*articles

Food Security in Indian Context

Introduction :

India is basking the appreciations from whole world for its transformation from a meager agrarian nation to potential global super power in the past 62 years after achieving independence. Despite of significant development in various sectors, large socio-economic regional disparities prevailing in the states like Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are posing great challenges to this country in achieving the goals to fight problems like poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, ignorance and inequality. It is appreciated that most of the developing countries have made significant development in addressing the above problems but most common phenomenon among them tends to be insecurity for food. The present paper aims to focus some of the issues of food security with particular reference to India and world in general.

Food Production in India :

India like many other developing countries has achieved self sufficiency in food grains by 1995-96 with considerable amount of exports of various farm produce like Rice, Wheat, Vegetables, Fruits and Sugar. The country was in a position to export animal products like Milk, Fish, Prawn, Meat and Meat products. National oil Seeds Mission which was initiated in early 1990s could make this country to stop imports of oil seeds and pulses by achieving the goals of self sufficiency. However, it is alarming to note that there is significant decline of food availability to the rural population in India who possess less to eat than what they were getting before 1970. Most of the rural populations, particularly children are malnourished in spite of government's efforts through  Public Food Distribution System (PDS).

Production costs :

Cost of production with regard to food grain agriculture has increased manifold during the decade till 2008. Farmers were achieving 15 quintals production involving an expenditure of 5 qunitals per acre in 1970. However, production levels increased to 20 quintals in 2008 involving an expenditure of 15 quintals per acre. Thus, profitability has diminished greatly with regard to food grain production in the past three decades raising serious concern over food security in such circumstances. Man power availability has further worsened the situation in agriculture sector during last 30 years in the country. Farmers were obtaining the services of 100 man hours (15 man days)  per quintal of paddy production in 1970 as against 25 hours (4 man days) for same amount of rice production in 2008. Such reasons coupled with inadequate policies and misdirected investment in agriculture made farming as an unprofitable venture.

Reasons for Food Crisis :

Eversince agriculture has become unprofitable venture, there has been four times increase in agricultural imports since the WTO came into effect in 1995 and rendering 4 million farmers jobless. This has been further aggravated by regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which compel Indian farmers to compete in unhealthy environment. Although government system aims to control farm gate price for produce, but there have been no measures to contain input costs and resolve labour problem. Poor employment opportunities in rural areas are posing great threat to Indian agriculture with youth between 20 and 30 years migrating to urban areas in search of job. Very poor advancement in farm machinery and agriculture engineering is further forcing the farmer to depend on manual labour.

There has been enormous increase in prices for every commodity in the past decade between 1997 and 2007 such as HSD (390%); Public representatives (300%), Salaries for employees (150%), Plastic (114%), Cement (110%), Healthcare products (130%), Pesticides (105%), Steel (100%), Petrol (100%) in comparison to agriculture produce such as Wheat (26%), Paddy (25%), Maize (24%), Pulses (20%) Sugarcane (20%) and Milk (20%) which recorded nominal price hike.

A tragic human consequence and also serious concern for the government has been the suicide of more than 100,000 farmers in the country in this decade to 2008. Most of them were due to crippling debts for expensive seeds and chemicals. There is no controlling mechanism which can check input cost rendering 1:1 profit to the commerce and industrial sector.

Strategies in Research and Planning :

Researchers as well as planners are still giving impetus to production  than providing plans for achieving productivity and profitability. Scientific contingencies are lagging far behind technically to resolve various problems with regard to pest and disease management, crop management. As a result, farmers are shifting towards profitable ventures like plantation crops attracted by the government schemes prepared for encouraging such crops in terms of input and other farm subsidies than adopting food grain agriculture. Plans to invest in the plantation crops like Jatropha, Leucena and Eucalyptus with millions of hectares set aside for the purpose will need immense reexamination in the context of country’s own inability to feed itself. Further, India's understandable insistence on the removal of protective subsidies and tariffs is posing great threat to food safety and security through farmers gradually weaning away from food grain agriculture. As long as cultivation of food grains remains unprofitable, farmers are bound to shift other types of agriculture to reap economical benefits which subsequently lead to great food insecurity in future. Moreover, research in farm engineering and equipment is not apace with the requirements of the farming sector which is making the farmers still to depend on manual labour.

Investments in Allied Sectors :

In spite of the fact that most of the rural populations, particularly children are malnourished in India with less than 100 million people reaping the benefits of Public Food Distribution System (PDS), essentials ingredients like Maize, Soya, Rice Bran, Oil cakes are being diverted for production biomass energy and are not facing any restrictions over their export despite their internal requirement in Poultry, Dairy and Fishery sectors. Situations are warranting currently in similar directions with decreasing profits in these sectors and posing farmers to rethink about investments in agriculture allied sectors. In such case, governments vision of National Rural Health Mission to upgrade health aspects in India remains far from achieving the goals.

Rural Infrastructure Programmes :

The internal strategy to boost the rural economy in India through Bharat Nirman programme which since 2005 has directed substantial investment to rural infrastructure - housing, roads, water and electricity together with cheaper credit for farmers. Targets for food production will have to contend with reduced availability of land and significant water scarcity.

Genetic Improvement Studies :

Food production is a growing concern in all the countries across the globe. There is no substantial increase in production of food crops all over the world. Although, there have been considerable researches in agriculture and allied sectors in producing genetically superior varieties, the success can be attributed to a small section. Some the improved varieties could not become popular due to various reasons such as (i) high cost of cultivation (ii) low genetic stability with regard to production and resistance to diseases and pests (iii) environment incompatibility and (iv) low yields than the expected levels in some situations. Researches with regard to genetically improved varieties in Dairy, Poultry and Fisheries are lagging far behind in comparison to agriculture.
Unlike earlier, researches should be directed in creating genetically improved varieties with (i) high yielding capacities (ii) low cost of cultivation (iii) environment compatibility (iii) human health consciousness and (iv) food security and (v) profitability to the farmer.

Biotechnology in India :

Biotechnology has become boon in agriculture in recent times in producing varieties with genetic compatibility.  It is emerging as potential tool in achieving the goals of National Food Security. However, researches in this discipline are in infancy and need right direction. Most of the biotechnology investigations are concentrated on technological aspects rather than environmental interventions. Horticulture crops have become the species of interest for biotechnologists. Researches in food crops such as Rice, Wheat, Pulses and Millets are yet to receive impetus. Although, pest resistant varieties (BLB resistant, BPH resistant) in Paddy could be developed through biotechnological approaches, researches on drought resistant, flood resistant and saline resistant varieties are warranted. Such varieties play pivotal role in improving food production in coastal regions which are frequently prone to floods and salt water inundation.

Change in the monsoon cycle from its normal course as recorded recently could reduce India’s freshwater availability up to 30%. Uncertain monsoon coupled with climate change and lower crop yields pose great threat to India’s social and food security. Under these circumstances, developing varieties that can resist vagaries of monsoon is the need of the hour in India.

Allied sectors like Dairy, Poultry and Fish need to receive great attention in increasing milk and meat yields through biotechnology. Our efforts in livestock sector confined to few areas like vaccine development, embryo transplantation, multiple embryos and genetic interrogation.

Conclusion :

Farmer is a symbol of sacrifice, dignity, optimism, honesty and hard work. The combination of all these factors may not be available in any profession. In spite of sacrifices and humiliations, the financial position and social status of the farmer is diminishing year after year in this contemporary world. We must remember that farmer is also a consumer. He has to make his both ends meet through the income he earns from his farm. When there is no security for a farmer’s family where the question does arise for food security?