, cost of production, etc.
Selected References
Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor – WMO/UN & Expert – FAO/UN
Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences [Founder Member]
Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Enviroment
What are the barriers and opportunities for scientists and other knowledge holders to contribute to informing policy for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems?
Observations from: Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
• The words such as “efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable” have rarely achieved under modern systems as here diverse people with vested interests on the one hand and weather-climate on the other are involved. The former is a profit driven system and in the later it is beyond human control need to adapt to them. In the later also entered vested groups for profit diverting the basic science. For example: climate change. The profit driven system misusing the word “climate change” as an adjective or as a de-facto global warming. International scientific community entered time-pass computer simulation modelling wasting huge quantity of power.
• Analysis of the complexities and practical problems associated with science-policy interface: As an IICA Expert, FAO Expert & WMO Chief Technical Advisor visited and worked in several countries. In the case Mozambique presented reports and methodologies and travelled [by Air] important agri areas. Based on the proposed method presented food aid requirement for sub-division-wise. Presented natural variability in rainfall [that includes Zimbabwe and Malawi]. The reports are available with INIA/Maputo & FAO/Rome. In the case of Ethiopia, applied those methodologies developed in Mozambique. Travelled around the country in a Truck, fuel barrel at the back. The reports are available in NMSA/Addis Ababa.
• After returning to India, I brought out a book with all the information including my work in Australia/Canberra for my Ph.D. with ANU.
I submitted the article in two parts for publication in open access journal “Impacts of WCCC on Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security: Part-I: Weather-Climate-Climate Chang [WCCC] w.r.t. Agriculture and Part-II: Sustainable Agriculture vs Food Security.
• Reddy, S.J., (1993): Agroclimatic/Agrometeorological Techniques: As applicable to Dry-land Agriculture in Developing Countries., www.Scribd.com/Google Books, 205p; Book Review appeared in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 67:325-327 (1994).
• Reddy, S.J., (2019): Agroclimatic/Agrometeorological Techniques: As applicable to Dry-land Agriculture in Developing Countries (2nd Edition with the same title). Brillion Publishing, New Delhi, 372p – no changes made to 1993 book but added few others.
Few other books & articles:
• Reddy, S.J., (2000): Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Scenario of the last four decades. Hyderabad, 105p.
• Reddy. S.J., (2002): Dry-land Agriculture in India [An Agroclimatological and Agometeorological Perspective]. BS Publications, 429.
• Reddy, S.J., (2008): Climate Change: Myths & Realities. www.scribd.com/Google Books, 176p.
• Reddy, S.J., (2017): Climate Change and its Impacts: Ground Realities. BS Publication, Hyderabad, India, 276p.
• Reddy, S.J., (2019): Water Resources Availability in India. Brillion Publishing, New Delhi, 224.
• Reddy, S.J., (2019): Workable “Green” Green Revolution: A Framework [Agriculture in the perspective of Climate Change]. Brillion Publishing, New Delhi. 221p.
• Reddy, S.J., (2021): Agrometeorology: An Answer to Climate Crisis”. Brillion Publishing, 242p.
• Reddy, S.J., (2022a): Disturbances Recorded in Bay of Bengal & Arabian Sea: A Note. Journal of Agriculture and Aquaculture 3(2).
• Reddy, S.J., (2022b): A note on “Coldwaves V& Heatwaves”: Disturbances (Part-II]. Journal of Agriculture and Aquaculture 4(1).
• Reddy, S.J., (2022c): A Note on Interlinking of Rivers: An India Example (Part-III]. Journal of Agriculture and Aquaculture 4(3).
Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor – WMO/UN & Expert – FAO/UN
Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences [Founder Member]
Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Environment
Hyderabad, TS, Inda
[email protected]
I start with an example of Food Security & Nutrition Bill brought out by the Government of India in 2013. This is a good bill but the implementation by the state governments and cooperation given by the Centre negating the very basic foundations of the Act. Bill was passed by one political party and implementation by another political party. By implementing they consider it gives credit to the government that brought out the Act – vote bank politics. Also, during Covid-19 the implementation severely hampered.
In the case of USA the policies enacted by Democrats were negated by Republicans; and now Democrats started negating the laws brought out by Republicans. That means inequalities vary with ruling parties whims and fancies with respect to overall objectives. Realities are different from theoretical exercises. In this, even the voluntary organizations, World Bank, UN Agencies, etc. is not any different.
We have seen the scrambling of nations and UN Agencies for funds under false pretext of fictitious global warming by keeping the true face of climate change and agriculture policies, etc. In fact large part of the food produced is going as waste all over the world.
The world population crossed 8 billion on November 15. It took only 12 years for the world to add 1 billion new human beings. India continued to be the second most populous country in the world, with 1.41 billion people. China continued to be the most populous country, with 1.45 billion people. That is, the combined, one in every three people in the world belongs to either India or China. The population growth is now expected to shift majorly to African countries. Let me present few broad factors that have been contributing to inequalities for food security and nutrition. As long as they persist, no improvement is expected in near future but those agencies who talk on these will be the main beneficiaries. It was the case in the past and it is the case now and will be the case in future.
Inequalities vary with the population
Inequalities vary with location
Inequalities vary with nature
Inequalities vary with human greed
Inequalities vary with economic conditions
Inequalities vary with technology
Inequalities vary with a gift
Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor – WMO/UN & Expert – FAO/UN
Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences [Founder Member]
Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Environment
In India under food security bill of 2013 included Rice, Wheat and millets [Sorghum, Pearl Millet & Finger Millet]. Local governments rarely supply millets to ration dealers. North India primarily wheat and south India primarily rice is supplied to public distribution outlets. Millets are considered as healthy diet as grains are unpolluted. Rice and wheat are unhealthy diet as grains are polluted. In south India, in ration shops poor quality rice is sold. Ration card holders sell the rice to ration shop and they in turn rice millers who in turn polish sell to Food Corporation of India that supplied to ration shops. In voluntary food supply use brocken rice.
Children diet: milk products, oil products are adulterated. Governments knowing fully well, come forward to take any action on such outlets [except once in a while]. Majority of water supplied for drinking is not clean. The air they breathe is also not pure.
In India central and states fight on procurement based on the political rivalry. The main suffers are farmers and farm labourers. In the case of Telangana State, during 2021-22 crop seasons, central and state governments are fighting till to date on purchase of rice from farmers. This is unusual in India for the first time it so happens that to in Telangana State. This resulted state chief minister asked not to grow paddy in Rabi [post-rainy season]. In fact this state received good rains during 2021 and thus helped rise in groundwater availability. Farmers have no seed to go for alternate crops. So, the lands were kept fallow. This affected the farmers, labour, animal and thus milk. This is basically because, in Kharif [rainy season] too much power was consumed for lifting water from ground water and canal water with poor planning. Also, they indiscriminately produced hydropower even far below the dead storage level. This affected Andhra Pradesh in terms of water availability for irrigation and drinking. This helped to cover up wasteful use of power in irrigation. Mishandling of irrigation projects with political agenda. Also, with regional political parties’ culture, wasting fertile agriculture lands for real estate ventures that create rural to urban migration and as a result they live under filthy-unhygienic conditions.
What I wanted to say here is, theoretical exercises are far from reality. They varied from country to country; and state to state within the country. FAO/FSN must work at ground realities. NGOs may give poor quality feedback as their interest is to get funds.
Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor-WMO/UN & Expert-FAO/UN
Fellow, Andhra Pradesh Akademy of Sciences
Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences
Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Environment
Hyderabad, TS, India
As an FAO Expert in Mozambique I developed the concept -- “Agrometeorological approach for crop early warming & drought monitoring with reference to Mozambique under family sector”. This was later as WMO Chief Technical Advisor in Ethiopia applied this methodology to Ethiopia. Details relating to collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition were presented in project reports. Some details are presented in the following books:
Reddy, S. J. (1993): “Agroclimatic/Agrometeorological Techniques: As Applicable to Dry-Land Agriculture in Developing Countries”, 205p. -- this is available online and available in FAO & WMO libraries. The 2nd edition with the same title was published by Brillion Publishing, New Delhi (2019), 372p.
Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor - WMO/Un & Expert - FAO/UN
Hyderabad, TS, India
الدكتور Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
FAO & CGIAR [and its 13 centres around the world] and UN Agencies including World Bank [and not NGOs] play important role to stop on thrusting Agriculture Systems with poor quality agrifoods on Indian farmers by Western Multinational Companies. ICRISAT in Hyderabad is one of the CGIAR system canvasing for the MNCs. It recently organized canvassing to serve the MNCs interest forgetting their mandates-- millets. The poor quality technologies entered India as Indian governments and agri-scientists sub-serving MNCs and thus under this scenario it is rarely possible to get sustainable, inclusive and resilient in agrifood. Now the MNCs are moving fast on seeds related food crops. With their poor credentials MNCs dump poor quality agrifoods. With 140 crore population, the health care runs in to???
Stan Cox in 2008 brought out a book titled “Sick Planet: The Impact of Carporate Food and Medicine”. Neoliberals often point to improvements in public health and nutrition as examples of the success of globalization, but this book argues that the corporate food and medicine industries are destroying environments and ruining living conditions across the world. Scientist Stan Cox expertly draws out the strong link between Western big business and environmental destruction, and tells us of the huge damage that drug manufacturers and large food corporations are inflicting on the health of people and crops worldwide. On issues ranging from the poisoning of water supplies in South Asia to natural gas depletion, Cox shows how the demand for profits is always put above the public interest. While individual efforts to 'shop for a better world' and conserve energy are laudable, Cox explains that they need to be accompanied by an economic system that is grounded in ecological sustainability if we are to find a cure for our sick planet.
Seed vs Agriculture Systems: In India three major systems of agriculture are in use. The 2nd and 3rd are under the control of MNCs. The three systems in brief are:
· Traditional Agriculture Technology – Traditional seeds under traditional organic inputs including Animal Husbandry in Agriculture system;
· Green Revolution Technology – Modern Seeds are tailored to chemical inputs [provided by Indian Government huge subsidy], under irrigation [developed at huge cost] and excluding animal husbandry in Agriculture System;
· Genetically Modified [GM] Technology -- It is the same as that of Green Revolution Technology except that seeds are Genetically modified;
1. Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on the Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. It is defined as the variety of all living things; the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form. In other words, it refers to the variety and variability among all forms of life within a given ecosystem or region. It is usually explored at three levels - genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. Some areas in the world, such as areas of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the southwestern United States, and Madagascar, have more biodiversity than others. Areas with extremely high levels of biodiversity are called hotspots. Endemic species—species that are only found in one particular location—are also found in hotspots.
2. All of the Earth’s species work together to survive and maintain their ecosystems; for example the grass in pastures feeds cattle. Cattle then produce manure that returns nutrients to the soil, which helps to grow more grass. This manure can also be used to fertilize cropland. Many species provide important benefits to humans, including food, clothing, and medicine. Much of the Earth’s biodiversity, however, is in jeopardy due to human consumption and other activities that disturb and even destroy ecosystems by Pollution, climate change [natural variability], and population growth. India has the second largest population on 2.3% of world land area. All these are threats to biodiversity. These threats have caused an unprecedented rise in the rate of species extinction. Some scientists estimated that half of all species on Earth will be wiped out within the next century. Conservation efforts are necessary to preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species and their habitats. However, it may be an impossible task with the rapid urbanization or population growth with poor quality governances. For example, more than one-third of Telangana state’s population live in Hyderabad City.
3. Biodiversity is the basis of Agriculture. Its maintenance is essential for the production of food and other agricultural goods and the benefits these provide to humanity, including food security, nutrition and livelihoods. It is the origin of all crops and domesticated livestock and the variety within them. It supports the livelihoods of food producers while also reducing negative impacts on the environment. By providing important ecosystem services, like pest control and nutrient cycling, it reduces the need for costly and harmful external inputs. Traditional Agriculture practices form best practices that provide a scalable solution for the integration of biodiversity into agriculture. Now this can be achieved with organic farming under cooperative agriculture.
4. Polyculture leads to the greatest genetic diversity whereas monoculture leads to the least diversity. Industrialized agriculture utilizes genetically modified organisms [GMOs] but helps multinational seed giants to amass wealth at the cost of farmers. In 13 years Bt-Cotton seed that entered India illegally and cultivated commercially illegally [entered during 2002-03] it was a failure. Traditionally government agencies and progressive farmers were behind seed production but with the entry of GM seeds the multinational seed giants collected germplasm from developing countries destroyed the local availability of such seed banks and created new seeds and monopolized seed industry. Here CGIAR & FAO played important role.
5. Biodiversity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem functions and services such as pollination, pest control, and soil formation. However, with the seeds tailored to chemical inputs technology caused severe damages to environment. Biodiversity is important because it provides humans with many resources. The food we eat comes from plants and animals that have evolved over millions of years to meet our needs. Without biodiversity, we would not have food or shelter. Other resources provided by biodiversity include clean air and water, medicines to treat disease, clothing fibres, fuel sources such as biofuels and biomass energy, and more. The loss of biodiversity could have serious implications for human health, food security, economies, livelihoods, cultures, and much more. Biodiversity also helps reduce environmental risks such as climate change – natural variability --, pollution, and natural disasters. It is the case even under chemical inputs with the irrigation mono crop system that includes green revolution technology and GM technology..
6. There are three broad agricultural systems. (a) In India, Andhra Pradesh state prior to 2004 tried corporate agriculture at Kuppam wherein farmers’ lands were taken and hand them over to a private company with government finances. Here farmers were asked to work as labourers in their own farms. It was a failure. (b) The present Prime Minister of India brought out three agri. bills on contract farming with the opposition to this form of agriculture, government withdrew them. (c) I proposed organic inputs based cooperative farming wherein the biodiversity fits into agriculture. Government of Andhra Pradesh asked a consultant to prepare the plan of action. Unfortunately he put the heading cooperative farming but inside the text contains corporate farming. On my complaint to the government that was withdrawn.
7. Seed is the basic and most critical input for sustainable agriculture. The response of all other inputs depends on quality of seeds to a large extent. Indian plant breeders and geneticists have developed a large number of improved crop varieties (conventional varieties and hybrids) that have played pivotal role in enhancing crop production. However, this has not in real terms improved the yield potential of seeds as well improved the yields in the farmers’ fields comparable to scientists farm yields with the existing seed varieties (Reddy 2000 & 2003). The hidden costs are beyond the farmers economics. To reduce this burden governments have been providing huge subsidies.
8. The Economic Times, Editorial of 3rd March 2010 states that – “It is surprising to see senior ministers of the government getting drawn into a bout of shadow-boxing over genetically-modified (GM) foods. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s decision to put a moratorium on Bt-Brinjal has got the goat of not just some GM businesses, but of some of his ministerial colleagues as well. All that has been called into question is the integrity of the approval process for GM foods. True, the apex body for approval of GM crops, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, had given its nod for commercial cultivation of Bt-Brinjal. But this was not a unanimous decision. India must develop the capability to carry out rigorous and independent testing of all GM crops as these have short life-span, for all foreseeable negative fallouts. Here, rather difficult in an area where people with the requisite expertise also tend to have research links with the GM industry. At Paris meet in 2015 December [COP21] MNC lobbied and negated the proposals by people like Pope and few other heads of states.
9. Farm expert, M S Swaminathan [few days back Government of India honoured him with “Bharat Rathna”, the highest honour in India] wrote: “Bt-brinjal need not be banned, but there should be caution that one or two hybrids do not replace hundreds of native varieties which all have distinct quality characters.” Besides, he suggested that studies should be carried out on the chronic effects of consuming Bt-brinjal throughout one’s life. He also argued for putting in place a system of testing environmental and health aspects of the GM products of the kind that exists in the US. That country has three different public agencies to examine transgenic crops against any adverse impact on human health, biodiversity and the environment. When you are doing research, but until you are cleared by the committee you are not supposed to produce the seed or grow the crops knowing fully-well that such acts severely affect the environment. This is exactly what is happening in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc. states in India. Rarely concerned officials question the people behind such bizarre acts? In fact they are covering under farmers’ federation/farmers organizations, who are working as agents of the GM seed companies. If the seed companies are open, such things will not happen at all. Also they control seed market – local varieties with good yields were not allowed in to seed market. After the Bt-Cotton’s effectiveness has comedown drastically, the seed company introduced [Bolgaurd = BG] BG-II and BG-III illegally. Seed is produced illegally and cultivated commercially illegally. The seed company has not even applied for government’s approval. This shows the ethical standards of seed companies [producing & selling illegally] and poor governance [even after knowing the fact that it is illegal, no action was taken but on the contrary allowed growing such seed whose technology was banned even by UN]. With such cotton seeds, seed oil is produced sold in the market.
10. India is home for several crops native land races [Genetic Resources], which are in the Gene Banks of the MNCs/FAO to monopolize seed industry in India, elsewhere in developing countries. When central health minister under NDA government spoke openly on health hazards issue of GM crops, he was removed from the Ministership. When Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister spoke on the poor performance of Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh, he was side lined by government [Reddy, 2006 & 2007].
11. The negative impacts created by chemical inputs on environment were not accounted in production costs – air, water (both groundwater and surface-water) pollution, soil degradation, food contamination and thus health hazards (new diseases, hitherto unknown – drug companies, hospitals and more pollution). The chemical fertilizer technology works only with irrigation. Government and as well farmers invested lakhs of crores of rupees on this every year, but the beneficiaries are chemical fertilizer companies that created pollution as gift. Has anybody told us these catastrophes while introducing in to Indian agriculture? Same is the case with GM crops as they also work under the same conditions but in addition creates more hazards.
12. In fact progressive farmers with traditional wisdom developed technologies and achieved far higher yields than the research station yields and received national and international awards/rewards and recognition but neither the government nor the scientists showed any interest to stabilize that technology and provide packages to farmers to achieve environmental friendly progress in agriculture. Why? Basically because our agriculture ministers are working under the MNCs and thus they are appointing their agents as advisors or chairmen of different committees to run Indian agriculture under the guidance of MNCs. It is great shame!!! Instead of wasting the time and money on environmental disaster technology like GM why the government did not care to spend time and money on improving the traditional wisdom based environmental friendly technologies? I presented scientific papers on GM issues [Reddy, 1966 & 1967], but the committee was asked not to send invitation in future to me. This was told to me by the organizers.
13. We are better placed on sustainable food security but we are lacking its’ distribution mechanism with bad policies of government and corruption ruling the roots of the nation. Now, farmers of Andhra Pradesh self-declared crop holiday as they could not get minimum support price for their produce. Around 50% of the production is going as waste – recently even Supreme Court pointed on rotting of grain in Food Corporation of India [FCI] go-downs & this was also noted by the Finance Minister in his budget presentation. That is, we are producing more than what we needed even in drought years or flood years without quality trait. This is happening basically because we don’t have sufficient storage facilities, we don’t have better post-harvest technologies, and we don’t have timely transport facilities. In fact large part of government subsidy and human effort and energy is wasted. Why not we go in to organic farming through cooperative farming concept so that we can better utilize our resources and at the same time protect environment and our health and produce more than the need. During 2022-23 Rabi season, Telangana state government advised farmers not to grow rice as large quantity of Kharif output is still rotting. This shows scant respect for farmers. Here government has to procure paddy.
14. A tiny country like Nepal, the farmers showed a way to double the rice production with SRI [System of Rice Intensification] method of paddy cultivation. Under this system the seed requirement is very less over the traditional system, less water and less than 50% of fertilizer. Here young plants of 8-10 days are transplanted one by one at 20 cm apart allowing the roots to spread out further. Though it requires more hands to weed but it is compensated more than enough by greater harvest. But, we don’t learn from that but harping on Western GM technology. Now a days, everything goes with “you scratch my back and I scratch your back” concept. You all know on IPCC and Al Gore Climate Change goof-ups after they receiving the Nobel Prize and they withdraw their goof-up conclusions by saying regrets but did not returned their Nobel Prize.
15. In India most of GM research is manipulation like global warming by manipulating data, without taking into account environmental/climate change impacts. If GM has a logic and science why the seeds are illegally produced? Why the crops are produced illegally in India? How many of the Public Relations farmers federations and farmers organizations have knowledge on wider aspects of agriculture and environment under global climate conditions? You are talking of spectacular results in Bt-cotton. Do you know the fact, when Bt-cotton was brought in, we said its’ life is short. It has come true. 3rd generation seeds are over with high toxicity but these yields are no different from non-Bt-cotton yields as most of the Bt Varieties are nothing but generally grown non-Bt varieties of the region. Last year one MNC in a press release openly agreed Bt-cotton failed.
16. The words such as “efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable” have rarely achieved under modern systems of agriculture as here diverse people with vested interests on the one hand and weather-climate on the other are involved. The farming is a profit driven system and in the later it is beyond human control need to adapt to them. In the later also entered vested groups for profit diverting the basic science. For example: climate change. The profit driven systems are misusing the word “climate change” as an adjective or as a de-facto global warming. International scientific community entered time-pass computer simulation modelling wasting huge quantity of power. Natural variability forms the principle component of climate change wherein both temperature and rainfall presented systematic/cyclic variations. For example, all-India average annual rainfall presents 60-year cycle. This pattern was later seen in 700 years tree ring data in Bramhaputra River catchment area. Andhra Pradesh in the southeast with two monsoon systems presented 132 year cycle. Here cyclonic activity also plays important role with 56 year cycle.
17. Here let me give a case of a farmer, Hemadri Reddy holding 40 acres of land invented by chance “Aundu Korra” that one time seeding gives four time harvests. Two years back [2022] for the first time planted in 5 acres. Each crop gave 10 quintals/acre. First time it fetched Rs, 5,000/quintal. Second harvest fetched Rs. 7, 500/quintal. 2nd year in Kharif season added 15 more acres. Third yield sold at Rs. 9,500/quintal and 4th harvest will take some more time. The investment per acre is around Rs. 20,000. He applied three times irrigation for a crop. By giving more number of irrigations the yield will go down. BY growing “Janumu” and mixing that in the soil and through ploughing the land germinated Aundu Korra fetched Rs. 15,000/quintals. Here the cost for tractor services got from fodder selling. Goat and Sheep rearing manure in his farm is a cheap way of better fertilising system. This year he wanted extend two other crops, namely Korralu and Aaricalu – all these are minor millets cultivated prior to profit driven green revolution technology which is a mono crop system, fodder is not suitable for animal feed and thus the traditional animal husbandry disappeared. The food is not nutritious and new diseases playing the major role. With this the cost of health care going up and up. Like this several hidden costs. In the case of millets the cost of labour, etc. are minimal. Such innovations are aplenty in India but governments failed encourage spreading such innovations.
18. Madhya Pradesh [MP] government formed a separate “Agriculture Cabinet” and passed a comprehensive “organic policy” to make MP an organic state. However, this does not translate in to action as the government is subsidizing (90%) to hybrid maize seed distribution programs involving the US based seed giant Monsanto and two other biotech companies under “Project Sunshine”. This is named as “Yellow revolution” and also it is being implemented in Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, among others. That means, government is telling something and doing something else due to the pressure from MNCs!!!, Encouraging production of polluted food. Monsanto, meanwhile, is looking for an alternative site to the Pusa trials that were stopped. A spokesperson for the company says, “This unfortunate decision to stop the trials will be a setback for research and delay access of high-income-generating crop technologies to Indian farmers.” Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar begs to disagree. He says maize, which is a major crop in Bihar, is doing very well. Productivity is higher than the national average and the state turns out 1.7 million tons, contributing more than 60% of the country’s Rabi production. As for the claimed advantages of GM maize, it has no relevance for Bihar. Over a year after bio-piracy complaint against Monsanto with regard to Bt-brinjal which case is still pending, the application of Monsanto to use Indian Onion strains for hybrid research the authorities promptly forwarded. In fact India has been an exporter of Onions. While NBA failed to demonstrate urgency in dealing with the complaint has wasted no time in processing its application against whom the complaint is still pending. In the case of Bt-brinjal, NBA has decided to take action against Mahyco and Monsanto for use of India varieties of vegetable without monitory permission.
With Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala – later Chhattisgarh joined the three states -- raising concerns over field trial of GM crops without permission, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has issued new guidelines for GM seed companies to obtain prior approval from the state governments. The apex regulator that gives approval to field trials of GM crops has also asked the company conducting the trial to provide the latitude and longitude of the field to ensure they are not close to any ecologically fragile zone or a water body, etc.
According to FAO world population reach 900 crores (9 billion) by 2050 and food output has to be increased by 70% by then. Again all this is false statement. FAO in a report stated that around 30% of the food produced is going as waste. Present population is 700 crores and by 2050 it is 900 crores that mean the increase in population is less than 30% but he state that food requirement will increase by 70%. In fact by reducing the 30% loss in food as stated by FAO will suffice to meet the food needs of 900 crores population by 2050 – in India the waste is 40% to 50%. The MNCs and their lobbying agencies are using the media in this fashion to push their commodities in developing world.
Supreme Court Bench on 19-1-2010 asked “In other parts of the world, when they frame a rule, it is strictly adhered! But, here the rules are only in the book. Hence, you detail as how mechanism is being implemented”. We raised the same questions in our PIL in AP High Court in 2002 on Bt-cotton!!!
19. Everybody talks on for the nation's food security GM crops are the solution like a man on the street or like child in cradle. Is there any proof on this? Dr. Norman Bourlogh sent a letter to some Indian scientists closely associated with MNCs. The letter was planted in a Telugu daily newspaper “Vaartha, 2002 December 10” as Bt-cotton is being produced illegally in Andhra Pradesh at that time to infuse confidence to Bt-crops. My reply countering his arguments on food security was published on 17/3/2003.
Like NGOs, ICAR Dy. D.G. (Crop Science) Dr. Swapan Kumar Datta at a conference in Hyderabad stated that around 300 million people are starving for food & around 300 million are suffering from nutrient deficiency and suggests modern technology as solution to food security – I don’t know where from he got this data but one thing can be said that through feeding the poor with “chemical free rain-fed cereal food crops” in place of “chemical infested rice-wheat” (in PDS system) it is possible to arrest nutrient deficiency and not by modern technology that creates more health hazards. We are wasting 30-50% what we are producing.
Even after 70 years of Independence, in India still around 60% of the cultivated area is at the mercy of “Rain God”. In addition, government is giving step-motherly treatment to dry-land agriculture in all aspects that provide nutritious food, for example, in terms of government subsidies components, inclusion under low price PDS system but irrigated crops like rice-wheat are enjoining all benefits. Though, Food Security & Nutrients bill passed to include Sorghum, Pearl Millet and Finger Millet they were not sold under PDS. Why???
From around 2010 to around 2050 there is a high possibility of occurrence of droughts more frequently compared to around 1990 to around the year 2010? Food security will not be achieved through GM crops, as it is highly weather sensitive; but it is achieved only through utilizing all sources of water. Thus, the research priorities of our agriculture institutions must change from Western-MNCs mind set to Indian-traditional mind set then only we can combat the impending droughts and thus food security.
20. In view of weather & soil conditions prevailing in India; with the prevailing extensive biodiversity regime with the poor control mechanism under the powerful hands of MNCs; the government of India, to safeguard life forms & biodiversity, should put a blanket ban on “GM” more particularly food crops [cotton is also comes under this as seed oil is a food item]. The government of India must put more thrust on indigenous technologies that were showing excellent results under progressive farmers’ fields to feed healthy food for ever increasing population that may cross China very shortly!!!
Biodiversity can be used in agriculture in many ways:
· To improve crop yields through improved soil quality.
· To make better use of water resources.
· To help reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture.
Which biodiversity affects agriculture? Here are some:
1. Biodiversity provides food for people—for example, through the cultivation of crops and livestock farming.
2. Biodiversity provides raw materials for manufacturing—for example, through the cultivation of cotton or timber production.
3. Biodiversity provides ecosystem services such as pollination and pests that enable production to continue without major problems (e.g., weeds or pests).
How does biodiversity affect agriculture?
21. FAO on 7th December 2018 approved India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets. FAO proposed Year 2023 as an International year of Millets. Millets consists of Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Ragi (Finger Millet), and minor millets together termed as nutria-Cereals. Though it is a good initiative, yet it is to be seen how far these are going to be implemented in the back-drop of MNCs!!!
22. Animal husbandry played vital role in household food & nutrient security in rural India under traditional agriculture. This system has been affected severely with the green revolution under chemical inputs & irrigation technology with poor quality fodder under mono-crop system. Same is the case with GM food crops.
23. This increased hidden costs. The unhealthy food of rice and wheat produced under huge government subsidy is supplied again under huge subsidy in Public Distribution System [PDS]. This affected severely the millet based dry-land crops area and consumption of millet based healthy diet for human and animal [fodder]. As a result, the native land races of these crops are in great threat. There is procurement system for rice, wheat & cotton that are grown under high subsidies. No such system exists for millets/minor millets. Fragmentation of holdings is one of the main causes of low agricultural productivity lot of times; and labor is wasted in moving seeds, fertilizers, implements and cattle, etc. In 1970-71 the average size was 2.28 ha; this was 1.41 in 1990-91; and 1.08 in 2015-16. Cooperative farming/agriculture system overcomes the problem of smaller farm holdings.
24. Cooperatives though not new to India, in agriculture there are few isolated cases only. Anand Dairy Milk [White Revolution] cooperative was highly successful in Gujarat. Private dairies are flourishing in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Sugarcane/Sugar cooperative in Maharashtra also showed the success path. Cooperative form of agriculture is the only solution under the present volatile political and climate conditions to achieve near sustainable production at farmers’ level and thereby strengthen their economic conditions and as well nation’s economy.
Here farmers come together and cultivate the land without disturbing the boundaries by better utilization of the natural resources available in an effective way. Also, plan and store and sell the produce through cooperatives joining together. At present middlemen are profiting. By including organic farming that includes components of traditional agriculture, namely animal husbandry, cropping system, crop rotation, etc. under cooperative agriculture system provide economic-food-nutrient security and as well provide employment. Organic agriculture is nothing but a traditional agriculture system wherein the later fertilizer is farmyard manure/green manure and for the former fertilizer is compost – several types. With chemical input technology in 1950-60s with mono crop based farming killed the animal husbandry based farming and thus nutrition based food security. To overcome the non-availability of farmyard manure, techniques were devised to create compost – on farm and off-farm [under traditional system]. Here progressive farmers’ innovation techniques can be incorporated.
25. In Conclusion, the best system of agriculture that protects the biodiversity of the region/eco-system, particularly in developing countries, is the traditional farm of agriculture, such as organic inputs based “co-operative farming”. This includes crops and animal husbandry that provides nutritious food and positive economy to farmers. Government assistance/subsidies directly go into the co-operatives kitty. Farmers’ children get better education and health care facilities. Research studies showed in green revolution seeds tailored to chemical input technology, rice and wheat in the past 50 years zinc and iron levels respectively decreased by 33% & 27% and 30% & 19%. This increased the people affected by these deficiencies. GM crops are also cultivated under chemical fertilizer inputs. In rice hazardous arsenic levels increased.
FAO must see the germplasm from their gene bank not go in to the hands of MNCs with commercial interests. Also, FAO must see the quality trait of the seeds developed in terms of quality by those MNCs. FAO must encourage national governments to develop millet based research and animal husbandry wherein FAO can provide financial and technical support. FAO must interact with governments of states on these issues to produce nutrifood to improve the health of humans.
References
· Reddy, S.J., (2000): Andhra Pradesh Agriculture: Scenario of the last four decades. Hyderabad, July 2000, 104pp.
· Reddy, S.J., (2003): Evolution of seed technology, biotechnology. B.B.S. Kapoor, et al. [Ed].pp.139-159, Madhu Publ. Bikeneru, India.
· Reddy, S.J., (2006): Is biotechnology a gateway to environmental destruction? Proc. of “Recent Advances in biotechnology and bioinformatics, pp. 133-147, MUNIRAS, Hyderabad, India.
· Reddy, S.J.,(2007): Biotechnological approaches impact on natural heritage & health. Proc. of “Genome Analysis perspective in the post-Genomic era and its relevance to society”, pp. 86-99, MUNIRAS, Hyderabad, India.
· Reddy, S.J., (2019a): Workable Green Revolution: Agriculture in the Perspective of Climate Change. Brillion Publishing, New Delhi, 221pp.
· Reddy, S.J., (2019b): Agroclimatic/Agrometeorological techniques: As applicable to Dry-land Agriculture in Developing Countries [2nd Edition], Brillion Publishing, New Delhi, 372pp.
· Reddy, S.J., (2019c): Water Resources Availability in India. Brillion Publishing, New Delhi, 224pp.
Dr. Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy
Formerly Chief Technical Advisor – WMO/UN & Expert – FAO/UN
Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences [Founder Member]
Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Enviroment