To give a push to government?s efforts for a second ?Green Revolution?, the Punjab government has offered 200 acre of land for the proposed Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) to be set up by Mexico-based International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement.
Sources in the Punjab chief minister?s office told FE on Monday that the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has conveyed the government?s keenness to take up the project in a letter to Union agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar.
Punjab contributes 60% of wheat and 40% of rice to the central food kitty. Top agriculture scientists have been pressing for the need for a second Green Revolution as food production in the country was slowly stagnating.
The letter by the Punjab chief minister says: ?Dr Norman Borlaug had a very close association with the State of Punjab especially Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhaina. It was here that high yielding variety seeds and the accompanying agricultural practices were introduced with great success by him in the 1960s leading to green revolution in the state?.
The institute is being set up in memory of Borlaug, father of Mexican Wheat, as a tribute to his contribution in wiping out hunger in the world. Norman Borlaug, known as father of green revolution across the globe, passed away last year.
The letter says that a major emphasis is required to be laid on agriculture research, development and technology transfer to ensure the long term sustainability of agriculture. Punjab, therefore, has a rightful claim to the proposed BISA. The state is ready to provide 200 acre required for this institute near Ludhiana. Ministry of agriculture should locate this Institute in Punjab .
Punjab argues that its scientists such had worked with Borlaug for several years to usher in Green Revolution in the country in 1960s. Borlaug had a special attachment with Punjab , as it was the state where agriculture scientists worked at a rapid speed on Mexican dwarf varieties of wheat to test their suitability to local conditions.