Green Revolution 2.0: Pathway to food sovereignty

The Green Revolution was one of the most iconic agricultural achievements of independent India. By popularising mechanisation, chemical inputs and high-yielding variety of seeds, it transformed our country from being food scarce to food secure in staples like wheat and rice. Decades later though, we can see the environmental and social externalities of it as well.

The widespread adoption of monoculture has reduced the agricultural biodiversity, particularly in the regions which have been frontrunners of Green Revolution, such as Punjab and Haryana. The excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides has significantly degraded the soil quality and polluted the waterbodies. The water-tables have gone down due to reckless flooding of fields to grow water-intensive crops in the regions not naturally suited for them. Moreover, this has created a vicious cycle of increasing input costs and environmental degradation, which leaves farmers on the receiving end.

The challenges of the 21st century are complex, multi-faceted and cannot be resolved by older models. The environmental degradation, nutritional insecurities, socio-economic inequalities and non-integration with the global supply chains are the issues that are plaguing the agricultural sector which require strategic planning and action. The solution probably lies in reshaping the agrarian landscape which would lead to Green Revolution 2.0.

Ecosystem-based adaptations

According to estimates, a meagre rise in temperatures may significantly decrease the production of crops, especially staples like wheat and rice affecting the food security. The situation is compounded by erratic monsoon, decrease in cold spells and increasing extreme weather events like drought and floods. Even after the Green Revolution, 60 per cent of the farming remains rainfed, which exacerbates the issue.

To tackle this, a strategic shift towards ecosystem-based adaptations (EbA) is essential. EbA are cost-effective and structured solutions that leverage natural biodiversity and ecosystem services to help communities adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.

For instance, crop diversification and rotation can help in dealing with the pests that thrive on monoculture and improve the soil fertility which reduces the need for costly chemical inputs. Similarly, agroforestry can help in climate resilience and income diversification along with increase in green cover.

A notable example is of poplar-based agroforestry in Punjab and Haryana, which has created a market-linked solution that boosts farmers’ incomes along with providing climate resilience.

Food sovereignty

The Green Revolution was focused on making India food sufficient, which in terms of nutrition means calory sufficient. Today, the developmental aspirations of the nation have transformed and transcended beyond the calories.

We need an overall nutritional security for our people. Still, India happens to be the hotspot of child wasting and child stunting caused by the fact that a significant chunk of populace cannot afford a healthy meal.

Today, we need to move beyond food security and aspire for food sovereignty. Food sovereignty entails the control of the local people in the food systems and the supply chains, which are sustainable and fair. This begins with empowerment of the farmers through collectivist set ups like farmer producer organisations and cooperatives that increase their bargaining power and have a fair internal structure that does not discriminate against women and other marginalised farmers.

Food sovereignty is the gateway to nutritional security as well as increased incomes. Today, our farmers find it challenging accessing the global markets due to sanitary and phytosanitary barriers. If we improve the nutritional profiles of our crops, they may fetch better prices in the international markets which might help our balance of trade as well.

Technological advancements

The agricultural practices must adapt with the advancements in the technology. The rising costs of inputs is making traditional farming increasingly unsustainable. We cannot afford to overapply inputs such as water and fertilisers to our farmlands as that poses a great environmental risk. Precision agriculture offers real time monitoring of crops which helps in optimal application of inputs which saves costs as well.

The advanced sensors, satellite-based monitoring, GPS mapping, internet of things and drone-assisted agriculture are soon going to be a pressing requirement. The government needs to step in to address the financing needs for these technologies as they come with initial capital cost and help eventually the farmers in savings.

Way ahead

Agriculture being a state subject has been a difficult sector to implement uniform policies on a national level. However, we have ample examples to highlight that if the spirit of cooperative federalism is followed, we can transform the agrarian economy. The recent development of digital public goods like ‘AgriStack’ are a great instance of cooperative federalism which can help in informed decision-making and customised policies.

For the modern reforms in the agriculture sector, the governments must figure out a comprehensive support package that they can offer to the farmers by leveraging the power of markets and the private sector. To usher in a solid transformation, an entire ecosystem of policies around the agricultural landscape needs to be created that supports and empowers the farmers and the consumers.

India has been long accused of market distortion while supporting its farmers at WTO. Food sovereignty is the way out to empower the farmers to be self-sufficient in dealing with the market forces. India has the world’s most arable land and a huge variety of agro-climatic zones. India’s agricultural potential, if unlocked via technological support and inclusive policies, can make it a global powerhouse of food and edible products.

Aakash Bajpai is student at the Indian Institute of Forest Management and an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.