Implement Swaminathan report for farmers’ sake

Manjit S Kang

Former VC, Punjab Agricultural University

PROF MS Swaminathan, popularly known as the ‘Father of India’s Green Revolution’, was a rare visionary and transformative individual. He seemed on course to pursue a career in medicine, but the Bengal famine of 1943 prompted him to study agriculture so as to help farmers and the country. Farmers’ issues were always close to his heart.

Even though he had opportunities to work in the US or the UK, he chose to return to India. Troubled by the lack of adequate food in the country, he invited Norman E Borlaug to India in the early 1960s. Dr Borlaug was working at the Rockefeller Foundation (now, the CIMMYT), Mexico, on a wheat improvement programme. Borlaug made available to Swaminathan seeds of some dwarf varieties of wheat for testing. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) were among the entities that received the seeds. These varieties (red-coloured grain) required higher levels of inputs, including fertilisers and water. Plant breeder Dilbagh S Athwal and his team did remarkable work on these wheat varieties and modified the grain colour to amber, which was acceptable to the people. Scientists’ innovations, government policies conducive to production and farmers’ enthusiasm — all played a role in enhancing wheat production manifold. US administrator William Gaud termed the spectacular increase in wheat production the ‘Green Revolution’.

Rice (paddy), although not a staple food in Punjab and requiring much water, also occupied substantial acreage. The work of PAU alumnus Dr Gurdev S Khush is pertinent here. The high-yielding rice varieties developed by him at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) became popular. India became self-sufficient in wheat in 1972 and in rice two years later. Thus, both crops were considered ‘food security’ commodities. The government started buying them and established a minimum support price (MSP) regime. Because of this marketing outlet, farmers mainly started growing these two crops. The ecology of the area (Punjab, Haryana and western UP) changed. Pulses, oilseeds and other crops were largely replaced by rice and wheat. This ecological shift eventually resulted in depletion of underground water and left many soils with mineral deficiencies. Productivity of the two crops reached a plateau, negating the benefits of the Green Revolution achieved earlier.

In the 1980s, a committee recommended that the area under paddy should be reduced, but it did not happen — instead, the area under paddy increased. Because of the easy availability of farm loans, many farmers opted for them. Some of them used the loans for unproductive purposes, such as wedding expenses.

Since the government purchased only rice and wheat, farmers quit growing other important crops. The depletion of the water table, poor soil health and farmers’ debt burden encapsulate the ongoing agrarian crisis.

In 2004, the Central Government decided to set up the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) and selected Prof Swaminathan as its Chairman. Previously, he had held several leadership positions, not only at the national level (e.g., Director of IARI and DG of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research), but also at the international level (for example, DG of the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines).

The NCF had the following mandate — to develop a medium-term strategy for food and nutrition security in the country and enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture.

Between 2004 and 2006, the NCF produced six reports related to the 11th Five-Year Plan slogan — ‘Faster and more inclusive growth’. The reports were comprehensive and dealt with land reforms (for instance, prevent diversion of prime agricultural land and forestland), water resources (ensure sustained and equitable access to water to all farmers), agricultural credit (provide relief to farmers in the aftermath of successive natural calamities; insurance for all crops; limit rate of interest for crop loans to 4 per cent), enhance productivity (substantial increase in public investment in agriculture-related infrastructure; promote conservation agriculture), farm competitiveness and marketing (minimum support price should be at least 50 per cent more than the weighted average cost of production), bio-resources (preserve traditional rights of access to biodiversity) and prevent farm suicides (provide affordable health insurance and revitalise primary healthcare centres; provide for a social security net with provision for old-age support and health insurance; set up state-level farmers’ commissions).

While some of the recommendations have been implemented at the state level, such as state farmers’ commissions, others have remained on paper only, even though political parties have repeatedly promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission report in toto. The most contentious issue is related to the MSP. When the Central Government passed three farm laws about three years ago, farmers protested against possible dismantling of the MSP regime. The government repealed the three laws and promised not to do away with MSP. Farmers, however, are keen on legal guarantee of MSP and want it to be determined according to the Swaminathan Commission report. This has not happened so far and farmers, once again, have launched a protest in support of their demand for legal guarantee of MSP.

Agriculture is the backbone of India’s rural economy; farmers and farm workers are the key players. Agitations and protests are counterproductive to economic growth. The government can still implement the Swaminathan Commission report and help farmers overcome the agrarian crisis. It is never too late to do the right thing.

The government, besides seeking advice from NITI Aayog, should consult prominent agricultural scientists and farm leaders on matters related to farming.

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