Transitioning agriculture as a business through better productivity and sustainability is the vision of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). An inclusive market-oriented development approach will revolutionize agriculture and ensure food and nutritional security of small farmers and the poor in the developing world, says William Dar, director general, ICRISAT. In an interview with BV Mahalakshmi, he explains that there is an imminent need for an inclusive market-oriented development (IMOD) to empower small farmers in overcoming poverty and hunger through better farming. Excerpts:
How can agricultural growth be achieved given the constraints in the present environment?
Making agriculture as a business through better productivity and sustainability is our vision. This can be achieved by using scientific tools by farmers for bridging the yield gap. Developing countries must give highest priority to agriculture and increase public investment that will enable smallholder farming to achieve greater productivity and profitability. India can become a global model in making smallholder agriculture as a nation?s engine to transformation. A second Green Revolution with focus on development of the agriculture is imperative to support smallholder farmers. Based on a Assocham study , the next green revolution in India should be focused on a convergence strategy for the public and private sectors and civil society and research and educational institutions to devise a mechanism in sustaining enhanced productivity, providing opportunities for agricultural growth.
What is the new role of HOPE and how relevant is it for the Indian farmers?
HOPE stands for ?Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement of sorghum and millets in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia?, a project supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. HOPE is led by ICRISAT in close partnership with several state and national institutions on sorghum in India such as Marathwada State Agricultural University, Mahatma PhuleKrishi Vidyapeeth State Agricultural University (MPKV) and the National Directorate of Sorghum Research. HOPE has become reality for 25,000 farmers in dryland Marathwada and Western Maharashtra regions of Maharashtra, which is known as the ?Sorghum Bowl of India?. Initial assessments indicate that their grain yields rose by 40% and fodder yields by 20% on average over the past three seasons (2010-2012) due to improved sorghum varieties and crop management practices, along with improved market linkages. About half of these farmers operate on a very small scale, with landholding size of two hectares or less. The net income has increased by 50%, to an average of $78 per hectare of sorghum grown. Our international role is to encourage sharing of promising technologies such as the durra sorghums of Africa, and the hybrid sorghum technology of India.
Can you tell us more about ICRISAT?s 2020 vision.
Our core focus would be to reduce vulnerability to drought and climate change while increasing crop diversity and value; harness development pathways for inclusive prosperity; raising and securing productivity for health, income and sustainability; and increase productivity to help end hunger.
We will continue to improve the five staple food crops which include sorghum, pearl millet, ground nut, chick pea and pigeon pea. The research on our five crops may also extend to areas in other agro eco-zones but, the focus would be on tropical dry lands. There are increasing challenges such as climate change, land degradation, drought t and raising costs of food and inputs in the dry areas. These can be addressed using scientific methodologies and technologies such as biotechnology, geo-spatial sciences and other ICT tools. These advances will be effective in improving the use of genetic resources
What are your views on genetic engineering? How do you look at the current policies in the wake of a challenging situation?
Through our five mandate crops, we are looking at genetic engineering as the last resort when the conventional tools are not up to the mark. However, the mechanisms are still not in place and rules have to be stringent. While there is MSP for big cereals such as rice and wheat, there is no MSP for minor crops which is the policy imbalance. This has to be corrected. Secondly, global warming is another big challenge with extreme weather beds. Policies are biased for rain-fed and irrigated agriculture which has to be corrected. We can bank on our gene bank which is a treasure trove of new traits for crop improvement. It has over 119,000 accessions from 144 countries of our mandate crops which are sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnut.
What is the financial position at ICRISAT? How much are the revenues and the contribution from funds or grants?
About 70% comes in the form of grants for specific project such as Gates Foundation, ICAR, etc and 30% is through core contribution. We are engaged with our partners to upscale technology to improve soil health, increase micro nutrient levels. We are working on innovative for water conservation and other improved farm practices through BBC .
Our financial health is sound and stable. It is expected that with efficient financial management systems in place, the financial health of the institute continues to be strong in future as well. The institute?s grant income for the year 2011 was $67.014 m and expenditure was $65.316 m leaving us with the operating surplus of $1.698 m, Our reserves at the end of the year 2011 stood at $22.418 m. The cash flow situation continues to be comfortable and as of Dec 31, 2011 we had an investment of $5.710 m in financial instruments.