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| AGRICULTURE TRIBUNE | Monday, December 11, 2000, Chandigarh, India |
| Agriculture: issues and solutions By P.P.S. Gill THE echo of sustainable agriculture and sustenance of farmers reverberated from Parliament to the Parade Ground in Chandigarh where Agro-Tech, 2000, a bi-annual show of the Confederation of Indian Industry concluded last week. Chilli king of Mansa Why fruits are necessary in diet Asia’s useful trees and plants  |
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Agriculture: issues and solutions THE echo of sustainable agriculture and sustenance of farmers reverberated from Parliament to the Parade Ground in Chandigarh where Agro-Tech, 2000, a bi-annual show of the Confederation of Indian Industry concluded last week. Though venues were different, the concern expressed remained the same. The participants — politicians to farm scientists and corporate executives to bureaucrats — spoke on challenges ahead and the impact of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Indian agriculture, farmers' plight and need to make agriculture economically viable for land owners and the landless alike. But missing at the two places were the real farmers, who alone know what problems beset them and what are their basic needs. The stress in Parliament, in the conferences in Chandigarh or at the Parade Ground exposition was on making agriculture globally competitive in the emerging world order with new ground rules being written so often for farm-related operations, seed breeding to crop production, processing, trading and marketing. Farmers today are caught in the cross-fire between the proponents and opponents of the WTO, globalisation and liberalisation. If consumers today are more aware and demanding, producers are also under tremendous pressure to improve the quality of food produced and processed. But producers' priority is to make agriculture economically viable and cost-effective even though determining input and end-prices is not in their hands. And balancing aspirations of consumers and meeting basic needs of producers pose a challenge as much to the governments as to the industry. As such there cannot be a single national agricultural policy or a single solution to multiple problems. As per the Chandigarh CII Council Chairperson, Mr I.S. Paul, its recommendations are "corporatisation of agriculture, introduction of information technology in agriculture and adoption of fruits and vegetables". But agricultural scientists, the Punjab Agricultural University's Vice-Chancellor, Dr G.S. Kalkat, and eminent scientist, Dr G.S. Khush from the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, differ. Their argument is that government intervention must continue in a big way to help the agricultural sector. The two scientists are of the firm view that no new breakthrough in agriculture is possible despite technologies and techniques unless farmers are assured of remunerative price and market. This alone holds the key to success of any talk of diversification or breaking the monoculture of wheat and rice in the region. Commercial crops like oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, floriculture, etc have not been adopted by farmers because when farmers try these, the government denies them remunerative returns (minimum support price) and market. The echo of sustainable agriculture and sustenance of farmers, therefore, must be heard and acted upon. The issue is not whether the Opposition in Parliament is always wrong or the government always is right on its policies. The question is how the Indian farmer is to give a "second push" to agriculture as Punjab envisages and face a competition in the world market. "The realities are known. Tell us the remedies". This is how the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, summed up his impressions about Agro-Tech, 2000, having talked of poverty, lack of education, poor health system and absence of basic civic amenities in villages. Photocopying Western agricultural models and modules will not help. There are system dissimilarities between agriculture in the West, Europe and in India. Importing a suitably amended technology should be adopted. Agro-tech, 2000, is a show "by the industry, of the industry and for the industry" with agriculture being used as a foundation or springboard. The idea is not to undermine the role of the industry. Investment by it in some agricultural activities, say research, infrastructure, bio-technology, bulk handling of foodgrains and scientific storage in silos, agro-information technology, agro-meteorology, etc is well accepted. But doing all this with profit as a motive or to seek tax exemptions alone for investment in agriculture should not be the only motive. The high-profile conferences were, by and large, attended by corporate sector executives, business, bank and industrial representatives, bureaucrats and politicians. One had to look hard for farmers for whose sake so much concern was being expressed. Will Agro-tech, 2000, and its theme, "Impact of globalisation on Indian agriculture" and the exposition leave behind any impact that may materially make a difference to the life being led by farmers? In fact, their aspirations and needs are different, so are their priorities. For them the question today is of survival and sustenance, indebtedness, assured electricity supply, cheap inputs, remunerative returns, value addition, more irrigation facilities, better market and post-harvest handling of produce to avoid wastage, which are up to 30 per cent. Can the CII, its allies, policy-makers, agricultural scientists, economists, home science teachers, extension workers and bureaucrats organise the kisan to make him globally competitive? Neither new, imported agricultural technologies nor policies made in Parliament or displays at the Parade Ground and deliberations will become effective unless farmers are also heard first hand. Their small problems have to be solved to help them take big decisions. For them survival in the 21st century is more of a challenge than opportunities that the WTO presumably may provide. Agricultural issues are known, so are the solutions. Much has been said about these, including agri-exports, agri-processing, dairying, poultry, farm technology, water and soil health management, use of chemicals, marketing, irrigation, quality, precision farming, etc. A systematic networking within the "agriculture-environment-poverty" triangle has to be initiated and available agricultural potential in several regions of the country exploited. The big question is how and where to take the first small step? If radical policies and reforms are introduced today, it will take five to six years before the real import will be known and impact felt. |
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Chilli king of Mansa MR
MANMOHAN SINGH SANDHU, a chilli king, has become a popular name among the farming community. A resident of Hodla Kalan village in Mansa district, Mr Sandhu has conducted many experiments to achieve success in the agricultural field. There will, perhaps, be no farmers who can match his achievements in Punjab. A government employee-turned-farmer, Mr Sandhu got the second prize in paddy yield in 1991 at a Kisan Mela organised by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Next year he got the first prize at a similar mela organised by PAU at Bathinda in sugarcane production. In 1994 he was selected for the first prize for growing strawberry. Next year he got the second price from PAU for growing lady's finger. In 1996 he was declared the best farmer in a grape show organised by the Horticulture Department, Punjab. Though his land was not suited to grape farming, he achieved excellence in this field also. He used to engage school children, after school hours, for grape picking by paying them handsome pocket money. He is, perhaps, the first farmer in the state to resort to such an experiment of engaging school children to make them earn pocket money. It is quite common in countries like the USA where students undertake small jobs to earn money to finance their studies and meet hobbies like photography, touring, etc. Mr Sandhu also experimented to prepare wine from grapes, but this experiment did not go too far. His major success came when he shifted to growing of chilli. He got the first prize last year from PAU in the field. He has got awards in bee keeping, potato growing, farming of dhingri, garlic, etc. For his overall unprecedented performance in the field of agriculture, he was honoured by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, at a state-level function at Amritsar in August this year. He got a cash award of Rs 11,000, a gold medal and a citation. He not only himself conducts various experiments in the field of agriculture but also motivates other farmers to come out of the paddy-wheat rotation and diversify to other areas. He is often invited to important meetings of the state government, PAU and farmers' organisations to share his experiences in the agricultural sector with other farmers. He is member of several farmer bodies. He takes part in other programmes like adult education, etc. He remained sarpanch of the village for about a decade. |
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Why fruits
are necessary in diet FOOD is the prime necessity of life. The rapid advances made during the past 50 years in the field of nutrition have shown that life cannot be sustained without adequate nourishment. It is a well-known fact that man cannot live on cereals alone. A balance diet is required which provides calorie-yielding food and body building elements in the appropriate proportions for normal growth of human beings. The knowledge that we possess today does not confirm the general belief that appetite is a safety guide for selection of food. A satisfactory diet can be planned successfully with the knowledge of scientific facts and observations bearing on the same. Food may broadly be classified as cereals, pulses, nuts, oil, seeds, vegetables, fruits, milk products and flesh foods, from nutritional point of view these foods may be classified in three heads. Energy yielding foods — cereals, roots, tubers, fats, oils and sucrose. Body building foods — foods rich in proteins include vegetable, pulses, oil seeds and nuts and low-fat oilseeds flour. Protective foods — foods rich in proteins are of high biological value. Vitamins and minerals, milk, egg, fish, liver and food rich in certain vitamins only green leafy vegetables and fruits. Food in general contains protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, salts and water. But a well-balanced diet should contain all the factors in correct proportion and in adequate amounts. Such a diet should provide enough food and ensure at least a minimum supply of the essential food factors to maintain the life process in fair working. Fruits form one of the important constituents of human diet in that they give one-third of the requirement of calories, vitamins and minerals. Without vitamins the human body cannot maintain proper health and resistance to diseases. Whereas the deficiency of minerals and salts leads to disturbances of metabolism resulting in ill health. Besides this, pectin and cellulose found in several fruits stimulate the intestinal activity and protect the human body from various disorders. Many fruits also possess specific medicinal values. One of the basic needs of the body is food producing heat and energy, measured in calories. Foodgrains are a very important source of calories, but even from this restricted point of view some fruits compare favourably. An increased cultivation and consumption of fruits is certainly desirable for several reasons. They require less land per capita and their production can give more nutrients per acre than other foods. It is well known that man can live on cereals alone. Nutrition experts advocate the consumption of at least 85 gm of fruits per head per day in addition to cereals, pulses, milk, vegetables, eggs etc. Taking into account the foods, which commonly form part of the Indian diets, a balanced diet with the composition has been suggested in the box. Our diet is indicate of not only animal proteins but also those of fruits and vegetables. There are some diseases of malnutrition whose incidence can be minimised by taking a balanced diet. To make our diet as balanced one, consumption of fruits is of paramount importance. Some fruits are an important source of carbohydrates, protein and fats. Fruits like banana and dates are rich sources of carbohydrates. An average crop of wheat will give 1,03,800 calories per acre. Papaya with a yield of over 40 tonnes per acre will give 15,052,800 calories. The nuts are the good sources of protein and fats. Almond contains 20.60 per cent proteins and 53.90 per cent fats, cashewnut contains 21.30 per cent protein and 46.90 per cent fat, walnut have 15.60 per cent protein and 64.50 per cent fat. The raisin (dried grapes) is the richest source of carbohydrates (77.30 per cent). In spite of carbohydrates, protein and fats, the fruits are the chief sources of vitamins also, without which the human body cannot maintain proper health and resistance to diseases. The deficiency of vitamin A leads to susceptibility to various diseases like night blindness and retards growth in young ones. It is found abundantly in mango, papaya, persimon, dates, jackfruit and tree tomato. The lack of vitamin B1 causes beri beri, paralysis, loss of sensitivity of skin. It is most abundant in cashewnut, walnut and almond. It is also plentiful in dried apricot, banana, apple, orange and plum. Whereas, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is essential for the growth and health of the skin. Its dificiency causes lack of appetite, loss of body weight, sore throat and cataract. It is most abundant in bael and is also plentiful in papaya, cashewnut, wood apple, litchi, pineapple and pomegranate. The vitamin C is found abundant in barbados cherry, aonla and guava. It is also found in sufficient amounts in citrus fruits (sweet orange, mandarin, grapefruit, chakotra, lime and lemon), mango, papaya, pineapple, bael and pomegranate. It is helpful in preventing scurvy. Citrus fruits along with vitamin C contain vitamin F without which our small blood vessels may start bleeding. Apart from vitamins, the fruits are a source of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zink, etc. Two mineral elements, sodium and potassium are of particular significance in certain physiological conditions, including hypertension and kidney disorder. Fruits are valuable in sodium-controlled diets because they are naturally very low in sodium content. Potassium is widely distributed in foods and under normal conditions a deficiency is very unlikely. For persons who need to reduce calories and sodium and to increase vitamins and minerals, an increase in the consumption of fruits, particularly those, which have high nutrient content, would be extremely beneficial. Ayurvedic physicians use different parts of the fruit trees in one form or the other to cure ailments. Fresh and dry fruits are found to be very useful in various diseases of the brain, muscles and tissues. These have got unique properties to remove brain debility and to strengthen it. Fresh and dry fruits decidedly improve eyesight because they strengthen the brain and sensory nerves, which in turn naturally supply vital energy to the sight. But still the availability of fruits is far less that is only 46 gm per day per capita in our country as compared to the requirement of 85 gm per day per capita.
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Asia’s useful trees and plants THE ‘‘chilgoza’’ or ‘‘neoza’’ tree is the most beautiful of the pine trees of Himalayas. Its scientific name is pinus gerardiana. More than other pines, it prefers innermost folds of the high mountain, the slopes having an altitude ranging from 2,000 to 3,500m above mean sea level with little monsoon rainfall. In local usage, the tree, especially its seed, is also called neja or rihe. This pine was first brought into limelight by a Scot scientist and explorer, Capt Allexander Gerard. Hence the specific name of the trees as gerardiana. The neoza tree is found growing naturally in almost pure stands in the inner Himalayas. Its natural habitat starts from Niti Pass in Garhwal, goes over Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Dachhin area in the Marwah valley of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir and extends west-wards up to Afghanistan. The chilgoza pine is a moderate-sized evergreen tree. Whereas it attains the maximum stature in nearly 100 years to reach a height of about 15 to 20 metres and girth about 2 to 3 metres, it starts bearing fruit at around 20 to 30 years. Its bark is white and shines like silver. That exquisite shade adds a lot of charm to the landscape of the terrain. It bears separate male and female flowers during April to May. The fruit (cones) start developing by June-end and ripen only by next October i.e. in nearly 18 months. The cone is a nearly 10 to 15 cm long and 5 to 8 cm thick woody structure. It has 50 to 100 woody scales. The seed is protected inside the scales. On an average a cone contains nearly 100 to 200 seeds. A seed, the real ‘‘neoza’’ of dry fruit trade, is in fact the biological seed of the chilgoza pine. It measures nearly 2 to 3 cm long and 3 to 5 mm thick and has a hard outer sheath, which is easy to peel. Inside the hard sheath is the coveted cream-coloured soft kernel. The seed is rich in a kind of oil which tastes like milk cream. That makes it so tasty even in the raw form. It becomes all the more tasty when fried slowly on a mildly heated pan with a pinch of salt. The ‘‘neoza’’ is thus one of the choicest dry fruits, generally served as a delicacy on special occasions. A different kind of oil exists in the scales of the cones as also wood of the tree. It is used in ayurvedic medication for curing ulcers, sores, wounds and various other skin problems. With a view to harvesting the neoza the cones are plucked from the trees while still green. These are then heated to open up the woody scales. Thereupon, the seeds come out on a slight shaking. Each cone yields nearly 40 to 50 gm of ‘‘neoza’’. These are packed in polythene pouches. One such pouch containing 25 gm of ‘‘neoza’’ sells at about Rs 30. The ‘‘neoza’’ forms an important cash crop for the Kinnaur people. Their rights to collect the same from the government forest land have been recorded in the state gazetteer drawn during British era. The state does not levy any tax on the earnings of the tribal people from this source. The people of Kinnaur harvest nearly 200 tonnes of the ‘‘neoza’’ every year. A fraction of this yield is used by them for their own domestic consumption and the rest is sold in the market. Although the wood is not so bad for house construction or firewood, yet no green tree is ever felled. The dry and dead ones alone are utilised for firewood or building construction. |
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Farm operations for Dec Patato: Onion: Tomato: Radish, turnip and carrot: Cauliflower: Spray the crop with Indofil M 45 @ 400 g/acre in 200 litres of water by the end of December to control rust. Leaf minor and aphid damage to the field pea can be checked by spraying 400 ml Rogor 30 EC in 80 litres of water per acre. Pulses: Oilseeds: If the infestation of aphid is located in sarson and raya then spray the crops with 350 ml of Metasystox 25 EC/Rogor 30 EC/Thiodan 35 EC in 100 litres of water per acre. — Progressive Farming, PAU |
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