AFRO-SDC partnership

THE PARTNERSHIP OF AFRO-SDC PARNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION ON 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2010 AT 1430 HOURS.

Address of Prof. K.V. Thomas, Hon. Minister of state for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

I am extremely pleased to be with all of you in this event to commemorate the AFRO-SDC partnership and stock taking of the challenges ahead in water and food security. In the past, the AFRO –SDC partnership has shown us the way in large number of micro interventions in streamlining our governance of natural resources . The watershed programmes of the early eighties, the development of the India Mark II hand pumps-later promoted by the UNICEF and the vulnerability analysis of adaptations to climate change in semi urban areas of India attempted to get answers to climate change impact in rural areas based on conservation, strengthening and value addition of the resource base.

The documentation of the learning’s of three decades titled ‘Winged Seeds’ is now released. It represents various models from the well tested interventions adopted as a larger initiative by the community. It is heartening to see communities have adopted such practices since and they have spread across the country with the contribution from a large number of civil society organisations and Government Departments.

Friends, today we are discussing water and food security in a changing climate. The issue of food and water security of large country like India is a global concern with a population which might stabilise shortly. The demand on all our natural resources to feed, house and productively employ the largest national population in the World will increase substantially. Our food production has to increase to around 300 million tonnes per annum from the present 200 plus. This involves, in the conventional sense, high dependence on water both surface and ground, fertilisers, mechanisation and other intensification of inputs.

The model in which we have successfully employed in the first phase of green revolution in the North Western part of India has provided a reasonable amount of food security in terms of grains. However, the country continues to be short of pulses and other protein based nutrients . Unless an ecologically sensitive production pattern is adopted by all the States and regions which have potential and insurmountable challenge. India cannot hope to afford import of large quantity of any major food item as it will push up the prices in the rest of the world as well as create physical shortages in poorer countries. This increase in production, therefore, has to be managed in a more regionally balanced and participatory manner. It has to be provided for by water resources without damaging the resource base. Fertilisers have to be adopted, without polluting the water resources, sustainably and improving farm mechanisation without a huge draw on fossil fuels. This is a major development challenge which we cannot overcome without high degree of participation and technology break throughs. One of the technologies in the horizon is clearly the applicability of second generation genetic technology involving genetically modified crops.
The ecological impact of genetically modified organisms in the country are being evaluated under the various phases of trials. I have a feeling that we need to attain more clarity in this aspect and have a clearer approach to involve G.M crops as well in our overall strategy. If we fail to tap the productivity revolution which flows from rationalisation of inputs and optimization of input technologies, there is every chance that India could face problems in feeding its fast increasing population.
The other imperative before the country is to reach the poor effectively with the food production it achieves. The country has a subsidised distributive regime using the public distribution system. Various options are being discussed in policy circles to improve the access of the poor to this basic life-line. Many stakeholders and even the judiciary are concerned on the malnutrition levels of children below the age of 5 years and the rural population in general. There is a feeling that the subsidy deployed to run the food subsidy system at the grass root level is not adequately reaching the needy despite our best efforts. At present, recalculated the estimations show that 37 per cent of the Indian population are poor. In some rural areas it may be 42 per cent.

Whatever the contours of the Food Security Act are, the poor would have to be reached with substantially subsidised grains supplies using a transparent system which minimises the arbitrage loses. Various options like smart electronic cards are being considered at the moment to avoid the diversionary loses. While the poor need to be supplied with cheaper grains we have to take adequate precautions that two calamities do not occur out of this.
First the degree of subsidisation should not render farming un productive whereby the farmer is denied of a competitive price, exists farming and the overall production suffers.

Second the mechanism of delivery of the subsidy should not result in large grain diversions from subsidised to non-subsidised regions or in the open market where it commands higher prices.

This I feel is the crux of the matter. The instrument which we use to establish the Food Security Act must have adequate safe guards whereby sometimes conflicting objectives are reconciled. Without systematically revamping the distribution network involving the strength of the retail sector and improving the storage potential, India cannot hope to achieve its targets in food security. It goes without saying that overall improvement in agricultural productivity with minimal environmental backlash is the primary factor which will determine this as nothing can substitute adequate production of grains and other essentials in controlling the prices in the market. Sustainable larger production is the only way in which larger access can be ensured for the relatively poorer population towards kitchen essentials.

I am sure that the panellists on today’s’ discussion would discuss further and I would be happy to hear about your ideas in the matter. I am keen to look into the AFRO-SDC projects in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh where the setting up of mini Agro-met observatories and making available timely agricultural metrological advisories to farmers, water banks, Improved Chulas etc. are contributing innovatively to the welfare of the farming population.

I would certainly ask the Indian Council for Agricultural Research to have this initiative assessed and to be used in their Krishi Vigyan Kendra network for scaling up across the country. I wish you all a successful and satisfactory discussion and I look forward to receiving further details and an action oriented road map from the Seminar.
Thank for inviting me here today.

JAI HIND.