Grain Gain

1. Grain Gain Presentation by S Viswanathan (SV) Agriculture Consultancy Management Foundation (ACMF)

2. Objective: A Green Dream… • Double Foodgrain Production • Revive the Green Revolution • Benefits Largest Numbers

3. Agriculture is an important focus area for India • Tremendous impact on Economic growth: 22% of GDP • Nearly 60% (>600 million) of population directly involved in agriculture • Favorable climate all year around • Favorable politico-economic situation

4. Impacts economic growth and large proportion of population • Nearly 600 million Indians depend directly on Agriculture (54%) • 210 million depend on Manufacturing (19%) • 300 million depend on Services (27%) • Agriculture contributes around 22% of GDP • Manufacturing contributes 27% • Services contributes 51% (IT services 3%) Services Manufacturing Agriculture

5. India’s climate favorable all year around • India well endowed with largest area of arable land – 420 million acres • Climate favorable all year around • Farming possible round the year; unlike in Europe, China or most parts of the US, where agricultural operations possible only for 5-6 months a year

6. Favorable Politico-economic Climate • Federal government anxious to accelerate growth • Prime minister sets 4% farm growth. This will be necessary to achieve a 10% GDP growth • Government interested in ensuring that growth is sustainable and manageable • Pressure from global competition – e.g. WTO

7. Green Revolution in the 1960s was a great success • The Green Revolution initiative • From ship-to-mouth to food surplus • Saw regional shifts based on economics and not local consumption (e.g. Punjab state) • Foodgrain production increased from 72 million tonnes in 1967 to 108 million tonnes in 1971 – an increase of 50% in just 4 years

8. But we have not built on initial success over the next 35 years • For the last 5 years, 2000-2005, food production has remained stagnant – at around 200 million tonnes. Production in Million Tons

9. In addition India has low yields compared to the rest of the world • Many US farms produce 60 tonnes of tomatoes per acre compared to <10 tonnes per acre for an Indian farm • Farmers in California produce 8.5 tonnes of rice per acre compared to India’s average of <1 tonne per acre

10. India’s lack of progress in agriculture is due to several factors • Fragmented, small land holdings • Lack of agro-climatic focus • Lack of technology and management inputs • Fertilizer companies’ traditional focus on NPK at the expense of micronutrients and soil analysis

11. Lack of Agro-Climatic Focus • Many states in India produce similar food grains across the country (e.g. rice in West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.) • But, agro-climatic zones vary around the country and are conducive for specific, targeted varieties of crops • In the US, each state has selected what is most suitable to its endowments: • States well endowed with water such has Illinois, Indiana focus on corn and wheat • States like California and Florida focus on horticulture, nuts, other exotic crops • Hawaii focuses on pineapples and sugarcane

12. Technological and Management Inputs • Lack of adequate scientific information is a common problem • The Federal government owns and operates advanced information networks to monitor weather patterns, rainfall, soil conditions etc. • through advanced satellite mapping • through research institutions • Agriculture is predominantly a state subject in India. Knowledge assimilated at the Federal level is not fully percolating to the end farmer

13. Change Focus of Fertilizer Companies • The second Green Revolution demands attention to soil • Soil analysis should be more comprehensive • Done not just of N, P and K • Sharper focus on micro-nutrients needed

14. We have the Infrastructure to do this! • Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Fertiliser companies already have a lapse • These needed to be tailored for a close analysis for micro-nutrients • We have the infrastructure only links missing • India is strong in satellite imaging. • Extensive mapping has already been done • Missing links: Interpreting these to the farmers • Well-spread engineering and science colleges can be trained to do this • The system of using sprawling post office network can help • A village post office can help dispatch a sample to the laboratory and also to deliver a report in quick time

15. What Needs to be Done • Precision farming • Soil analysis • Tilling techniques • Mechanization • Agglomeration of land • Three-pronged farm management strategy • Demonstration farms • Corporate involvement • Infrastructure • Government’s role as facilitator

16. Precision farming • Soil analysis • Soil needs to be tested for micronutrients; lack of nutrients, minerals to be compensated • Tilling techniques • Till deeper instead of wider; in California, land tracts tilled up to 24 inches; in India tracts tilled up to 3 inches • Inadequate reach of nutrients, water to roots • Increased farm mechanization • This requires consolidation of farms / land

17. Three-Pronged Farm Management Strategy • Demonstration farms • Tilling • Fertilization and pest control • Irrigation • Total farm management • Corporate involvement • For management and scientific inputs • Produce handling and distribution infrastructure • Processing • Marketing

18. Increased Farm mechanisation Tilling deeper itself can help a lot • Water and the fertiliser will effectively reach the roots • This will call for a measure of mechanisation • Simple implements like Sechell Shank inserts and disc ploughs can help • Of course, this will mean more demand for steel

19. Looking at what this will mean to the Steel producers • Rural India has not been a great consumer of Steel • Focus on simple tools and implements can stimulate huge demand for Steel • Should generate gainful employment and help retained skilled talent in the rural areas

20. City’s dominance will diminish – India will also thrive on farm based economy • Western Pundits predicts the rate of urbanization can be decelerated • Doubling of farm incomes will impact massively on the rural economy • Rural households can then spend on education, health, insurance and a whole lot of consumer goods • The gap between the modern India and the traditional Bharath will be bridged.

21. Case studies: Pockets of farming success exist in India • Contract farming • Pepsi • ITC • Tata Chemicals • Increased yield using micronutrient analysis and total farm management • Gemini Farms

22. Women empowerment Women self help group at Babrala village in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India,

23. IT in agriculture Assisting with farm inputs and weather patterns to market information and global prices, computers are becoming powerful tools

24. Reclaiming wasteland Before and after pictures of land reclaimed for farming

25. Conclusion • Imagine this scenario: • Farm output DOUBLES to 400 million tonnes • Impacts on the rural economy • Moderates unhealthy urbanization • India emerges a large foodgrain producer for the world • Replicable globally • Better prospects for eliminating global hunger A second, stronger Green Revolution is possible!

26. Agriculture: AdvantageIndia Presentation by S Viswanathan (SV) Agriculture Consultancy Management Foundation (ACMF)