The Indian government has launched a new programme called the National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds as part of the Union Budget for 2025-26.
This mission aims to improve research, develop seeds that resist pests and climate challenges and increase the availability of over 100 new seed varieties (23 varieties of cereals, 11 pulses, seven oilseeds, among others) released since July 2024.
However, concerns are rising that this initiative might promote monocultures and harm traditional crop diversity and indigenous seed varieties.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned three main goals of the mission:
Strengthening research: The mission aims to develop new high-yielding seeds.
Improving resistance: It will focus on creating seeds that resist pests and climate stress, ensuring they remain productive even as environmental conditions change.
Commercial availability: The goal is to make these seeds easily accessible to farmers, encouraging them to adopt these varieties.
The move toward high-yielding seeds should not come at the cost of seed biodiversity.
India has a rich history of traditional and indigenous seeds that have adapted to local climates and soil over many years. These seeds are often more resilient to pests and use fewer chemicals.
However, fear is that promoting high-yielding seeds might lead to a decline in native seeds. If farmers start using commercially supplied seeds, the demand for traditional varieties might drop, causing them to disappear over time.
Additionally, the widespread use of a few high-yielding varieties could lead to monoculture farming. Monoculture means growing the same crop in large areas, which may boost yields temporarily but also makes crops vulnerable to diseases and pests. Monocultures have historically caused serious crop failures when one pest or disease strikes, ruining entire fields.
Furthermore, shifting to uniform seed varieties might reduce pollinator diversity, as different crops and their flowering cycles help support populations of bees and butterflies. When biodiversity is lost, the ecosystem suffers and farmers do too in the long run.
The government has not clarified how traditional seed varieties will be protected under this mission. Instead of focusing solely on high-yielding seeds, agricultural policies should also support a mix of modern and traditional seeds to preserve genetic diversity.
There are concerns that small-scale farmers may become too dependent on corporate seed companies if they are unable to access or cultivate indigenous seeds. Ensuring protections for traditional farming practices will be key to maintaining seed sovereignty and biodiversity.
As the mission aims to enhance India’s food security, safeguards must be put in place that protect traditional crops, promote seed sovereignty and maintain biodiversity.
Experts advise that the government should invest in community seed banks, support farmer-led seed conservation and create policies that encourage biodiversity-friendly farming practices, while promoting high-yielding varieties.
As more details about the National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds emerge, stakeholders will be closely watching to see whether it takes an inclusive approach that values biodiversity or if it contributes to the gradual loss of India’s rich seed heritage.