The flawed policy on Sugarcane pricing

Sugarcane, the political crop of country is again back in news for all the wrong reasons, with sugarcane farmers in UP on the warpath against the state advised price (SAP) and centre’s Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for their produce.

The Centre’s insistence that the FRP, which it announced recently replacing the statutory minimum price (SMP), is almost 15% more than the earlier price and is just a floor price, and that millers are free to pay more than the FRP has failed to assuage the farmers. The Centre has already conveyed that sugar mills in the state will have to pay more than the announced rate of Rs 160-170 a quintal to the farmers. The Central Government has made a steep reduction in the price of sugarcane for the coming season. The State Governments used to announce a SAP of sugarcane which was higher than the Minimum Statutory Price (MSP) declared by the Centre. Last year the MSP was Rs 108 per quintal while the SAP was Rs 160-180 per quintal. Now the Centre has banned the practice of declaring Advisory Price. It has provided that the State Government will have to itself pay the difference between the lower Statutory Price and the higher Advisory price. This will put an end to the practice of state governments announcing a higher Advisory price since they do not have such financial muscle. The centre has announced a price of Rs 130 per quintal for this season against Rs 108 for the previous year. But this increase is deceptive. The Centre has fixed an FRP of Rs 129.84 a quintal for sugarcane for the 2009-10 season (October September), while UP has announced an SAP of Rs 160-170 a quintal. However, the prices indicated by the mills were above the FRP and SAP, this was much below the farmers’ demand of Rs 280 per quintal. Sugar mills have not started crushing this season for lack of supply as farmers are demanding much higher.

The persisting tussle between millers and growers has kept sugar supply tighter than even anticipated and jacked up consumers prices to Rs 35/kg. By January, unless big imports are made, sugar prices are projected to hit Rs 40/kg. UP sugar mills that produce almost 40 per cent of the country's total sugar are yet to start crushing operations that have already begun in states like Maharashra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. And, on top of it, the state government is disallowing them to process imported raw sugar. Sugarcane output in UP is expected drop marginally to 40 lakh tonnes in the 2009-10 sugar year on the back of a 17% acreage drop. Sugarcane farmers, especially in UP, will suffer huge losses by the Ordinance brought by the Centre.

The government should withdraw the Ordinance and consider it only after holding consultations with everyone. The pricing issue of cane should be brought to a earliest timely solution, since the delay in crushing of mature cane will result in loss of sucrose content and thereby, loss of recovery at a time when the country requires higher output. Hence, an all party acceptable price should soon to be decided. Early harvesting of matured cane will allow farmers to prepare field for wheat sowing which is likely to start by the end of December. Farmers have been reeling under the cut in sugarcane prices on the pretext of ‘fair and remunerative pricing’ and feeling threatened by the proposal to ban Khandsari/ Gur/ Jaggery production. There is some doubt concerning Pawar’s intentions while the sugar mills don’t want such low prices for the sugarcane, as it will result in farmers leaving the crop. A Cabinet note to amend rule 7 of the Sugarcane Control Order (SCO) is being revived to ensure total regulation of the gur industry’s use of sugarcane. This would mean that the Centre will once again (after 2007) acquire the power to predetermine the use of sugarcane by different industries.

Interestingly, no specific slab has been fixed for this mutually agreeable price, which will not be constant but would vary from place to place depending on the recovery of the crop. It would be up to the millers to work out what price they are capable of giving along with the farmers who have to agree to providing cane at that price.

The biggest loser in this imbroglio has been the common man, who, after reeling under the impact of an unprecedented rise in sugar prices, was hoping for some respite once the new crop was crushed. Sugar prices, which have already moved up by a whopping 87% since January, have again started rising because of the delay in crushing and low inventories with mills.

UN Food Summit; No where to Go

With more than 1 billion people going hungry, the Food and Agriculture Organisation had called the Food summit on November 16-18 in Rome, hoping to win firm pledges by world leaders to spend $44 billion a year to help poor nations feed themselves. The World Summit on Food Security comes a year after major rises in food prices caused chaos in many developing countries. Food shortages and malnutrition rose to the top of the political agenda since a spike in food prices since last years parked riots in around 60 countries, mainly blamed to speculation and hoarding. Alongside the whole world is getting the heat of global warming in the form of wide variability in weather condition, drought, flood, cyclones etc., affecting food production and lastly adding to the woes of food and nutritional security. There has been a 12-13 per cent decline in crop output this kharif season due to long dry spells in some parts of the country and floods in some other areas. This year, the output of all major crops has gone down, including principal crops such as foodgrain, fibres and oilseeds and to some extent sugarcane, except cotton in India.

But a final draft declaration includes only a general commitment to pump more money into agricultural development, and makes no mention of a proposal to eliminate hunger by 2025. Even in the very first opening day of the summit many critics, mainly from the African nations described the Food Summit as wasteful and ineffective. The meeting was branded a failure within a couple of hours of its start after the 192 participating countries unanimously rebuffed the United Nations' appeal for commitments of billions of dollars in yearly aid to develop agriculture in poor nations. None of the leaders of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations attended except for Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

FAO in its publication observed that the financial crisis has its origin far from the agricultural sector and far from the developing countries, where its most devastating effects on the poorest segments of the population are being felt.

According to FAO, the number of hungry people rose to 1.02 billion people, more than at any other time in history and up 100 million from last year. A child dies of malnutrition every six seconds despite the fact that the world produces more than enough food for everybody; cereals crops in 2009 are expected to be the second largest ever, after a record 2008.

As per the Indian stand the climate change and its adverse impact on foodgrains production, and food security in particular, would be aggressively taken up at the summit. Our agriculture minister would raise the issue of limitations of technology on increasing foodgrain production given the availability of land and water.

FAO had hoped to keep the momentum going and that leaders would commit to raising the percentage of official aid spent on agriculture to 17% back to the 1980 level from 5% now. That would amount to roughly $44 billion annually, instead of the $7.9 billion that is being spent now.

A comprehensive spectrum of measures to combat a scourge gravely exacerbated by climate change and population growth is needed. This includes food aid, safety nets, social protection, increased investments in agricultural development, better market access, and fairer trade for smallholder farmers, especially women.

Previous food summits and meetings have been long on rhetoric and short on concrete action, and whatever promises were made have gone largely unfulfilled. In 2000, world leaders subscribed to the UN Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of hungry people by 2015, and this Food Summit will reaffirm commitment to that target. Even UN officials acknowledge that aim will not be met anytime soon, with some pointing to mid-2040 at the earliest.

The argument is that there is enough availability of foodgrain and food in the world. However, it is skewed. Promoting investments and infrastructure development in agriculture sector should also be taken to the forefront. There is a need to step up investments in agriculture with the dual purpose of stimulating sustainable productivity increases to expand supply and of exploiting the potential of agriculture for contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation in the least developed countries.

Bt Brinjal- The Indian Chapter

India’s biotechnology regulator Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), on October 14^th gave its green signal to the environmental release of Bt brinjal, the first genetically modified food crop to be allowed in the country. With this, a debate has gripped the entire nation of whether or not to allow GM food crops as this could be a precedent for many other such crops.

Though GEAC has put its stamp on the crop, the final decision rests with the Union Environment Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh who has explicitly averred that the matter will be treated with no urgency and only after public deliberations will a final decision arise. However, apart from environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s nod, commercial cultivation of the genetically modified vegetable will require approvals from the ministries of agriculture and health and family welfare.

Currently, Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop allowed for commercial cultivation and its introduction was prompted by its pests becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides. The commercial cultivation of Bt cotton has reportedly increased cotton yield from 308kg per hectare in 2001 to 508kg per hectare in 2006. The success of Bt cotton in India has in fact raised hopes for Bt brinjal as well. Although brinjal may not transform India’s fortune as was the case with Bt cotton, it might as well clear the deck for many such similar interventions.

The most prominent thing that irks the supporters as well as its critics is the absence of a labeling mechanism for foods in India. This will deprive the consumers to make an informed choice about the foods they consume. More over the labs in the country are not at present capable of identifying GM products, and there is also a big question hovering of who will regulate these products. Whether it will be the Ministry of Food, or will it be Health; Environment or Science and Technology or is there any other separate ministry to be formed in the future to look into the GM matters. Without a clear agreement on these issues, a decision cannot be arrived on this matter. But the time granted should be used constructively to assess the impact of the Bt Brinjal on the Socio – Economic tapestry of Indian Agriculture.

The ethical angle is going to be another major issue which is going to consume lot of newsprint in the coming months. Though scientific definitions may not delineate GM Brinjal as a vegetable with animal traits, to strict vegetarians willful mixing of bacterial genes may raise serious religious and sensitive issues. Cotton per se never faced this problem as cotton is not a food crop. Though sixty percent of the Cotton plant biomass is indirectly or directly linked to our food system, e.g. Cotton seed oil in our vanspati ghee or cotton leaves as fodder to goats and sheep, we have not yet been exposed to direct GM food crop like GM soybean or GM maize. Approval of GM Brinjal will open floodgates to most of them.

If the advisories of the companies are to be trusted, the transgenic vegetables are as safe as any vegetable available in the market, while Anti GM protesters paint a picture of a very gory world of Seed Corporations ruling the world. So where is the truth, may be somewhere in between. What can the Government do to inform the public, can we ask for every GM food be labeled like our green and red dotted foodstuffs? If after a period of 20 years, GM food is found to be dangerous, something like the discovery of toxicity of DDT after almost fifty years of indiscriminate use, will the mega corps pay for the clean up of whatever extent possible?

One obvious and unwanted fall out of this controversies are the misconceptions created in an uninitiated mind about the amazing science of biotechnology. This branch of genetic sciences has the capacity to change the world. We would definitely not have looked at a biotech Brinjal with suspicion, which produces insulin, or Vitamins, for example, instead of Bt Toxin. Valuable time and resources are being frittered out in search of finding a soybean which resists an herbicide rather than a soybean with double protein content. Maybe a corporation will not find it profitable but it could have gained a little more goodwill. Maybe government can take these initiatives and put forward legislatures to this effect.

- Anjana Nair-

Talks beyond Copenhagen

The threat of climate change that led to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) at Rio, is perceived differently by different countries. Unsustainable consumption patterns of the rich industrialised nations are responsible for the threat of climate change. Only 25% of the global population lives in these countries, but they emit more than 70% of the total global CO₂ emissions and consume 75 to 80% of many of the other resources of the world. The richer world accounts for over 50% of carbon emissions and China brings the proportion to over 70%. In contrast, India accounts for less than 5% of global emissions. In per capita terms, the disparities are also large: an Indian citizen emits less than 0.25 tonnes of Carbon per year whereas a citizen of the USA, for example, emits more than 5.5 tonnes.

Another theme of Indian analysts has been the lack of reliability of GHG emission estimates, particularly of methane. According to initial estimates, large emissions of methane from paddy fields were ascribed to developing countries. However, the empirical basis of these estimates was questioned; subsequently experimental measurements by Indian researchers showed these doubts to be well-founded. Many Scientists and policymakers belonging to developing Nations argue that emissions by poor who live on the margin of subsistence should be considered a basic human right and should not be counted when ascribing responsibilities for emission reduction.

These facts have delayed any sort of effective international agreement on how to deal with the problem. In the case of the Montreal Protocol covering ozone-depleting substances, there was a wide consensus and effective action was mobilised quickly. Thus, an understanding of perceptions and positions of different countries makes it easier to explore possibilities of effective action.

Even in recently released IFPRI report, it’s clearly elucidated that agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change, because farming is so weather-dependent and small-scale farmers in developing countries will suffer the most. During the same phase, we are witnessing unsounding price rise, with substantial reduction on production fronts and weather aberration in the form of late or, almost failed rains/ monsoon, flood and deluge in rainfed and dry areas. Lastly, the study has called for an additional annual investment of $7 billion in agricultural productivity to help farmers adapt to climate change.

India’s perceptions on the problem of climate change and sustainable development; the kind of negotiating positions that follow from these perceptions; the policies India has undertaken so far and finally India’s possibilities for action that can help contain the threat of climate change.

Minister of state for environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh scotched speculation that India was softening its stand by allowing international verification of its steps for climate change mitigation or by agreeing to international commitment for quantified cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. India has always opposed the “full stop” word from its climate change talks.

India has insisted that the measures it undertakes, as part of its domestic measures to counter climate change, will not be subject to international verification and reporting, unless it is funded internationally or uses technology received from abroad, like the world’s industrialized counterparts claiming to have taken all efforts to reduce the emission caps and mitigation measures, but denies any the right to be questioned or scrutinized.

There should also be consideration towards the common but differentiated responsibilities of different countries. As such, mitigation by India in two or three decades is neither necessary nor sufficient to arrest global warming and its consequence according to many experts in the field.

The argument that mitigation is not feasible without India's participation is thus political. As a bargaining tactic, the United States Congress refuses to undertake internationally-mandated mitigation obligations unless India accepts them.

There is a need for an equitable and efficient solution to climate change, so that efficiency can be obtained through a system of tradeable emission quotas and equity through equal allocation of global environmental space to all human beings. Therefore, in so far as the impact of human activity on global warming, rains, floods, sea levels and hurricanes in two to three decades is concerned, the die is already cast. So, it is time to act and further the talk on equity and sustainable basis, which should be acceptable to all partners across the globe and economic classes. Negotiations leading up to the climate change conference in Copenhagen in December are deadlocked on the question of similar demands on developing nations.

SONEPUR FAIR- fair of fairs

Sonepur Mela/ Fair is one of largest cattle fairs of the world. It is a historical and ancient event celebrated every year on bank of pious confluence of Gandak and the Ganges river, on the back drop of Harihar Nath Temple. On Kartik Purnima lakhs of devotees flock to offer prayer at this temple after taking a holy dip in the river. It is one of the biggest and most colorful cattle fairs in the region. During the month-long fair, visitors travel from miles around to view, barter and trade cattle, horses and elephants. Melas or fairs in Bihar are a common sight. The big fairs in Bihar include the melas of Rajgir near Patna, mela in Patna city, the melas in Jahanabad, in Gaya, Buxar and Sasaram in Shahabad, Revelganj in Saran, Bettiah in Champaran, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga and of course the Sonepur mela. Among all these, the Sonepur mela is the most famous and the oldest not only in Bihar but probably the whole of Asia. The Sonepur mela is held here on a sprawling 200 acres of land for a period of 21 days from Govt. side, but continue upto one and half month by the private stakeholders.

Historical Importance: The Sonepur mela has a profound historic grandeur. It was here at Sonepur in 1888, the first meeting of the “Indian Association of Cow Protection” seminar took place. It was here at the Sonepur mela that the freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh took the occasion of the assembly to actively recruit and inspire the people for fighting against the British imperialism both before and during the First Indian was of Independence in 1857. The cover of Sonepur mela led to the main launch of the struggle movement against the British in Bihar. The Provincial Congress Committee of Bihar and the Bihar Kisan Sabha also used this mela and the gathering as a recruitment ground. That is why Sonepur mela was considered a political hotbed during the colonial rule by the British and kept a watchful eye. According to the travelogue of a British administrative officer, W W Hynter, in 1919, the Sonepur mela used to be held in over 43 villages in the past. As per sources, the mela venue in the past also used to serve as a prime place for freedom movement. In fact, the fair was for the first time held on the Hajipur side around the 16th century. Later, the mela was shifted to the Sonepur side at the initiative of the then British officials to suppress the freedom movement.

Tracing the Roots: Sonepur mela has its origins during ancient times. This is where Chandragupta Maurya used to buy elephants and horses across the river Ganges from Patliputra (Patna of ancient times). The Sonepur Cattle Fair once used to attract traders from places as distant as Central Asia. Now Sonepur mela is one of the biggest and the world’s greatest fair. It takes place annually, 35 kilometres from Patna, the capital of Bihar. Sonepur mela is held for 21 days in the month of November (from around 5th-6th).

It even has a legendary tale attached to it. Many believe that a struggle took place at this spot in Sonepur between the ruler of Gandharva, Huhu and Indraya muni; ultimately Lord Vishnu helping the weaker latter. That is why there is a vast gathering of devotees gathered at the confluence for the two holy rivers for the blessed dip at the adjacent “Harihar Nath temple” on the full moon day (Kartik Purnima). Many believe that Lord Ram established the temple on his way to Lanka.

The temple of Harihar Nath is believed to have been originally built by Lord Rama, on his way to the court of King Janak to win the hand of Mata Sita. It is further said that Raja Man Singh later got the temple repaired. The Harihar Nath temple, as it stands today, was built by Raja Ram Narain, an influential person during the late Mughal period. Gajendhra Moksha legend is associated with the temple in Sonepur. It involves the story of king Indra Yamuna and the Gandharva chief Huhu, who were turned into an elephant and a crocodile respectively by the curse of great sages Agasthya and Dewala Muni. One day the elephant's leg was bitten by the crocodile. It is said that both of them fought hard for many years with their herds. But ultimately the King Elephant lost his strength and prayed to the Supreme God Vishnu (Hari) to save him. Vishnu heard his prayer and cut down the crocodile with his Chakra. But the touch of the chakra released Huhu from the curse. Vishnu also released Indra Yamuna from his curse and took him to his aboard Vaikuntha.

As per the tradition, lakhs of people assemble at different ghats of Harihar Kshetra at Hajipur and Sonepur on the eve of "Kartik Purnima" and take holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, the Gandak and the Mehi rivers. The devotees offer "Gangajal" to the Hariharnath temple and this ritual marks the beginning of the Sonepur mela. The locals regard that a dip here at this confluence of the 2 rivers is equivalent to giving away of 100 cows. However, it now attracts people from all geographical and religious diversity from the Punjab and Kashmir to Bhutan and Kerala. During the British Raj, merchants from Afghanistan and Britain used to attend. Originally, the venue of the fair was Hajipur and only the performance of the puja used to take place at the Harihar Nath temple of Sonepur. However, under the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the venue of the fair got shifted to Sonepur.

Major Attractions: The sprawling mela ground here with the pulsating market has the widest possible range of cattle and commodities. At the Sonepur mela one can buy almost anything. The array of shops sells all sorts of merchandise. Numerous stalls and movable shops/ exhibitions are also set up at the Fair. Temporary shops selling household goods, local and branded clothing and commercial merchandise are also up for sale. You will find a wide variety of goods in these stalls, ranging from garments, to weapons and furniture to toys, eatables, mainly the loca delicacies of Papdi, Khazoor and Halwa, utensils and agricultural implements to jewelry and handicrafts. Not to forget the food lovers, it’s absolutely divine.

But don’t panic if you’re not in the market for a new animal as there are plenty of other attractions and entertainments on offer at this pulsating festival; visitors can simply browse through the many market stalls or enjoy live music, traditional dancing, storytelling, carnival acts and regional food and drink specialities. Various folk shows, games and jugglers can be seen in the fair. Handicrafts, paintings and pottery not only from famous Madhubani but all over India can be seen here. All varieties of horticulture can be admired; this is a particular feast for the people of Bihar as it’s a major opportunity to enhance their gardens.

Many entertainment programmes are also organized alongside, by the Govt. / district authorities/ Mela Committee and the private persons. 3-4 Circuses, 5 night theatres, local folks and song & dance shows, death well/ Maut ka Kuan, swings and much more can be relished not only by children and teenagers, but also the adults. One can enjoy the mela 24X7, as even the whole night the theatres shows/ are on upto the sun rise. The theatres, Gulab, Shobha, Gulab-Vikas etc are my favourites. The performances are favulous and the dancers are well professionals to the core.

In recent years, government and several companies have started installing their shops to promote their products and services. It even runs health camps for the wellbeing of animals specially elephants. Animal farmers, circus entertainers, traders and individuals come for a bargain. Some come for the sheer entertainment and a family day out that it provides. Alogside, the Mela, Krishi mela is also organized to educate and expose farmers about new and emerging product and services in agriculture. Govt and private players exhibit their products and services to the masses, so the fair is not only animal fair in itself, it means beyond a world for the regular visitors. The Sonepur fair become a very part of life of the local people, either from the town / rural areas.

Another major attraction is the sight of numerous elephants, beautifully decorated for the purpose of sale. The area that attracts all, however, is the one where elephants are lined up for sale. The Sonepur Fair is the only one where such a large number of elephants are sold. These are purchased mainly by forest departments and people involved with logging operations. Apart from elephants, a large number of cattle and horses are also brought to the fair for sale. Nearly all animals can be seen at the Sonepur mela from all breeds of dogs to camels to buffaloes, donkeys, ponies, monkeys, chimps, Persian horses, sheep, rabbits, bears, cats, and guinea pigs. All varieties of birds, poultry and fishes are also available. The Sonepur mela specialises in the sale of every type of bird and animal, big or small.

Organizer : The Mela is administered by Chhapra District Administrator with due support from Vaishali administration and Govt. of Bihar. The promotion of Mela is done by the Tourism Ministry of Bihar. The administration arranges sanitation, drinking water facilities, health and welfare camps for the visitors. The fair is well supported by BIHAR Tourism ministry to give its wide coverage among the foreign tourists and domestic travelers/ fair-goers.

The Magical Feast : Even special arrangements are made for the accommodation at the sandy riverlands/ diara with royal ecstasy made of crop stubbles and other residues following pucca desi format. With the riverside breeze blowing gently at night, make the atmosphere very serene. Open fooding facilities/ restaurant and boating & swimming is encouraged during the evening and night. Its not less than a Brazil/ Australian Beach or, even our own Goa Beach counterpart for the duration.

Coverage: Sonepur Mela gets very wide publicity in media world wide. Foreign news agencies provide good coverage of all the activities. A good number of foreign tourists flock to catch the show and visiting the nearby places of importance like, Vaishali; Mahavir’s Birthplace and Buddha’s too stayed here, Rajgir, Nalanda University ruins, Bodhgaya and many a lot to mention here. During my childhood (early 90’s), when I used to visit the fair, a good number of foreign fair-goers, not less than 4-5k, visits here. But, with the time the changes in administration and the local Govt., things were not at the same as it was earlier. However, recently with the change in command with Mr. Nitish Kumar at the helm, everybody expects the turnaround of BIHAR and the Mela as well.

How to reach Sonepur Mela: Sonepur is 25 kilometers from Patna, the capital city of Bihar and well connected by all the routes of air (Patna), trains/ railways (Hajipur- 5 kms/ Patna- 25kms) and road via Patna/ Chapra the UP and Delhi route. By Air you have to reach Patna airport. By Rail you have to board a rail to Patna or Hajipur station. From Patna or Hajipur you can hire taxi/auto for Sonepur Mela. Many buses are also plying between Patna and Hajipur and Rickshaws / Auto etc are available at the very reasonable rates. It will take just 20 minutes ride to reach the mela and on the way you can catch the small township of HAJIPUR, beautiful bank/ ghats of Gandak river and the more than 150 year old British made Steel bridge.

Air: Take a flight to Patna airport and book in a hotel.

Rail: Alternatively get to Patna Station and stay at one of the below hotels.

Also could go to Hajipur that is the nearest railway station.

From Patna you could hire a taxi (autos, the famous 3 wheeler) from the railway station or board regular plying buses connecting the towns anywhere, that will take you across the Ganges to the Sonepur mela.

Some good hotels include;

Hotel Maurya: South Gandhi, Maidan Patna, Patna, Bihar (5 star)

Samrat International: Fraser Road, Patna, Bihar (3 Star)

Patliputra Ashoka: Beer Chand Patel Path, Patna, Bihar (2 Star)

Chanakya: Bir Chand Patel Path, Patna, Bihar (4 Star)

Kautilya Vihar: Beer Chand Patel Path, Patna (Govt. owned)

Hotel Republic: Exhibition Road, Patna, Bihar (2 Star)

Hotel President: Frazer Road, Patna, Bihar (2 Star)

Or, if you prefer you could check in some smaller hotels in and around the Patna railway station, such as Marwari Awas Griha (Near the D-Lal retail shop near Dak Banglow), Hotel Bhagwat, Station road, Karbighaiya or, many smaller ones at Hajipur/ Sonepur.

Challenges: The Sonepur mela is losing its sheen gradually due to the rapid urbanization, rise of local permanent markets, mall couture, apathetic attitude of the state government and no support from the GoI, particularly the Ministry of Tourism. It can be declared a heritage, seeing its glorious history and bonds with the local populace and fair-goers. The arrival of cattle, particularly, elephants is going poor over the time. The ban on sale of elephants has badly affected the fair. Some relaxation over regulations needed to keep alive the traditional and ancient pomp of the fair in this time of Malls and television. When, people like to stay in and enjoy the dull and moron life. Hopefully, the time you visit the Sonepur fair, it may kindle some of the things, I scribed here. So, overall the fair is a lifetime experience, if you go and visit there with a positive mindset and a good company, one who knows the place well. It will surely prove a treat to your eyes and savour to your heart.

- Abid Hussain-

Pulses and Oilseeds Policies: The fault to the core

INDIA is the world’s largest consumer and importer of pulses and edible oils. Pulses are the major sources of body building proteins for majority Indians.

But the per capita consumption of pulses has declined. A factor responsible for this situation is the nonchalant attitude of the government towards increasing pulses production, especially under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), which focused more on wheat, rice, millet and corn. The situation has resulted in prices doubling during the last one year.

Pulses’ demand remaining price sensitive, the per capita consumption has gradually declined over the years. While total pulses availability in the country has reflected a growth of mere 1.39% (CAGR) during the last two decades, population has increased at a CAGR of more than 1.8%. Low import tariffs have helped increased imports, including the June 8, 2006 decision of allowing pulses shipments into the country duty-free. In order to battle against rising domestic prices and for fulfilling domestic needs, government allowed duty free imports from June 8, 2006. Consequently, imports touched 2.26mt in 2006-07, the maximum since 1980-81. Interestingly, India's export of pulses grew at a far greater pace than imports, from 1.09 thousand tonnes in 1980-81 to 447.44 thousand tonnes in 2005-06. Looking at the rising consumption of pulses in India against domestic output and resultant high prices, the government has banned export of pulses.

India’s oilseed output in 2008-09 is estimated to be 28.16mt against the demand of 45.46mt. The output in 2009-10 is projected to fall due to deficient monsoon this year. The earlier policy allowing free import of oilseeds was detrimental to the interests of oilseed farmers and a set-back for achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds. As a result, the country remained dependent on imported edible oils. There has been a significant increase in imports of crude palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia.

There is potential to produce about 25 lakh tonnes of oil from non-conventional sources, but hardly about eight lakh tonnes are being utilised. It is important to work out a strategy to exploit these sources.

The spectacular success of the yellow revolution in 1998-99 could be attributed to an increase in the cultivable area to about 26mha and an integrated approach that gave over-riding priority through a technology mission. Aimed at accelerating self-reliance in oilseeds, the approach adopted envisaged development and extension of modern technological inputs to farmers, thereby providing them incentive prices and storage and processing facilities.

At present, there is not much scope to expand the cultivable area under oilseeds. These energy-rich crops suffer from a number of constraints as they are grown in poor environment and are susceptible to pests and diseases. Besides, farmers preferred to grow high-yielding cereals to earn higher profits. However, in the recent past, improved technology has helped in boosting output.

As major crops, oilseeds meet the country’s needs for edible oils. A second yellow revolution is the need of the hour. Also, a technical breakthrough in dryland farming is needed to maximise yield, productivity and farm income. Making the country self-sufficient in oilseeds would have a great impact on agriculture and the economy and would help reduce our dependence on foreign markets.

New promising oilseeds and pulses like, sunflower, soybean, arhar etc. can be vehemently promoted to break the jinx of productivity barrier and to make the sector alluring to the growers as well as the industry.

Government’s faulty policy has to be mainly blamed for this lackadaisical oilseed scenario as during the same period many schemes had been taken off for foodgrains and horticulture crops, in the name of food security. MSP and other public support have been extended for many of the crops. The private investment is also not much appreciable, in the wake of good and guaranteed remuneration and supports offered by Govt. to the high value crops. The pulses and oilseeds have many slack sides too, i.e., lack of hybrids and improved seed varieties, least R&D, opportunistic ad-hoc policies, no incentives to the growers, risk of crop failure and economic burden on the neglected and rugged tracts. Least adoption of advanced production practices and their inability to go for intensive production also adds to the glitches.

Climate Change and its impact on Indian Agriculture

Climate change is defined as change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity. Adaptive capacity is the ability of a system to adjust to climate change (including climate variability and extremes) to moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with the consequences. Vulnerability is the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. New options for carbon sequestration in agriculture and forestry and land-use change such as deforestation contributes to, respectively, 13 and 17 percent of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture are small, the sector accounts for about 60 percent of all nitrous oxide (N₂O, mainly from fertilizer use) and about 50 percent of methane (CH₄, emitted, mainly from natural and cultivated wetlands and enteric fermentation). The IPCC estimates that the global technical mitigation potential for agriculture (excluding forestry) will be between 5 500 and 6 000 Mt CO₂-equivalent per year by 2030, 89 percent of which are assumed to be from carbon sequestration in soils.

In India the direct impact of climate change would effect plant growth, development and yield due to changes in rainfall and temperature. Increase in temperature would reduce crop duration, increase crop respiration rates, change the pattern of pest attack and new equilibrium between crops and pests hasten mineralization in soils and decrease fertilizer use efficiency. All these could considerably affect crop yields in long run. In general the simulation results indicate that increasing temperature and decreasing solar radiation levels pose a serious threat in decreasing growth and yield of agricultural crops. Increased CO₂ levels are expected to favor growth and increase crop yields and therefore, will be helpful in counteracting the adverse effects of temperature rise in future. On global level climate change effects will change the crop production areas. In middle and higher latitudes, global warming will extend the length of the potential growing season, allowing earlier planting of crops in the spring, earlier maturation and harvesting, and the possibility of completing two or more cropping cycles during the same season.

Crop-producing areas may expand pole ward in countries although yields in higher latitudes will likely be lower due to climate change. Many crops have become adapted to the growing season, day lengths of the middle and lower latitudes and may not respond well to the much longer days of the high latitude summers. In warmer, lower latitude regions, increased temperatures may accelerate the rate at which plants release CO₂ in the process of respiration, resulting in less than optimal conditions for net growth. Another important effect of high temperature is accelerated physiological development, resulting in hastened maturation and reduced yield.

Available water

Agriculture of any kind is strongly influenced by the availability of water. Climate change will modify rainfall, evaporation, runoff, and soil moisture storage. Changes in total seasonal precipitation or in its pattern of variability are both important. The occurrence of moisture stress during flowering, pollination, and grain-filling is harmful to most crops and particularly so to corn, soybeans, and wheat. Increased evaporation from the soil and accelerated transpiration in the plants themselves will cause moisture stress; as a result there will be a need to develop crop varieties with greater drought tolerance.

The demand for water for irrigation is projected to rise in a warmer climate, bringing increased competition between agriculture, already the largest consumer of water resources in semiarid regions and urban as well as industrial users. Falling water tables and the resulting increase in the energy needed to pump water will make the practice of irrigation more expensive, particularly when with drier conditions more water will be required per acre. Peak irrigation demands are also predicted to rise due to more severe heat waves.

Pest and disease

Conditions are more favorable for the proliferation of insect pests in warmer climates. Longer growing seasons will enable insects such as grasshoppers to complete a greater number of reproductive cycles during the spring, summer, and autumn. Warmer winter temperatures may also allow larvae to winter-over in areas where they are now limited by cold, thus causing greater infestation during the following crop season. Altered wind patterns may change the spread of both wind-borne pests and of the bacteria and fungi that are the agents of crop disease. Crop-pest interactions may shift as the timing of development stages in both hosts and pests is altered. Livestock diseases may be similarly affected. The possible increases in pest infestations may bring about greater use of chemical pesticides to control them, a situation that will require the further development and application of integrated pest management techniques.

Sustainability and food security

Climate change can impact agricultural sustainability in two interrelated ways: first, by diminishing the long-term ability of agro-ecosystems to provide food and fiber for the world's population; and second, by inducing shifts in agricultural regions that may encroach upon natural habitats, at the expense of floral and faunal diversity. Global warming may encourage the expansion of agricultural activities into regions now occupied by natural ecosystems such as forests, particularly at mid- and high-latitudes. Forced encroachments of this sort may thwart the processes of natural selection of climatically-adapted native crops and other species.

While the overall, global impact of climate change on agricultural production may be small, regional vulnerabilities to food deficits may increase, due to problems of distribution and marketing food to specific regions and groups of people. For subsistence farmers, and more so for people who now face a shortage of food, lower yields may result not only in measurable economic losses, but also in malnutrition and even famine. In general, the tropical regions appear to be more vulnerable to climate change than the temperate regions for several reasons. On the biophysical side, temperate C₃ crops are likely to be more responsive to increasing levels of CO₂. Second, tropical crops are closer to their high temperature optima and experience high temperature stress, despite lower projected amounts of warming. Third, insects and diseases, already much more prevalent in warmer and more humid regions, may become even more widespread.

Inferences:

1. CO₂ is increasing.

2. CH₄ is increasing.

3. Earth atmosphere systems temperature and Surface temperature
is increasing.

4. Extreme temperatures increasing

5. Atmospheric water vapour content increasing. Frequency of heavy precipitation events increasing

6. More intense and longer droughts.

7. Mid-latitude wind patterns/ storm tracks shifting poleward.

8. Tropical cyclone intensity increasing.

9. Area of seasonally frozen ground decreasing.

10. Glaciers and snow cover decreasing, Arctic sea ice extent decreasing.

Conclusions:

1. Plantation should be increased on the foots of Himalaya, Sahyadri ranges, coastal area and barren land. With reference to Gujarat forest area should increase from 9.5% to 20% in next decade or by 2020 AD.
2. For controlling methane emission from the paddy field, the appropriate water saving technology should be used instead of transplanting and submerged paddy cultivation method.
3. Shelter belts should be created near sea shore to check salinity and salt nuclei in atmosphere, which changes rainfall pattern.
4. The simulation results indicate that increasing temperature and decreasing solar radiation levels pose a serious threat in decreasing growth and yield of agricultural crops. Increased CO₂ levels are expected to favor growth and increase crop yields and therefore, will be helpful in counteracting the adverse effects of temperature rise in future.

FUTURE NEEDS

• In many studies the impact of climate change on crop growth and yield is analyzed using crop simulation models.

• A proper analysis of the performance of such models should be made to verify their reliability in the projected conditions of changed atmospheric composition and changed climate.

• Further identify regional variations and sensitivity (w.r.t. Climate change)

• Impacts would be analyzed mainly for: Crop yields and variability and

• Shifts in relative productivity and production

Way forward:-

Advances in technology has altered the trade off between growth and environmental quality in recent years. It is possible to ensure environmental quality now, more than ever before, if we manage to harness the entrepreneurial skills of the people, administrative skills of the State, the reach of civil society, growth and investments to work for environment rather than against it. Stronger partnerships and better polices can make up for poor resources. The provision of clean drinking water, pure air and sanitation are as much poverty busters as is increase in income.

- Dr. M. C. VARSHNEYA, VC, AAU, Gujarat-