acmf grain gain presentation by s viswanathan (sv) agriculture consultancy management foundation...
TRANSCRIPT
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Grain Gain
Presentation by S Viswanathan (SV)
Agriculture Consultancy Management Foundation (ACMF)
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Objective: A Green Dream…
Double Foodgrain Production
Revive the Green Revolution
Benefits Largest Numbers
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Agriculture is an important focus area for India
Tremendous impact on Economic growth: 22% of GDP
Nearly 60% (>600 million) of population directly involved in agriculture
Favorable climate all year around
Favorable politico-economic situation
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Impacts economic growth and large proportion of population
54
19
27
22
27
51
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Perc
enta
ge o
f Po
pula
tion
1 2
Population Dependence
Impact of Agriculture, Manufacturing & Services
Contribution to GDP
Nearly 600 million Indians depend directly on Agriculture (54%)
– 210 million depend on Manufacturing (19%)
– 300 million depend on Services (27%)
Agriculture contributes around 22% of GDP
– Manufacturing contributes 27%
– Services contributes 51% (IT services 3%) Agriculture Manufacturing Services
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India’s climate favorable all year around
India well endowed with largest area of arable land – 420 million acres
Climate favorable all year around– Farming possible round the year; unlike in
Europe, China or most parts of the US, where agricultural operations possible only for 5-6 months a year
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Favorable Politico-economic Climate
Federal government anxious to accelerate growth
Prime minister sets 4% farm growth. This will be necessary to achieve a 10% GDP growth
Government interested in ensuring that growth is sustainable and manageable
Pressure from global competition – e.g. WTO
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Green Revolution in the 1960s was a great success
The Green Revolution initiative
From ship-to-mouth to food surplus
Saw regional shifts based on economics and not local consumption (e.g. Punjab state)
Foodgrain production increased from 72 million tonnes in 1967 to 108 million tonnes in 1971 – an increase of 50% in just 4 years
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But we have not built on initial success over the next 35 years
For the last 5 years, 2000-2005, food production has remained stagnant – at around 200 million tonnes.
4254
7485
93
36
5570 73
65
108
130
176
197212
174
73
24
0
50
100
150
200
250
1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03
Rice
Wheat
Foodgrains
Pro
du
cti
on
in
Million
Ton
s
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In addition India has low yields compared to the rest of the world
Tomato Production Per Acre
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1
Pro
du
ctio
n in
To
ns
California Tamil Nadu
Many US farms produce 60 tonnes of tomatoes per acre compared to <10 tonnes per acre for an Indian farm
Farmers in California produce 8.5 tonnes of rice per acre compared to India’s average of <1 tonne per acre
Rice Production Per Acre
01
234
567
89
Pro
du
ctio
n i
n T
on
s
California Tamil Nadu
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India’s lack of progress in agriculture is due to several factors
Fragmented, small land holdings
Lack of agro-climatic focus
Lack of technology and management inputs
Fertilizer companies’ traditional focus on NPK at the expense of micronutrients and soil analysis
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Lack of Agro-Climatic Focus
Many states in India produce similar food grains across the country (e.g. rice in West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.)
But, agro-climatic zones vary around the country and are conducive for specific, targeted varieties of crops
In the US, each state has selected what is most suitable to its endowments: – States well endowed with water such has Illinois,
Indiana focus on corn and wheat – States like California and Florida focus on horticulture,
nuts, other exotic crops– Hawaii focuses on pineapples and sugarcane
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Technological and Management Inputs
Lack of adequate scientific information is a common problem
The Federal government owns and operates advanced information networks to monitor weather patterns, rainfall, soil conditions etc. – through advanced satellite mapping – through research institutions
Agriculture is predominantly a state subject in India. Knowledge assimilated at the Federal level is not fully percolating to the end farmer
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Change Focus of Fertilizer Companies
The second Green Revolution demands attention to soil
Soil analysis should be more comprehensive
Done not just of N, P and K
Sharper focus on micro-nutrients needed
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We have the Infrastructure
to do this!
Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Fertiliser companies already have a lapse
These needed to be tailored for a close analysis for micro-nutrients We have the infrastructure only links missing India is strong in satellite imaging. Extensive mapping has already been done Missing links: Interpreting these to the farmers Well-spread engineering and science colleges can be trained to do
this The system of using sprawling post office network can help A village post office can help dispatch a sample to the laboratory
and also to deliver a report in quick time
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What Needs to be Done
Precision farming – Soil analysis – Tilling techniques – Mechanization – Agglomeration of land
Three-pronged farm management strategy– Demonstration farms– Corporate involvement– Infrastructure
Government’s role as facilitator
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Precision farming
Soil analysis– Soil needs to be tested for micronutrients; lack of
nutrients, minerals to be compensated
Tilling techniques – Till deeper instead of wider; in California, land tracts
tilled up to 24 inches; in India tracts tilled up to 3 inches
– Inadequate reach of nutrients, water to roots
Increased farm mechanization– This requires consolidation of farms / land
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Three-Pronged Farm Management Strategy
Demonstration farms– Tilling– Fertilization and pest control– Irrigation– Total farm management
Corporate involvement– For management and scientific inputs
Produce handling and distribution infrastructure– Processing – Marketing
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Increased Farm mechanisation Tilling deeper itself can help a lot
Water and the fertiliser will effectively reach the roots
This will call for a measure of mechanisation
Simple implements like Sechell Shank inserts and disc ploughs can help
Of course, this will mean more demand for steel
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Looking at what this will mean to the Steel producers
Rural India has not been a great consumer of Steel
Focus on simple tools and implements can stimulate huge demand for Steel
Should generate gainful employment and help retained skilled talent in the rural areas
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City’s dominance will diminish – India will also thrive on farm based economy
Western Pundits predicts the rate of urbanization can be decelerated
Doubling of farm incomes will impact massively on the rural economy
Rural households can then spend on education, health, insurance and a whole lot of consumer goods
The gap between the modern India and the traditional Bharath will be bridged.
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Case studies: Pockets of farming success exist in India
Contract farming– Pepsi
– ITC
– Tata Chemicals
Increased yield using micronutrient analysis and total farm management – Gemini Farms
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Women empowerment
Women self help group at
Babrala village in the state of Uttar
Pradesh, India,
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IT in agriculture
Assisting with farm inputs and
weather patterns to
market information and
global prices, computers are
becoming powerful tools
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Conclusion
Imagine this scenario: – Farm output DOUBLES to 400 million tonnes– Impacts on the rural economy– Moderates unhealthy urbanization– India emerges a large foodgrain producer for the
world – Replicable globally– Better prospects for eliminating global hunger
A second, stronger Green Revolution is possible!