Resurrecting resources

It is evident that small farmers who produce food through local technologies under low input umbrella are the backbone of the world agriculture even in this era of market economy. Ecological agriculture that demands combination of physical and intellectual labour of real peasants would pave way for an alternative agriculture that retains environmental and social equilibrium. Diversity in nutritious diets, quality improvement of foods at consumer level and reduction of pollutants in environment besides conserving plurality of crop and animal

The world development has moved to a critical juncture of social and ecological threats intertwined with political economy. The metabolic rift that surfaces frequently on food production front due to unsustainable resource exploitation percolated further to create confusion among the new generations of developing economies.

Inadvertently, it contributed to profound faith in unscientific new technologies proposed by developed countries, as a chain of continuity to the prevalence of pseudo science or non-science. This trend of diabolical aspirations and imitative adoptions are seen even in people of higher strata including policy makers and even those thrive as scientists as well as path breakers in the fields of modern technologies. Naturally, commoners are the ultimate victims in this game, as is evident in Indian agriculture.

Second green revolution is the current catch word for many of the political leaders of ruling parties, besides selective socio-economic advisors of policy makers. However, no body knows how that second or new or another green revolution should be. In addition, the principal stakeholders in agriculture –peasants – are kept in confusion by the propositions of intellectual property rights (IPR) bound miracle seeds and magic chemical inputs for ultra-modern precision methods in crop and animal production that remain beyond the economical reach of common farmers.

Parallel to it, another group that took the responsibility of protecting environment and safe-guarding human health proposes cow-centric traditional farming (Vedic agriculture) methods to emerge out of this deep distress of food producers. Which way to move? Whom to believe?

Our common future: UNO through its World Commission on Environment and Development - our common future - long back reviewed the whole situation of predominance of negative factors in food production. It underscored need for sustainable technologies in farming sector.

In that context, a group in small number, belonging to government organisations, is struggling to alter this trend of greedy approach of exploiting energies disproportionate to their returns in true sense. However, the contradictions that have surfaced in expanding and executing those views remain as impediments, in many countries, that are in the realm of market economies.

Of late, there are several popular movements on organic agriculture, integrated farming systems, animal husbandry-based crop productions and natural farming devoid of any artificial interventions in crop production or animal maintenance. Parallel to it, several civil society organisations (NGOs) related to agriculture and rural development are shouldering the responsibility of proposing and developing ecologically and socially suitable science or indigenous knowledge-based technologies.

Similarly, a few bodies of social activists struggle to achieve a stage of fair trade and marketing of eco-friendly inputs and out puts of agriculture. Organics only for interventions: Significant attempts have been made towards shaping and expanding sustainable agro-eco systems in few countries like Cuba, that were commended by FAO experts also.

The analysis of results documented in 57 countries through more than300 research projects that were sponsored and piloted by FAO experts, could give fillip to identify and shape alternative methods of farming that sustain resources and conserve social and economical equilibrium. In all, around 15 million farmers handling or owning by more than 40 million hectares were involved in such projects of alternative farming.

Though apparently this group may be very, very small (less than 1 per cent), but the outcome message was in positive direction or trend. Wider benefits in terms of diversity in nutritious diets, quality improvement of foods at consumer level and reduction of pollutants in environment besides conserving plurality of crop and animal species were derived through these alternative methods.

Sustainability through alternatives: The International Assessment of Agriculture Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) put forth a comprehensive evaluation of sustainable technologies of agriculture. As per the experts, the viability and sustainability of resources related to agriculture could be profoundly traced in farming of small holdings.

The assessment clearly showed that modern farming through large holdings (prevailing in developed countries) facilitates generation of one kilogram calories (kcal) of food by utilising 10-20 kcal of energy in terms of fossil fuels, modified seeds, chemicals, machines of high order etc., while traditional farming is reverse in response. That is one kcal of energy spent enables production of 4-10 kcal of food in real sense. The quality aspects and retention value of biodiversity are additional gains to it.

As per their compilations, small farmers produce more than 40 per cent of major cereals; 70 per cent of minor millets, tubers, fruits and vegetables, by just exploiting 5 per cent of energy in-puts. Despite massive subsidies and support through public exchequer in developed economies, only 11-12 per cent of food grains are added as surplus export stock by large farmers. It is evident that small farmers who produce food through local technologies under low input umbrella are the backbone of the world agriculture even in this era of market economy.

South Asia faces the greatest population pressure on agricultural land when compared to other regions of the world. This means creation of non-farm employment is critical. There is a need for much more investments in domestic policies and social research that helps improve institutional performance also. Similarly, rationality in asset distribution and education on value of conserving natural resources enhance the validity of sustainability in agriculture too.

Case study of AP: In a state like (combined) Andhra Pradesh, there is an ample scope to distribute land, the prime resource of agriculture, since there is more than 75 lakh acres of cultivable land with big and rich land lords or religious organisations (absentee land lords /land possessors) in addition to 154 lakh acres of barren and fallow lands (rural surveys), provided the land ceiling laws are amended or modified with a spirit of social justice.

Rationally viable technologies for conserving and expanding surface irrigation, utilisation of technologies of moisture protection, farmers’ involvement in optimising market-based inputs, wise adoption of precision farming methods ,proposed by experts with science base would be supportive to get maximum returns through minimum energy investments.

The attempts made in terms of non-pesticide approaches to crop production by institutes like Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Secunderabad, minimum inputs and economical returns though local technologies attempted by Deccan Development Society, Zaheerabad, and other organizations, show a way to shape real sustainable agriculture to small and marginal farmers in AP and adjoining states.

These methods – Integrated nutrient and pest managements through indigenous techniques – were extended to large sections of marginalised and deprived farmers of AP with the support of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) of AP during 2006-09 periods with encouraging results.

Field level evidences emphasise replacement of chemical fertilisers with organics, growing of legumes as mixtures or rotational crops, dependence on practices that conserve recycle phenomenon for soil nutrient replenishment and enhancing the role of natural enemies of pests, botanical or animal-based products instead of synthetic chemicals for interventions, and retention of inter-specific competition through inter/relay/trap/guard /mixed cropping systems.

As art of conservation of soil fertility and biodiversity, a flexible and implementable non-pesticide approach was made possible through the cultivators in larger areas. Human civilisations that could mould or alter themselves as per the demands of nature and social necessity could only be sustained in history.

Hence, ecological agriculture that demands combination of physical and intellectual labour of real peasants would pave way for an alternative agriculture that retains environmental and social equilibrium.