India as Organic Garden

India as organic garden article was originally written in way back in the mid-2015.. This article was written in context to then going on crisis in national agriculture. 

Governments, policy makers, economists and agriculture scientific community equates food security with farmers' sustainability. Governments, economist and agriculture scientist think by increasing production and productivity, farmers' income would increase and there would be food security, which is not the case in reality. Production and productivity has been in the focus since heydays of green revolution to hitherto. Technological inputs and costly input intensive agriculture has enhanced the cost of cultivation leaving poor end profits to farmers. So, I do feel and think that as Indian agriculture is at the crossroads; debt trap led suicides, high cost of cultivation, low real incomes to farmers, environment degradation, socio-economic problems in terms of social disharmony, disparity of incomes, biased regional growth is common phenomena. So, governments, economists, policy thinkers and agriculture scientists need to focus on how to reduce of cultivation rather than just focusing on production and productivity. When we think how to reduce the cost of cultivation with environmental sustainability; natural, organic, ecological or sustainable farming comes into picture.

As I had mentioned that this article was written in the mid 2015 in response to the promotion of genetic engineering to improve the overall productivity and well being of farmers by PM Modi on the inauguration of DD Farmers channel. I shared this article with PM Modi for which I got reply. I simply want to reproduce it to show how natural farming, ecological, organic or sustainable farming is the need of hour.

India as Organic Garden

Farmers’ suicide has been getting complex conundrum. Politicians are being using these incidences to leverage their dividends. Thou rightly contemplated that we need to moot what has been gone wrong over the past years. Roughly 300,000 farmers have been lost their life since owning of seeds by corporations especially some MNCs [95% of cottonseeds is monopolised by Monsanto so to be in other maize, soya is going to bein near future]. Some consider globalization, totally dependence on the markets for costly inputs, over reliance over cash crops [monoculture], negligible penetration of govt. schemes and finance are main culprit for agrarian crisis. Searching for every question logically often ignores the basic and natural reason for the problem; and analogy is vividly valid in current agrarian crisis too. We have simply been cut-off the umbilical cord connecting all of us to the Mother Earth, and moved away from bequeathed legacy of timeless tested agriculture practices. Indian philosophy of classical agriculture always worked on the inseparability, integration of life forms to the Mother Earth and the Mother Nature, and the Mother Nature is always being considered as ultimate provider. Unfortunately Cartesian system and possibilism has separated everything particularly human race from soil. Biodiversity is separated, soil is considered as non-living, soils are being made addicted to narcotic chemicals, and abstract GDP digits have become paramount and subjugated everything. Animals and trees have remained integral part of farming not as diets but for manures, seeds and other complementary usages. Every single input was taken from the vicinity depending upon climate, soils and plant requirement without disturbing the balance and cycle of nature. That is why we have been blessed with vibrant diversity among food patterns, people, flora and fauna but it is soil which binds all of us together. That is why India has been known as land of unity in diversity. And now every effort has been done to make farming homogenise, uniform and unnatural. Spray! Harsh chemicals because pests are feeding, kill the weeds because they are worthless; manipulate the seeds to poisonous factories (Bt industries) so other creatures could not think to feed upon them. How selfish we as human retrograded with in this short time frame? We don’t want other living creatures to survive if they share some food with us. Do really we have saved the food from getting waste? Do genetically engineered seeds really helping in food security or just being devastating the whole ecology and biodiversity? Who really is feeding the world, industries or tiny farms? Why health of soil and society has been interlinked? Why Punjab turned violent after green revolution and transformed into capitalist and consumptive economy today? Do really second green revolution or BGREI (gene revolution) with the help of GMOs, harsh chemicals and mechanization would be able to feed the teeming population or it is just myth designed by giant MNCs to exploit trade and rule over life finally, as history better reflects?

Promote indigenous knowledge and bio-diversity

British exploited Indian agriculture and promoted the very idea of industrial agriculture and monoculture of crops to feed their infant industries. Simply, they did mould the cultural agriculture to commercial agriculture. Alfred Howard was roped in by British govt. to encourage industrialized and Cartesian system of agriculture. He was supposed to visit Indian farms to encourage Western agricultural techniques but he himself was lured by classical and traditional methods of agriculture. Decades back he observed and felt the connection of healthy soil to overall well being of society. He regarded the indigenous knowledge and embraced the diversity of Indian agriculture where sustainability, conservation of resources, adaptation and use of local resources has remained heart and very core of growing plants. ‘An Agricultural Testament’, worked by Alfred Howard has known as holy book across the globe for organic agriculture despite acknowledging tribal and small farmers of India who taught Mr. Howard basics of natural farming.  Agriculture in India has always been viewed in frame of art and spirituality since antiquity. Seeds, straws and soils have been worshiped and seen as living and spirited entities. With industrialization, monoculture and intensification of input based farming everything have converted in to commodities. Consider example in agriculture few crops [cash crops] have been encouraged to ripe myopic benefits and letting them destruct the whole diversity, ecology, cultures, biodiversity of food crops and micro flora-fauna. Culture of growing pulses with cotton, oil crops with cereals, spices with plantation crops has become opaque and today most of our pulses & oils are coming through import. It gets rare to see earth-worms in the soil which have been considered as ‘Farmers’ Friend’ from the ages. These beautiful creatures have tilled the Indian soils to grow wonderful diverse food plates. When salt can murder them badly what these narcotic chemicals have done to these beautiful creatures. Now farmers are lack in company of most of birds, animals, fungi, lichens, mychorhiza, bacteria which remained helpful to them in their farms. And that is the reason farmer is standing alone in their farms and committing suicides. Every animal, bird, insect, fungus, off-plant and bacteria has been considered as enemy and tried to eliminate in course of industrial and chemical based agriculture. We need to promote traditional practices of agriculture where food, fodder, fuel and medicinal plants have always been grown together. We need to acknowledge the real heroes who are small and tribal farmers working day and night to save the biodiversity of planet. Agriculture is not an invention, not as a human technology but as a co-evolutionary development in which everything is inter-connected and inter-related. All the organisms from tiny one to larger one have their special role entitled by nature to maintain, sustain and develop the ecosystem. In greed we should not think ourselves as superior race and separate from the Nature and other organism. All we are inter-connected; we really need to understand non separation of every single entity.

Punjab is an experimental lab and repetition of similarity is insanity as spoke Einstein

Considered example of Punjab which was once known for its rich fertile soil, now most of soils have become toxic and poisoned so is the overall health of state. Water table has been dwindle, youth is binge on substance abuse; materialism and consumerism is all time high, corruption is in peak, state is not less than police state, ego and anger is boiling everywhere, alcohol has been become integral part of culture and has been accepted very well. This is simply because the soil of five rivers [Punj-Ab] has been marred, maimed and murdered with narcotic chemicals and converted to dead deserts. Really soils are dying in Punjab so is conscious and spirit of Punjab. Green revolution where all focus was pondered on HYVs (high yielding varieties), narcotic chemicals and inorganic fertilizers without considering the harmful effects in long terms. All the seeds were manipulated for the use and promotion of fertilizers and chemicals in name of feeding populations. Do we have really been able to feed the Indians when India is home to 194.6 million hungry people (according to recent FAO report) and, women are wasted, anaemic and stunted in every home? The picture gets clear through looking villages of developed Punjab where education is really miserable, alcohol vendors (thekas) are given free hands, ladies look pale working like slaves, and disparity is all time high; and in cities’ economy has taken shape of capitalist with gulf of social disparity.

I intuit Punjab is always remained as experimental lab of modern agriculture by chemical & seed industries and greedy governments. Consider example of diversification plan of Punjab agriculture wheat-rice is planning to shift on the maize-soy on the directions and lobbying by Monsanto [PAU is only SAU who endorse Bt cotton]. And I feel next plan would be of growing GM corn for animal feed and then consuming animal as food. I feel animal diet is going to be major diet in Punjab so will be the life-style diseases and syndromes. Dear Sir, our agriculture is at cross road and we have sailed in very chaotic situation. Most of the agricultural graduates are leaving Punjab for said modern education to USA and Canada to institutes where systems to own seed, own patents and own food system is putting in minds to reap benefits in coming futures.  It is not exaggeration to say that owning of seeds and privatisation of resources would hijack all the Indian agricultural system analogous to East India Company. We really need to check encroachment of seed companies and foreign institutions in our agricultural institutions which are trespassing in name of project funding, research collaborations or in other ways. Otherwise we will come across Indian blood-flesh with invisible foreign brains working for corporations and seeds giants. It is well designed game plan played by corrupt and capitalist minds. I am not xenophobic and anti-corporate, but we really need to discover why agricultural graduates toil so hard in farms or labs of MNCs or on foreign lands and not in Indian farms? As Thou said Indians work in all the great MNCs but why Google and Microsoft could not born out of Indian Womb, so is valid in Indian Agriculture? Why our cotton institutions did not able to breed single cotton variety to provide alternative variety to death knell Bt cotton? Why alternatives and choice of varieties are disappearing to farmers? Why markets are being designed to reap benefits by MNCs? As monopoly of cotton seeds caused destruction to cotton farmers so would be in case of potato in future, definitely. It is better to take steps now otherwise we will miss the opportunity to save our legacy of agriculture which was noble once and narcotic now. And one more thing real farming happens in farms not in designed labs.

Whoreally is feeding the world?

A false story and illusion is being spread among the minds by scientific elites that monoculture, industrialized farming, mechanized farming can only feed the world. In doing so sectarian, traditional, indigenous and regional agriculture systems have been destroyed. Seeds, soils and straws [biomass] which have been remained nature dependent are forced to purchase from markets. And this is the result market dependence of farmers forced them to sink in debt and ultimately pushing them to commit suicides. The Mother Nature has blessed us great diversity in food crops [India is primary and secondary centre of biodiversity to great number of crops] according to every need and region wise. Today more than 95% of cotton seed is owned by single giant corporation, Monsanto. Cotton which is always grown with pulses is now being grown as single crop as monoculture. When Bt cotton has increased the yields then why farmers are committing suicides? Only looking through yield figures cannot make the farmers rich, many auxiliary things are pushing them in debt and destruction. Why there is hue and cry of soils becoming hard to plough, weeds becoming uncontrollable and emergence of new pests which are no longer controlled? Because modern seeds are just like brat kids of rich parents, looking so good and intelligent but overall [when consider output entailing all ecological parameters] low in productivity, relied on costly inputs, having low biotic and abiotic resistance. India has remained soil of saints and sages and agriculture is always being venerated here. Nature has blessed us with great diversity in every form whether food crops, medicinal crops, fodders, timbers, fruits, vegetables and most majestic thing is that nature has breed these crops over long span of period according to region wise. We have never been grown single crop in our fields, many crops has been cultivated all together like a joint family complementing each other. Animals, birds and micro flora-fauna always played special roles in farming system. All the resources has been used and consumed on the basis of indigenous knowledge. So there is high need to promote indigenous and traditional agriculture on the large scale totally independent on market based inputs.

Promotion of organic states led agricultural tourism

Every Indian boasts the uniqueness of India because of its plurality, diversity and natural landscape. This huge diversity is only because of indigenous, regional, sectarian diverse farming systems. Farming has remained backbone of Indian rural landscape and culture. We have huge variety of within food crops, people and farming systems. Due to diversity of crops our ancestors have created magnificent and beautiful agricultural systems totally in spirit with local climate, soil type and Mother Nature. We have unique system of bamboo cultivation along with crops in north east where bamboos are used as pipes to take water from one place to another. We have vibrant variety of rice cultivation in Kerala where rice and prawns are cultivated below sea level in unique system of ‘Kuttanad Below Sea-Level Farming System’. We have great farming systems created by our tribal peoples whether in Koraput, Seshachalm hills, Niyamgiri hills, Western Ghats or in Kerawa soils of Kashmir valley. Really Indian agriculture is magical and awe-inspiring. The terrible thing is that we even did not focused on over own discourse of traditional agriculture and just emulating the others like all SAUs are working on Land Grant system borrowed from USA. I feel like many others indigenous agriculture especially tribal agriculture or primitive agriculture needs to promote in spirit with natural farming to preserve our spiritual grooves and forests. Recently Gujrat has started the concept of industrial tourism, why on similar prototype we could not rope in ICAR to promote agricultural tourism and promote organic states? We need to promote activism, journalism and tourism in agriculture through agricultural universities and student swapping programmes among SAUs. We need to promote concepts of medicinal gardening, forest gardening, urban gardening, village gardening, school gardening, desert gardening totally dependent of nature and local inputs. We need to demarcate unique and important diversity conserving farming systems and nominate them as IAHS (Indian Agricultural Heritage Sites) based on the concept of GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Sites). These unique farming systems can be revived as agricultural heritage centres to promote local biodiversity and incomes to local farmers. Every state in India has its own speciality about agriculture. We need to tap eco-friendly concepts to make India true agrarian economy, a natural and magical masterpiece to whole world. For this we need downright overhauling of agricultural system of India which is really difficult to conceive but we have blessed with many creative people across the India who can hit on these concepts, especially local farmers. First and foremost we need to change our agricultural education system which is impractical and disconnected from soils and farmers. We do not need to emulate the west atleast in agriculture because agriculture is rural landscape and roots which connects us all. It is legacy to us by our ancestors and it is our duty to sustain, preserve and conserve it.

I congratulate Thou and Thy government for completing one year in office. In this small time Thou as Pradan Sevak have raised the spirit and standard of nation. Most of the youth has feeling inspired and confident from Thy never dying energy and enthusiasm. I really wish to meet and work along with Thou to promote indigenous and traditional farming. I am in favour of complete overhaul of Indian education system which is hollow, artificial and devoid of values and morals. 87^th anniversary of ICAR is approaching in July i hope you will pick some treads to promote organic and indigenous techniques of agriculture. Recently on the inauguration of DD Farmers channel promotion speaking of genetic engineering to improve the overall productivity and wellbeing of Indian farmers is found illogical idea. I feel certain that soils and human body is analogous. As diversity of micro flora and fauna in soil is diminishing so is in human guts. As chemicals and fertilizers have become food to soils so are allopath medicines among us. In next letter I will try to write how health of soils and humans are inter-related. May universe bless Thou green health and never dying energy to serve the Mother Nation!

Kind regards

Fragmentation emerging crisis in Indian agriculture

Fragmentation crisis in Indian agriculture

Originally this article has been published on vijayvani.com 

Agriculture has always being viewed as an integrated activity, including crop production, resource conservation, and livestock, in one seamless whole. The present scenario in Indian agricultural academia has witnessed fragmentation and division over the years. The rising trend of inter-disciplinary specialisation and compartmentalisation of related disciplines as subsidiary occupations calls for immediate attention to save the integrity of agriculture.

The loss of integration within the agricultural system as a whole tends to invite another agrarian crisis across India, the evidence of which can be felt with the lack of sustainability in farming, leading to over-exploitation of valuable natural resources and increasing cases of farmer suicides.

The State Agricultural Universities, created on the pattern of the land grant system of education in the United States, has been acclaimed worldwide for ushering in the a “Green revolution” in India in the mid-1960’s. The introduction of high yielding cultivars and improved crop production practices led to monoculture with the aim of filling the buffer stock and increase foreign exchange. The prosperity thus brought by the green revolution resulted in the sacrifice of natural resources, with no thought given to sustainable farming and resource conservation practices. Over time, crop production has come to be viewed as a primary occupation and the once integrated disciplines are being viewed as subsidiary occupations.

This dramatic shift has led to compartmentalisation of integrated disciplines with emphasis on specialization of individual enterprises (dairy, fishery, piggery, mushroom, resource conservation et al) leaving to the neglect of the age-old integrated natural concept of farming as proposed by Masanabu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and pioneer of natural farming.

Presently, the administrative and academic agricultural setup decides upon a specific discipline for bestowing grants to undertake rigorous research and popularize a technology or ‘improved’ practice among state farmers without much analysis of socio-economics factors and long term benefits. Certainly, advancements in science and technology have brought some relief to state farmers, but these are short term and temporary gains.

The rising crises for resource conservation and replenishing sick soils are now evident, and can only be attributed due to discretionary practices and lack of interdisciplinary approach in farming systems. Lack of integration and compartmentalization also shift blame on each other in times of crisis, as agriculture as a whole is impacted by many uncalculated factors.

The current crisis in agriculture calls for immediate attention of policy makers, administrators, university academicians and farmers, to analyze the grim situation and put forth concrete steps to safeguard the ailing economic backbone of our country. There is need to review the present system of budgetary allocations in agriculture, specifically in the interest of replenishing sick soils. A segment of the grants should be devoted to motivate individual farmers practicing in-situ resource conservation strategies.

In recent decades, agriculture and veterinary science were separated, and two separate universities for these studies have been established without much inter-operability. State agricultural universities (SAUs) are now being further bifurcated into agriculture and horticulture universities. In the states of Haryana and Punjab, efforts are being made to allocate a special grant to carve out a separate horticultural university from the mother agricultural university; this will divert energy and resources in research of specialised compartments and further destroy the integrity of agriculture as a holistic enterprise.

Presently, most agricultural and animal science subjects are taught separately. To be more specific, separate departments have been carved out to conduct research, teach and do extension work independently, regardless of the emphasis given to the inter-dependence of these subjects as observed in natural ecosystems. With the availability of more grants, various departments have been separated to undertake their teaching, research and extension activities independently without paying much heed to inter-operability of natural agricultural systems as a whole.

As a result of this segregation, a student undertaking research on crop production, emphasises only narrowly laid objectives, without taking into consideration the several factors that are imperative to the net yield of a given crop. This fixed pattern and design restricts inter-operability and inter-linking as observed in natural agri-ecosystems. This is one of the crucial factors that is responsible for our inability to solve the emerging crisis in agriculture.

Acquisition and merging (A&M), consolidation and integration are becoming a new trend in every sector of the economy in order to compete and survive market forces. Several agricultural seed and chemical companies such as Bayer, Monsanto, Syngenta, ChemChina, DuPont and Dew, and several public sector banks; telecom companies, oil companies, higher education regulation agencies and so on are merging and integrating together. Even the Government keeps harping upon minimum government, maximum governance through consolidation and centralised systems; so why is there fragmentation in the agriculture sector?

We need to stop splitting universities as this will breed excessive bureaucracy, corruption, and friction. We need to focus upon the performance and footprints of exiting universities at the farmer or field level, rather creating more universities. Agriculture should not be viewed as a venture invented by man, rather it should be perceived as a wonderful gift of Mother Nature to satisfy the needs of man.

(Views are personal and written in individual capacity)

irrigation tips from an arid country

This is response to article titled Irrigation tips from and arid country published in The Indian Express, written by Ashok Gulati and Gayathri Mohan. 



Dear Dr Ashok Gulati Ji

I always read and try to learn from your columns appeared in the The Indian Express. Your articles always provide me food for thought to question myself and try to think how I can contribute to Indian agriculture as a whole through my ideas and works. 

I found your above mentioned article in TIE daily dated July 3, 2017. Some my sincere opinion and questions which I am putting before you.

On 17th of June world celebrate UN desertification and drought day. I was to participate in the workshop held in soil and water conservation department head office in Chandigarh on behalf of my department. This workshop was organised the S&T council of Punjab and Dept. of soil and water conservation, Punjab to educate few of officers like me. It was just eye wash and formality to celebrate the day as was being celebrated in the other parts. After workshop I was left with question that 'Are we moving in the right direction?' and jotted my feelings in form of blog and shared with concerned dept people and scientists. 

After reading your piece I am questioning myself 'whether we really helping the cause to solve the problem of water crisis in Indian?' and 

'Why our policy-makers and intellectuals are missing the forest for the woods?'

How we can help the India to water self-sufficient?

India is water scarce country with water availability less than 1500 cum and 78 percent of fresh water consumption in agriculture. As demand of food production is increasing to feed large population and fresh-water is becoming scare qualitatively and quantitatively with climate change further putting us in the dark zone. We need to augment the water supplies and use water efficiently but do we following the right steps?

There is not water literacy in the agriculture universities specifically. There is not sensitivity and awareness among scientific and student communities, about value of water as precious resource. I have always writing and discussing that do not we need to integrate and dovetail the conservation of water with every component of agriculture? I have written many a times and discussing with people of agricultural community to start thinking about xeri-agriculture, xeri-landscaping, less water intensive agriculture, which is going to be the future. I have written in my above blog how water has been saved, conserved and used efficiently in IIAS, Shimla since Viceregal time, and what is happening in Punjab. Down the famous Mall road of Shimla is large water tanks to conserve water and then to supply water to city. So, is the efficient water system established in IIAS, Shimla for fire-proofing and to irrigate the Dufferin's prized English gardens. This is just mere one example how we can think and impart such thinking among our agricultural graduates and scientific community. 

Our traditional knowledge about water conservation is so much diverse, eclectic and sophisticated that it does not come into the picture and is not trusted upon to solve the problem of water scarcity of country. So, bottom line is that we need to integrate the water conservation and efficient use with the agriculture curricula and need to trust the traditional earthen engineering to solve the problems, rather over relying on the technology for over populated nation like India with poor resources in terms of finance. 

Any scaling up of technologies needs the right policy environment is prime factor if really want to serve the discussed cause. Free electricity and water whole set of people and farmers free riders in the state like Punjab and pushed the state in the dark zone and over exploitation of water. The story of Punjab and its water-use-policy do not require much to elaborate. Now, I find mentioning of can Modi government usher in reforms to price water and power appropriately for irrigation purpose is insipid and poor in taste. How can Modi government or any central government only can bring the reform and change when power and water is state subject?

Despite well documentation and lot of socio-economic studies of water-use policy of states like Punjab and their crop pattern, does any state government tried to reform it? During the inauguration of last Kisan Mela vice-chancellor of PAU, Ludhiana was mentioning that Punjab can not shift area from rice to other less water intensive crops. Rice has not less that prime place in the research and development works in the plant breeding and genetics and biotechnology departments of state. Students are illiterate about the water scarcity and challenges. Kandi area in Punjab is coming under water guzzling rice crop with availability of water. Institutions like PAU and state departments are water dependent and poorly used water as resource, how Modi govt can usher in reform?

You are correct as per Israel's water law, all water is country's common property resource and 62 percent of irrigation water they use is recycle. Do you think we can even think of such laws and integration? Do not you know how our states are fighting for the water and farmer at the end is not even getting his share of water? Israel is 2.5 times less of Punjab in size and unique in her own terms, then how we can replicate the Israel model to Indian context. This lack of common sense which really think me how we are governed by un-grounded policy makers and intellectuals? We are ready to ape and replicate the things of other world without thinking that whether it suits our country structure and needs.
Our whole political, social and economic system is outrightly different from Israel. For our politicians vote-bank politics, power comes first, who cares about water and scarcity? Even who among common people and society cares about water and efficient use? So, I am really in whirl-pool sir, where we are moving?

why not to trust the community and common people to conserve the water, and make them integral part of national programmes of water conservation? Why not to teach and integrate water conservation to agricultural scientists and students, and every form of relevant education?

How can Modi and his government only can do the reform? Do not you know basic structure and plan of smart cities? How can Modi government only make recycling of waste water for use in peri-urban agriculture an integral part of smart city initiatives? It requires will of local administration to whole set of community to make city smart. It requires awareness  and teaching of recycling, reuse and conservation since from school education to higher studies and then community education system. State govts, local govt and most important society can only bring the change. Without community participation all measures taken by govt dilute in short time frame. 

I fully support technological interventions of desalinization and potential use of long coast line. But we really need to focus on the 'small steps and big revolution' by integrating water conservation to every form of education especially main-stream agricultural education, community participation, trusting and rewarding age-old water conservation programmes, amending basic policies at the ground to really serve the cause. 

The integrated approach to solving the India's emerging water crisis involves imparting knowledge and sensitivity of recycling, reuse and conservation of natural inputs from schooling to higher studies, participating the common man in the water conservation through rain-water conservation to efficient use, rewarding and trusting the water conservation heritage of India. All other things comes second. Modi alone can not do anything.

Please take a look how department of soil and water conservation in Punjab made water available in the water scarce Kandi areas, and poor policies of state govt. encouraged the people to grow rice in the Kandi area, so this the fate our poor administration and political system.

Counter-arguments to Developer of GM Mustard

I have put my sincere counter-arguments in response to Dr Deepak Pental's Interview appeared in the Business World, dated June 22, 2017. I found many of the things false and silly showing/lying his lack of knowledge of basic agriculture and socio-economics of Indian agriculture. I found he also thinks fragmented like most of scientists and students of mainstream agriculture institutions. These are my personal and objective opinions, without any intention to offend anybody. I would really appreciate and encourage counter-arguments. 

Here it goes what Dr Pental spoke and after that my counter-arguments.

http://businessworld.in/article/-If-Government-Has-Guts-Then-Approve-GM-Seeds-/22-06-2017-120584/

How long it took to develop the GM mustard?
It came after 20 years of effort. These years saw more than 40 research publications, and genetic engineering appraisal committee of government disbanding the research. Now, there is opposition against the GM mustard, our efforts are hung. I would rather say, “If government has guts, then approve it”. It is a pity that we spend billions of rupees to import edible oil, this is a direct loss to our farmers.

GM mustard having terminator/GURT technology provide not any alternative rather than forcing farmers to purchase seed and basta every year from the markets monopolized by few seed companies [even Dr Pental do not have any strategy to counter the monopoly of mustard seed like what has happened in Bt cotton]. Traditional plant breeding methods takes 10-12 years [at maximum] to mix any kind of diverse blood [inter and intra-specific] even in self-pollinated plants. Dr Pental is arguing that BBB [barnase-barstar-bar gene] is technology to make hybridization easy and they are having combinations which they would release once GM mustard get approve. First, Mustard is self-pollinated crop and seed rate of mustard is very less [1.5-2.0 kg/acre] so it is very viable to mix the diverse genetic blood through time and tested traditional methods and then release open pollinated varieties [Open pollinated varieties] further in various combinations, simply. Second there is not dearth of traditional technologies to make the hybrids in the mustard family crops. Cauliflower and cabbage as vegetable is grown hybrids mainly. Maximum area under hybrid vegetable cultivation in India is in cabbage followed by cauliflower [more than 90 % now](http://agricoop.nic.in/sites/default/files/edib_2201.pdf) .  So, this simply reflects there is not any urgency in case of technology requirement for HYVs hybrid seed production in mustard if genetic base to be widen. Story of cauliflower and cabbage hybrid debunks the argument of superiority and necessity of unsafe and costly BBB technology, after arguments of higher yield has been debunked already. This also tells how GM mustard is scientific fraud and propaganda promoted by industry in name of science and R&D.
Why have you been so critical about it; it takes time for communities to come to a consensus?
Indian Council for Agricultural Research had spent around Rs 300 crore to establish one institute to do similar research in Ranchi, then there is a huge amount of Rs 350 crore spent on the construction of National Bio-technology Institute in Chandigarh. I am unhappy, because if every research has to have the same fate, why government waste money on its progress and future possibilities.
Biotechnology does not mean only to produce GM plant material and handover biodiversity in hands of few corporations. There is lot of application of any technology, it depends how you deploy the technology. Nuclear fission is a basic principle of nuclear technology. It is discretion whether we need to deploy it in form of civil power generation or atomic bomb. So, is the genetic engineering, a simple tool of biotechnology. We very well know the socio-economics and safety of application of nuclear technology in form of atomic bombs.
Dr Pental is implanting false narrative that criticism of GM food means outrightly criticism of biotechnology. Really smart, is not it? Biotechnology in for of MAS (marker assisted selection), immuno-studies, pathogen detection, industry product developments etc etc have a lot of applications. So, do not doubt the basic education, R&D and infrastructure developments by governments. Moreover biotechnology or GM as a technology has not any problem; problem is how and where you apply it. The main problem is that GM seeds are not desired in India for few following reasons.
1. There is not any alternative once GM mustard become what has Bt cotton currently, farmers need to buy seed every year from the market who may be saving, sharing and swapping his seeds earlier.

2. Story of Bt cotton and debt trap driven suicides, and socio-economics of India does not make any sense to deploy more and more fraud technologies when basic infrastructure like market, social and credit support and value-chains are lacking (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/say-no-to-gm-mustard/article18573107.ece).

3. As per FAO stat top mustard producer grow Non GM mustard and and average productivity is three times than India in general.

4. Bio-safety issues and lack of transparent regulatory mechanism due to conflict of interest etc etc are major issues to be resolved yet. There is no bio-safety data in public domain to look-upon. Matter is under sub-judice in higher judiciary. Parliamentary committee about GM crops and other relevant committees have raised serious questions about bio-safety, procedures of conducting of trails, conflict of interest and deficiencies in regulatory mechanism.

5. There is really dire need to revisit to basic plant genetics books teaching conservation and PGRs (plant genetic resources), and Vavilov's centre of biodiversity. First, India has huge diversity of plants in general and mustard species specifically unlike United States of America (US), Canada, and Australia. Moreover unlike many other countries where single/few species of mustard has been grown we have huge diversity of cultivated mustard. Second, our local farmers have quality local/traditional seeds which are acclimatize to local soils, climate and insect pests, and less resources intensive with. 
6. Despite less spray of chemicals than many developed countries we are having high MRL [minimum residue level] in our food crops due to spurious chemicals, lax regulatory mechanism and lack of education about application of dangerous chemicals. It is widely reported, GM crops have been leading the problem of superweeds and superpests [cotton is live example]. So, in this context also there is high chances of more poisoning and contamination of food and looming danger in form of higher level of resistance among weeds and pests against chemicals.
7. GM mustard is Trojan horse, behind it there is hidden design set by kept scientists, pseudo-journalists and controlled information mechanism [led by few seed giants] to hijack the seed-biodiversity and agriculture of India, and food system as a whole. Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under President Richard Nixon, used to say, ‘Control oil [crude] and you control nations; control food and you control people’. All the seed biodiversity which was earlier in the hands of small, tribal and women farmers' hands is moving ex-situ in form of seed vaults or seed banks. Henry was quite visionary, is not it?
(http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=4343)

What about other nations?
We should learn from China, if any company invests in China for genetic research they ask them do it with Chinese partnership, they have recently bought Syngenta in a multi-billion dollar deal, now they have all the molecules owned by Syngenta. Suggest me a single company of India who could have done the same for agriculture. We still blame Monsanto for BT cotton issue, but this is how a company do its business, they are also responsible for shareholders.

Modern China has built over reforms set in agriculture as early as after their Independence led by Mao Zedong. This is our common problem; we appraise the beautiful building without even giving thought what kind of foundation makes such building. China has huge resources today and GM technology is in hands of government sector [if I am correct]. Education, R&D and information is very much in controlled in context to techno-nationalism and econo-nationalism. Do we have techno-nationalism and econo-nationalism in India like China, Germany, Japan, and Holland?

China does not feed GM food to their army because GM food crops are not much healthy, nutritious or productive in nature. Our age-old philosophies says Jaisa aan vaisa man, our physical bodies are nothing but accumulation of food, very part of Mother Earth. We have been killing the soil for greed and so is the consciousness dying. Same is the case with GM food. GM food comes from impotent, infertile, molecularly disturbed plants, so it affects human and other life forms' balance.
Syngenta is Chinese PSU now, we did not able to make such PSUs because our elite scientists, politicians, bureaucrats are playing along with their self-motivated interests unlike German, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, Israeli etc etc.

What is your opinion about the recommendations of Swaminathan commission?
The best part of that report was the critical assessment of farmers’ profit, which was to be one and half times of his investment as recommended in report. I personally think, Swaminathan commission report lacks the part of technology transfer to farmers. Technology transfer and improvement can do changes, the same way it has done to information technology.

For example, what is the use of computer and ITC [information technology and communication] applications if there is not electricity? It is like a stupid engineer asking farmer to buy computer as whole world is connected through this box, but the farmer is not having power to watch television set even.
Most of our scientists lack common sense and capacity to connect the dots. Even Steve Jobs has said 'Connect the dots looking backwards to look forward'. What is the use of technology and high yields when we do not have basic infrastructure in form integrated markets, value-chains, irrigation and procurement? We are having bumper crops of edible oils and pulses last rabi season [even government leveraged it while demonetization], and see what happened throughout the country in last few days. If scientists were asked failing of Bt cotton they shift the blame to policies and governments and vice-versa. So, we cannot afford the fragmented thinking and approach anymore. Most of the scientists even do not able to recognize the basic crops apart from their relevant field crops and are preaching technologies can better serve the Indian agriculture. Bullshit.  

What should government do for farmers’?
Government should allow retails to reach farmers. We normally witness similar agricultural produce on a specific zone; if retails get involved they will pick it from farmers, giving them relief from a mountain task of bearing transportation expenses. I do not want to comment on the functioning of Food Corporation of India. Government can’t do everything on its own.

You really need to speak out and expose the functioning of FCI and lack of basic infrastructure, Dr Pental. This is what I feel; there is lack of integration among various stakeholders. Some hidden designs and over specialization has been ruling and dividing the minds of scientist, intellectuals, policy formulators and governments. Scientists and concerned people really need to speak about the basic infrastructure problems and policies which are prime reason for not flowering of Indian agriculture.
Your views on farmer suicides?
I have been involved with academics for a long time, there is no shortage of psychology experts in universities. Government must fund universities for field research, if experts visit farmers, they will counsel them and I find it more helpful. As far as loan repayments are concerned, every banker will follow poor farmers as they are easy to catch. None catches the big fish.
Amusing, we have fragmented and destroyed the natural social support mechanism exiting earlier. What the heck, psychologists and researchers would do, would they console and hugs the farmers? As Dr MS Swaminathan said ' what is the use of giving cow to a family as compensation who has lost his bread-winner, without making arrangement of fodder, ultimately cow needs fodder to survive. So, the farmer does not need bullshit anymore, he only needs basic infrastructure and support. 
When whole system of traditional support system in form of joint families, village as a single family, counseling by near and dear ones etc etc has been diluting what the heck psychologists would do? There is dire need to revive the social harmony, basic infrastructure, credit infrastructure, decentralization, local agriculture, traditional knowledge base and local seeds to resuscitate Indian agriculture. Most important we need to make our pseudo-scientist social scientist first and make them to visit farmers' fields rather than preaching the bullshit from the glass labs. Farms and farmers are not factory and workers to produce food. They have dignity, self-respect and rich-traditional knowledge which need mutual respect.
Last but not least stop implanting false narratives and wrong information. No disputes, we are importing edible oil worth of $10 billion (roughly 67,000 cr). But major share is of oil palm and soybean oil. WE are self-sufficient in mustard oil almost (http://agricoop.nic.in/sites/default/files/edib_2201.pdf). Then why implanting the false narrative that GM mustard would make India edible oil sufficient. Low import duties [please read and connect the dots why after flowering of yellow revolution we are again importing 60 percent of edible oils now?] and lack of policy vision is main reason for unbalance Indian agricultural basket. Do not doubt the will and courage of Indian farmers. Just in short time-frames they made nation self-sufficient in many food commodities. Green revolution, white revolution, yellow revolution etc etc are live example to be read. It is governments, scientists and policy makers who need enlightenment and will to atleast provide basic infrastructure and support to our resilient farmers.

PFA link to article "Challenging the narrative of GM mustard", debunking the pseudo-narratives in context to going on GM mustard controversy.
http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=4343

(Views are personal and written in individual capacity)

Regards 
vipeshgarg@gmail.com
P.S. Agriculture is natural, pure, aesthetic and spiritual profession. Please help to integrate it rather than fragmentation.

Are we moving in right direction to conserve water?

Greetings

Farming is becoming complex, complicated and costly venture. There is lot of technology in form of better inputs, resources and new innovation are available now days to make our agriculture more productive and remunerative. But we have been destroying the 12000 years old heritage and culture of agriculture. Just in less than 100 years we have made agriculture unsustainable. We have been over-exploiting natural resources and separating from the nature. During my all these years while studying agriculture and working with agriculture community I have realized somethings which are hindering flowering of agriculture. I take opportunity to share some of my insights.

Lack of integration
Agriculture has been considered as organic whole system with integration of nature, all life forms and universal forces. Over the last few years we have cut down from the agriculture from natural umbilical cord and working separately from the nature. Over-specialization and fragmentation of agriculture leading to many problems and complexity. Every scientist, department and student is working in separate compartments. This is the main problem, we are trying to solve the problems in the agriculture rather looking the problem of agriculture as a whole. Now, take example of water conservation, even there is not much integration of soil and water conservation department with agriculture or horticulture or PAU. If there would be a virtual integration, we are not working in tandem to fix the problems. Over specialization, bureaucracy, red-tapism etc is hindering our common mandate to serve the farmers. Lack of integration also affect in some terms e.g. earlier there was not much water in Kandi area [Punjab], now when there is some availability of water people start growing paddy. Cultivation of crops like paddy in kandi area further leads to many negative social externalities. There may be policy issues of MSP but we need to generate awareness about negative social externalities. We need to make people educate and influence the policies to be change. 

Lack of respect for local knowledge and ingenuity

I really not able to understand that our education system is transforming us stoic and most insensitive breed. Majority of scientist are sheep and working as system is deriving them without putting any thought whether their work is impacting people at the grass root level or not. There are so much of so called research and technological innovation for farmers by our agriculture scientists. But what about the footprint of these innovations in the farmers' fields? Our education and academia has led us to doubt our own heritage and cultural system. Earlier there was so much ingenuity and rich cultures which helps in conservation of nature, ecosystem and resources. Now, we just deploying technologies without any common sense that these all technologies are exotic, not socio-economically viable and not compatible to our small and marginal farmers' fields. Simple practices of natural farming, organic farming, vertical mulching, in-situ-water conservation, making soils organic matter rich etc can help to reduce the need of water and cost incurred in farming. But we are not focusing these issues because these are not fall in our mandate or departmental responsibilities. This is where lack of integration comes into picture.
Local farmers has always used local seeds, organic manures, and local innovations where there has been lack of basic inputs. They have devised simple techniques like in-situ water conservation, vertical mulching, pot irrigation, growing of hardy crops e.g. pulses and millets where water was deficient.These local techniques were even used by Britishers very beautifully which we need to ponder upon. For example there is extensive water conservation and supply system in the Shimla which was established by Britishers when She was summer capital. underground the Mall road there are hundred thousand litter of tank of water to supply water to Shimla. Most sophisticated system of water conservation system is placed in Indian Institute of Advanced Studies [IIAS] which was viceroy house built by Lord Dufferin [1884-88]. There is full-proofed water irrigation and water led fire protection system based on common knowledge of locals [please read and visit the place].

Lack of innovation

Change is law of nature. We all are following fixed pattern and walking on the same path. No one wants to walk upon a new trail and path. Modern agriculture and technologies has created many problem rather than solving the problems. But at the same time science and nature also provide us new open door to improve and settle the things. There is lack of flexibility, discretion and courage among agricultural scientific, and working community. We are killing the creativity of our youth by not providing them new information on subjects like xeriscaping, xeri-agriculture, natural farming, organic farming. Israel is the leader who has transformed the deserts into agricultural oasis. At the same time despite having all the system, resources and human resources in well placed we are not respecting our resources. We really need to integrate xeriscaping, water conservation, selection of crops according to resources availability with our mainstream agricultural institutions. We really need to work in collaboration, integration if we really want to bring some change at the ground. We really need to make our scientific and students, other working community to farmers first rather insensitive people. We need to work in tandem, and needs to think innovative and creative. All require great courage and molting of ego. Are we moving in right direction, is the biggest question need to ponder upon?