New world of agricultural research

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: The agricultural economy has spent the past decade in the doldrums. After growing 3.2% yearly between 1980-81 and 1995-96, the rates declined to 1.9% in the rest of the 90s, slumping further to a mere 1% in the first three years of the 10th Plan. This may be attributed to drought years, an erratic monsoon and stagnation in crop productivity, low rates of adoption of technologies, declining public investment in agriculture and tardy pace of reforms in the sector, etc.

Several panels are looking into the revamping of the National Agriculture Research System (Nars) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Nars, with its network of institutes, universities, research centres and Krishi Vigyan Kendras and 30,000 scientists, is one of the world’s largest publicly funded research systems. The ‘green revolution’ was a big feather in its cap. Post it, agricultural scientists continued to score notable successes, ranging from the development of improved cultivars—hybrids, high-yielding and short-duration varieties —to agronomic practices for improved crop management, plant protection measures, etc.

The research system is sharpening its capacity to harness molecular biology, biotechnology, genomics, as well as the information and telecom revolutions. There is heightened recognition that trade liberalisation and increased competition is challenging farmers; greater concern about sustainable management of resources; a thrust towards diversification is predicated on finding suitable market linkages; agro-processing in rural hinterlands promises higher incomes, off-farm employment, etc.

Scientists will be devoting themselves to approaches likely to result in more readily acceptable technologies. As Keynes wrote “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” Nars is making such forays.

A major change involves moving to a ‘doubly green revolution’ regime, implying more sustainable management of land, water and biodiversity. Scientists need to produce more and better food not only ‘per unit of land,’ but per unit of all other inputs, too.

The single-discipline, single-commodity based approach is being replaced by systems-oriented research. Small and marginal farming systems are highly integrated and complex. Acting on even a single component affects the entire system dynamics. A more vigorous integrated systems approach is needed.