Food Security

Philipgi T.Kanatt

Tellus Initiatives

Global Scenario

• The growing population• Depletion of resources

– Rapid urbanisaton – Conversion of Agrl. Land– Over exploitation of water sources– Loss of soil productivity – Fertilizer response– Climate change – affecting the productivity

• The consumption pattern– Post harvest loss - Harvesting, Processing, Transporting

• Bio-fuel

Why?

• The prime energy source – Sun • Green plants - energy receivers • Man - designed as a farmer.• Modern scientific developments – manipulate

natural systems & make easy gains• But the results were not sustainable and left the

ecosystem with irreparable damages.

What went wrong? – Post mortem• Industry placed over Agriculture• Rural – urban migration• Farming – less charming• Governmental apathy towards Agriculture• Fragmentation of holdings• Non-sustainable technologies – total disregard to nature.

– Chemical farming– Largescale industrial pollution– Deforestation– Overexploitation of natural resources

• Living on the future generation’s resources

The Indian AgricultureSelf sufficient??• N – fertilizers depend on imported Naphtha

• P – some mined and others imported

• K – fully imported

• Agrochemicals –Most of the technicals imported

• Seeds – MNCs tightening the noose

• Fuel for the farm machineries – fossil fuel based

• Agrl Research in India – Green revolution based.

Chemical Agriculture & environment• The Fertilizer subsidy in 2008-09 was Rs.999495 Cr• This was more than the defense budget• Nitrous oxide released from the nitrogenous

fertilizers is 296 times more GH effect than CO2• 6% of the green house gas emission is India is from

nitrogenous fertilizers which is equivalent to the GH gas emission by vehicular transport in the country.

• The non-responsiveness of crop yields to increased fertilizer application is of grave concern – Budget 2009

• Fertilizer usage 0.7 lac t in 1950-51 to 231.5 lac t in 2008-09

The post harvest losses

• 20 to 30% agrl. Produce are lost during harvest, grading, packing and transport

• The loss is estiamted at Rs.50,000 Cr / yr

• 10% of food grains in India is lost in processing & storage.

• In US Food travel 1500 miles before reaching the consumer – Food miles.

Water resource• Worldwide 70% of the fresh water is being used

for agriculture. It is much more than what is replenished by rainwater.

• In India 15% of the food grain production is irrigated from borewells.

• 17.5 crore Indians are consuming food grains produced using water from borewells which will go dry shortly.

• World water usage increased 6 times in the past 6 years.

Impact of biofuels

• 25% of the grains harvested in US this year will be converted into fuel. This would be enough for 50cr Indians for one year.

• A large extent of agricultural land in the developing countries is being bought by different corporates for biofuel production

Neo-colonialism

• In the last one year 2500 lakh ha of agricultural land was bought by foreign countries in Africa & Latin America for an amount of $ 3000 Cr. (This is almost 25% of the total Agrl area in Europe)

• Considered to be a safe investment in the backdrop of global recession. Many financial cos in Europe & US has allotted a sizeable chink of their funds for this purpose.

• China is way ahead starting land purchase in Cuba & Mexico a decade ago.

Kerala• Depletion of paddy area

1980 - 8.75 lakh ha.2000 - 3.40 lakh ha.2008 - 2.64 lakh ha.

• The Food – Non-food crop ratio• Over dependence on rice, neglecting millets and tuber

crops• Change in social system – nuclear families, better

education, better job opportunities.• Fragmented holdings, Shortage of labour, Poor prices,

Growth of real estate

Food Security Scheme - Kerala

• Self sufficiency in food by 2011-12– Paddy prod 6.4 to 9.45 lakh tonnes– Milk 35 lakh tonnes– Eggs 2395 million.

• Rs.1200 crores from Plan & Non plan• Rs.113.5 Crores – paddy procurement, ration

subsidy• A cabinet sub- committee under CM and a co-

ordination committee under chief secretary

Think Globally ! Act locally!!• The balance between food & non food

crops has to be maintained.• Alternate food sources than the

conventional ones need to be explored.• Max. area to be brought under food

production. Fallows, Homesteads etc.• Green energy systems should be

encouraged• Organic farming system needs to be

developed with proper documentation.

Organic Farming - Can it really help??

• System utilizes the natural resources & puts the natural system in place.

• In Indonesia, paddy production steadily increased despite the removal of distorting subsidy in 1986 that reduced national pesticide use by more than 50 percent.

• Energy budgeting

India’s first Agriculture minister KM Munshi told the State Directors of Agricultural extension:

‘Study the life’s cycle in the village under your charge in both its aspects - hydrological and nutritional. Find out where the cycle has been disturbed and estimate the steps necessary for restoring it. Workout the village in four aspects,

(1)existing conditions, (2)steps necessary to complete the hydrological cycle, (3)steps necessary to complete the nutritional cycle,

and a complete picture of the village when the cycle is restored and

(4)have faith in yourself and the programme. Nothing is too mean and nothing is too difficult for the man who believes that the restoration of the life’s cycle is not only essential for freedom and happiness of India but is essential for her very existence. (1951)

KM Munshi

‘The first lesson we must learn is of self-help and self reliance. If we assimilate this lesson, we shall at once free ourselves from disastrous dependence upon foreign countries and ultimate bankruptcy. This is not said in arrogance, but as a matter of fact. We are not a small place, dependent for this food supply upon outside help. We are a sub-continent, a nation of nearly 400 millions. We are a country of mighty rivers and a rich variety of agricultural land, with inexhaustible cattle-wealth. That our cattle gives much less milk than we need, is entirely our own fault. Our cattle wealth is any day capable of giving us all the milk we need. Our country, if it had not been neglected during the past few centuries, should not today only be providing herself with sufficient food, but also be playing a useful role in supplying the outside world with much needed foodstuffs which the late war has unfortunately left practically the whole world in want. This does not exclude India.’(MK Gandhi, Food shortage and Agriculture, Ahmedbad: Navjivan Publishing House 1949, p.47)

What can the Government do?

• Dryland Agriculture – with neo-traditional farming system

• Self sufficient farms• Change the food culture – Eat local• Natural resources – precious. Conserve them.• Farm management agencies• Bring in a shift in Food – Non food crop – policy

What can we do?

• Do our bit of Farming – Urban Horticulture

• Create Awareness – future generation

• Stop living on overdraft from the future generation’s resources.

• Go green