Role of Agricultural Scientists in Indian Economy

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1 Introduction Role of Agricultural Scientists in Indian Economy N. J. Ardeshna, B. Swaminathan and R. L. Shiyani Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh , Gujarat (India) Agriculture plays the most crucial role in balancing the socioeconomic profile of India and occupies the centre stage in the country s economic welfare. Indian agriculture is a diverse and most extensive sector. Since Independence, the country has witnessed significant increase in food-grain production (green revolution), oilseeds (yellow revolution), milk (white revolution), fish (blue revolution), and fruits and vegetables (golden revolution). Gone are the days where the nation had to beg without a bowl, through PL-480, and had to depend upon the excess wheat that the United States was dumping in the open seas. Today, the country has marched on from food security to food sufficiency and has materialized food sovereignty. All these have become possible owing to the application of cutting edge of science coupled with the positive policy support, and commitment of agricultural research intelligentsia and Indian farmers alike. The role of successive central and state governments in the form of various schemes and plans regarding investment, technology transfer and other aspects have vitalized agricultural growth and rural development. The Green Revolution technologies and the liberalization policies have contributed immensely to the Indian economy by providing food self-sufficiency and improved rural welfare. The role of agricultural scientists has been proved imperative in this regard. Importance of Agricultural Research Agricultural research encompasses physical, chemical, biological, environmental and socio-economic aspects. The importance of agricultural research is that it doesn t stops with the lab itself but it has to be taken to the field. Then alone, the research gets complete. Agricultural research is extremely inter-disciplinary and the concept as well approaches of one domain is to be interlinked with the other domain (for instance, pest management cannot be understood without the knowledge of physiology of a crop which goes in hand-in-hand with the cultivation practices and soil fertility which in turn gets determined by the social or economic characteristics of a farmer). Field trials in agricultural research are as important as field visits and field documentations (Anandaraja et al., 2015). As of , the government of India has spent 18

2 at least $300 million on agricultural research and a further $60 million on public extension programmes (Cole and Fernando, 2012). The role of agricultural research is becoming ever important with the present day agriculture has to face up with a multitude of challenges ranging from climate change, environmental degradation, land diversification, price volatility and farm sustainability. The impact of research is immense as over 58 per cent of the rural households depend on agriculture as their principal means of livelihood. Over the years, agricultural research has contributed in such a way that now agriculture, along with fisheries and forestry, is one of the largest contributors to the nation s gross domestic product (GDP) apart from meeting out the needs of nation s food and nutrition security (Borthakur et al., 2012 and Arjun et al., 2013). Though agriculture alone (other than forestry and fisheries) accounts for only about 13.7 per cent of GDP in India as of , it still remains relevant in the socio-economic fabric of the country. As per estimates by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the share of agriculture and allied sectors (including agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishery) was 16.1 per cent of the Gross Value Added (GVA) during With a food grain production of 251 million tonnes (MT) in , the country is now ranked globally third in terms of farm and agriculture outputs. It also happens to be the largest producer of pulses at 19.0 MT. India, being the secondlargest producer of sugar, accounts for 14 per cent of the global output. It is the sixth-largest exporter of sugar, accounting for 2.76 per cent of the global exports. Agricultural export constitutes 10 per cent of the country s exports and is the fourth-largest exported principal commodity. The country has also become the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices and spice products. As of , the spices market is valued at US$ 2.40 billion per annum, and spice exports are expected to reach US$ 3 billion by Besides, with an annual output of 138 million tonnes, India is the largest producer of milk, and it also has the largest bovine population (Anonymous, 2014). History of Agricultural Research Agricultural research in India has an interesting history regarding its growth and development. It started during the British colonial era and today the agricultural research system in India includes some 27,500 scientists actively engaged in agricultural research, which makes it 19

3 probably the largest research and institutionally most complex system in the world. They are distributed in the ICAR system, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), general universities and other organizations. The main events in the history of agricultural research in India can be grouped into the following seven categories (ICAR, 2007): 1. Establishment of agriculture departments and agriculture colleges, 2. Establishment of the imperial council of agricultural research, 3. Initiation of commodity committees, 4. Project for intensification of regional research on cotton, oilseeds and millets, 5. Initiation of all India coordinated crop improvement projects (AICRPs), 6. Reorganization of ICAR, and 7. The development of agricultural universities. Present Research Dispensation Today, India has one of the largest agricultural research systems in the world and it is known under the umbrella term of National Agricultural Research System (NARS). Historically, the Indian agricultural research system is the zenith of a process which started in the 19 th century and which catapulted in the establishment of the Imperial (now Indian) Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on the recommendation of a Royal Commission on Agriculture in Since then there was a stupendous evolution of agricultural research in India. In the present research system (NARS), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex organization which at the national level mainly aids, promotes and coordinates research and education activities throughout the country. The research and education responsibilities at the state level rest with the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs). In addition to these main streams of research, some general universities and other agencies like scientific organizations related to agriculture, government departments, voluntary organizations, private institutions etc. participate in the nation s research efforts (Figure 1). Besides there are quite a many international research organizations belonging to the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) including ICRISAT, IFPRI as well as to the Association of International Research and Development Centers for Agriculture 20

4 (AIRCA) like AVRDC which work in tandem with NARS and contribute to the steadfast growth of agricultural research in India. The greater emphasis given to the agricultural research in India could be established by the fact that the system guided by the ICAR now (as of ) has, 5 Deemed Universities 60 ICAR Institutions 6 National Bureaux 15 Project Directorates 16 National Research Centres 138 Substations of ICAR Institutes 8 Zonal Project Directorates 57 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) 2 Central Agricultural University and 4 Central Universities having faculty of agriculture 633 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) 61 AICRPs (All India Coordinated Research Projects) 10 Other Projects 17 Network Projects Figure 1. National Agricultural Research System and its Components 21

5 Research Contribution Agricultural research has propelled the development of Indian economy from strength to strength. The inventions, improvements and need-based modifications of agricultural inputs including seeds, plant protection, plant nutrition and farm machineries, soil and water conservation measures and in the domain of financing and marketing institutions has aided rural growth and guided its development. The ideal contribution materialized from agricultural research and extension has been given in Figure 2. The rise in crop yields and incomes over the decades has clearly demonstrated the role of agricultural scientists in nation building. Figure 2. Ideal Contribution of Agricultural Research One measure of innovation in the seed industry is the number of cultivars notified or recognized by the Department of Agriculture as new cultivars during various periods. It could be seen from Table 1 and 2 that the rate of innovation in seed industry was steady from the 1980s to the 1990s and then has rapidly increased in the 2000s. The governmental policy in opening up agricultural research for the private has also proved beneficial as many varieties of crops such as cotton, maize, pearl millet, and sorghum have primarily come from the private sector. 22

6 Table 1. Trends in notified varieties of major field crops Crops No. of Notified varieties and Hybrids by decade Rice Wheat Maize Pearl millet Sorghum Cotton Total Source: Pray and Nagarajan (2012) Table 2. Major crop varieties released by public & private-sector institutions Crops Private Hybrids ( ) Notified Public Varieties ( ) Rice Wheat Maize Pearl millet Sorghum Cotton Total Source: Pray and Nagarajan (2012) Similarly, as it could be seen from Table 3, pesticides registrations have increased rapidly since 1980s. Twice as many pesticides were registered in the first decade of the 21 st century as were registered in the 1980s. These registrations, all by private companies, are primarily new formulations of active ingredients, but some new active ingredients and formulations for new crops, especially horticulture crops, have been developed. Over the decades, several agricultural technologies have been developed by the ICAR-SAUs system. A list of some such potential technologies has been provided in Appendix I. These technologies cover a wide range of areas from improved crop production to resource conservation and value addition. Table 3. New pesticide registrations over the decades, Year Number of Pesticides registration Source: Pray and Nagarajan (2012) 23

7 In addition, the MOUs/agreements of NARS institutions with foreign countries have provided fruitful collaborations and have resulted in better agricultural facilities in areas such as research and development, capacity building, germplasm exchange, post-harvest management, value addition/food processing, plant protection, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries. The agreements have enhanced bilateral trade as well. Apart from the present day benefits realized, these collaborations have also the potential of spawning positive future implications. Agricultural Research Bottlenecks Investment in agricultural research is one of the most important and effective strategies for economic growth and poverty reduction in rural areas where the majority of the world s poor live. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in agriculture has been shown to be at least twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth originating in other sectors (Fan et al., 1999 and Kumar, 2009). The success stories of Indian agriculture since the days of green revolution are towering examples. Despite this success, India currently faces many critical challenges with the slack in public investment in the agriculture sector particularly in irrigation, power, rural roads, market and mechanization. Also, subsidies on fertilizers have decreased which has lead to increases in the cost of production. Further problematic issues include: First, to reduce poverty and malnutrition, which are most prevalent in rural areas, India needs not only to improve the availability of food but also to generate income and employment opportunities for the poor to provide them with access to food. Second, because accelerated economic growth and rapid urbanization are driving demand for high-value commodities, particularly livestock and horticultural products, future agricultural growth needs to be much more diversified. Third, sustainable management and use of natural resources is a growing challenge, with groundwater depletion, agrochemical pollution, and land degradation by water-logging, salinity, soil erosion, and deterioration of soil fertility. The socio-economic research and analysis has also clearly demonstrated that the poor and partial adoption on farmers fields continues to be the major problem in agricultural growth and development. Thereby, it has now been realized, that there is an urgent need to refine these technologies to make them area-specific. Another important need is their transfer to the farmers and the capacity development of farmers for their adoption. The next important requirement is development of appropriate infrastructure for managing problems like yield gap, post-harvest 24

8 losses, depleting natural resources, changing climate, IPR issues, global competitiveness, etc. It requires huge investment in this sector. There is also the need of reliable databases on different aspects of agriculture at the level of agro-ecological region. To generate such information, a large number of frontline demonstrations are to be conducted, which would require large amount of resources (man and material). Vision Forward for Agricultural Research Since independence, there has been substantial growth and contribution to the Indian economy by NARS. Synchronized conduct and coordination of agricultural research, has lead to various agricultural revolutions across the country, making India not only self-sufficient in food but also with surplus. But in the near future, there are quite a many emerging complex challenges. Thereby, NARS has set a vision to attain Rainbow Revolution covering the entire spectrum of activities in agriculture which will make India a developed nation free of poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and environmental safety issues. Continued steps have been taken to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis through the soil health card scheme and to support the organic farming scheme Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana ; to improve access to irrigation through Pradhanmantri Gram Sinchai Yojana ; to enhance water efficiency through Per Drop More Crop ; and to support rural employment programmes emphasizing on creating physical assets (like MGNREGA). Efforts are also on the anvil to improve exports with creative marketing strategies, innovative packaging, quality and strong distribution networks. Conclusion Over the recent past, agricultural research in India has facilitated nation s growth and development. It has immensely contributed to the rise in rural household income and consumption, reduced transaction costs and time, improved port gate management, improved food-grains distribution, improved fiscal incentives, expansion in the food processing sector and increase in agricultural exports. In addition, agriculture sector is slowly, steadily and cautiously getting transformed in to agro industry in India, which now encompasses sub segments such as canned, dairy, processed, frozen food, fisheries, meat, poultry, and food grains. The agriculture sector in India can be expected to generate better momentum in the next few years provided there are increased investments in agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, warehousing and cold storage. The role of agricultural scientists has had been immense in making the nation 25

9 to attain food security. Now the focus is much less the same but only the priorities have been changed. Food security has to meet up with the pangs of malnutrition, rural development has to get translated to rural prosperity, farming has to get sustainable and agriculture, as a whole, needs to become a viable proposition. With the threats and possibilities of globalization, climate change, food safety concerns and the rising rural-urban divide looming large, the role of agricultural scientists remains as vital and potential as ever. References Anandaraja, N., Swaminathan B. and Sivabalan, K. C. (2015). Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to Achieve Information Literacy in Agriculture. International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 03 (02): Anonymous. (2014). The Economic Survey , Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Department of Commerce and Industry Arjun, K. M. (2013). Indian Agriculture-Status, Importance and Role in Indian Economy, International Journal of Agriculture and Food Science Technology, 4(4): Borthakur, A. and Singh, P. (2012). Agricultural Research in India: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research, 1(9): Cole, S. A., and Nilesh, A. F. (2012). The value of advice: evidence from mobile phone-based agricultural extension. Working Paper: , Harvard Business School of Finance. Fan, S., Haselt, P. and Thorat, S. (1999). Linkages between Government Spending, Growth and Poverty in Rural India, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC. ICAR. (2007). State-specific Technological Interventions for Higher Agricultural Growth, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. Kumar,S. and Mittal, R. (2009) Role of Agricultural R&D Policy in Managing Agrarian Crisis in India, Agricultural Economics Research Review, 22(1): Pray, C.E. and Nagarjan L. (2012). Innovation and Research by Private Agribusiness in India, Discussion Paper 0118l, International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi. 26

10 Appendix I Some potential agricultural technologies in Indian context Sl. No. Name of technologies Expected benefits Crop improvement 1 Hybrid rice Provides additional yields of t/ha, and is becoming popular in low tomedium yield areas of eastern India. 2 Quality protein maize Contains 40.7 per cent higher tryptophan. Improved crop management 3 Integrated water management 4 Integrated nutrient management 5 Diversified farming (comrpising crops, horticulture, livestock & fisheries) Results in increased rice yield of 13 per cent in summer and 15 per cent in kharif and water use efficiency of 28.7 per cent and 52.8 per cent, respectively over flooding method. Balanced use of fertilizers (120 kg N, 60 kg P2O5, 20 kg K2O, 20 kg S and 5 kg Zn/ha) has increased wheat yield by per cent. Provides higher profitability (3-4 times) over monoculture, and opportunity for increasing employment, income and nutritional security. Resource conservation 6 Zero-tillage Saves water by 11.3 per cent, and increases wheat yield marginally over the conventional sowing technique. 7 Micro-irrigation Improves overall profitability of irrigation system and fertigation improves banana quality and yield. 8 Pressurized irrigation system Improved livestock methods 9 Artificial insemination (AI) 10 Supplementation of deficient minerals 11 Use of urea ammoniation technology 12 Livestock healthcare management Pressurized irrigation (sprinkler and drip) increases yield by per cent, and saves water by per cent, depending on the crop. Sprinkler irrigation is suitable for all crops (except rice and jute), while drip is more effective in horticultural crops, cotton and sugarcane. AI improves conceptions in cattle and buffaloes by per cent. It improves the productivity of livestock by per cent. Its proper use improves the nutritive value of roughages and thus, production by 5-8 per cent. Feed blocks sustain the production, and can be transported to places of acute feed shortage. 27

11 Contd. Sl. No. Name of technologies Expected benefits Improved machinery 13 Rotovator Saves time (30-35 per cent), water (30 per cent), and cost of operation (20-25 per cent), as compared to tillage by cultivator and harrow. 14 Raised bed former Useful for wheat, soybean, maize or cotton; saves on cost of operation (20-30 per cent), seeds (25 per cent), fertilizer (25 per cent) and irrigation water (20-30 per cent). 15 Ridge seeder Most suitable for dryland farming and for planting ragi, gram and pearlmillet. Its use gives an additional yield of 15 per cent, against conventional method. 16 Sugarcane cutter planter Suitable for cutting and planting sugarcane setts and application of granular fertilizer in single operation. Its use reduces labour requirement by 78 per cent and time of operation by 50 per cent. 17 Potato planter Useful for potato planting and also for inter-culture and earthing up operation. Post-harvest processing 18 Modern rice mills Gives out-turn of rice per cent, against per cent from the traditional huller. Its use provides additional 2.0 million tonnes rice bran and gives 0.25 million tonnes high quality rice bran oil (RBO). 19 Modern ginneries Modernizing cotton ginning using variable speed double roller (VSDR) saves 30 per cent energy and increases lint efficiency, including competitiveness in lint production. Biomass energy plant 20 Biogas plants (solid waste) Source: ICAR (2007) It requires per cent less water, produces up to 30 per cent more gas, needs one-fourth space for slurry storage/ drying and costs 10 per cent more than of the common design. 28