When a country or an organization has a crook CEO in M.S. Swaminathan, there are failures everywhere under his charge. Organizations can’t do a thing correctly. The number of farm scientists had doubled in ten years in India, but food production is stagnant. He has taken charge of all the dirty business of Kalam: River Links, Jatropha, PURA, and Farming Communes. How can a weather office in each village boost food production? Farmers start sowing crops with the onset of rains, are dependent on rotational canal water supply or electricity for tube wells. When so many villages don’t have a school, such foolish ideas will waste public money. It is absolute foolishness to even assume that the cost of producing paddy in Punjab is substantially less than in Tamil Nadu, where rainfall is half in Punjab and therefore highly dependent on costly tube-well irrigation, and the cost of labor is three times higher. But it is even more foolish to think that the cost of producing wheat is more than paddy. He admits that 62 million hectares of Indian farms are irrigated by 20 million tube-wells but their cost of operations is not fully accounted for in MSP (Minimum Support Price). Can anyone imagine the monthly income of a farming family of six members averaging only Rs. 2,115 or $50? But this does not include debt burden, which is worse than the worst poverty standard adopted anywhere in the world — Rs.11 or 27 cents per head per day, just about 20 cents on accounting for debt servicing. But still successive governments had Done little to minimize the role of exploiters, middlemen, and commission agents.
It is a shame that an absolute crook who ruined Indian agriculture for over four decades continues to determine India’s agricultural policies and has volunteered to head the commission on water resources also, to advance the lunatic River Link plan and take up the work left unfinished by President Kalam. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to reduce hunger by half between 1990 and 2015 was too modest. But Indian food production has been stagnant for 10 years, while the population in 17 years has leapt ahead by 350 million — or India has added more people than its total population at the time of independence.
INDIA HOURS ONLY CHEATS
You have guessed it right — it is the 81-year-old M.S. Swaminathan who ought to have retired a long time back. He lied in the opening lines of the following paragraph that India is lagging the MDG of halving hunger by 2015 when food production has been stagnant for 10 years, as admitted by the Government of India in Parliament. His home state, Tamil Nadu, though progressing well in industrialization, is the worst performer in child nutrition. In three age groups, Tamil children’s nutrition intake is 45% to 43% less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
He recommends knowledge centers in every village, but this crook doesn’t want to retire yet — and the people who appointed him are equally worse, had they promoted farming with the same zeal they promoted eccentric River Link and Jatropha, India would have eradicated hunger completely. True to Indian traditions we reward mediocres, cheats, dullards and failures
Any honorable government would not be waiting to halving the hungry population for 25 years. You will find the average calorie intake in eight big states is 1907 K.Cal against recommendation of 2400 K. Cal. Even 1907 K.Cal is not quality foods like eggs or meats but largely coarse grains of degraded quality.
UNDER-NOURISHED CHILDREN
The Mid-term appraisal of the Tenth Plan reveals that we are lagging in achieving the MDG of halving hunger by 2015. Under-nutrition and malnutrition are still widespread. National Sample Survey (NSS) data show a clear trend of decline in calorie intake. In rural India, the average calorie intake per capita per day fell from 2266 Kcal in 1972-73 to 2183 Kcal in 1993-94. It fell further to 2149 Kcal in 1999-2000.
Among the lowest 30% of rural households in respect of consumer expenditure, the per capita calorie intake fell from 1830 Kcal in 1989 to 1600 Kcal in 1998. In 1999-2000, almost 77% of the rural population consumed less than the poverty line calorie requirement of 2400 Kcal.
The average calorie intake in 2004-05 across the eight states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal was only 1907 Kcal as per provisional data released by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB), indicating a declining trend. Further, 35.5% adults in these states suffered from Chronic Energy Deficiency and 54.4% children in the age-group 1-5 years were undernourished with 16.5% suffering from severe under-nutrition. Maternal and fetal under-nutrition results in the birth of babies with low birth weight, which reinforces itself in the absence of corrective measures.
This crook has identified hot spots of hunger but not hot spots where agriculture is not performing. He also ignores bright spots already that could easily improve farm yields like those that need more canal waters to replenish ground water used in food production. In all the age groups of children: 1-3 yrs, 4-6 yrs, 7-9 yrs, the RDA is higher than the median calorie intake in all the nine states, with Gujarat, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala recording the lowest levels.
SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION
This 81-year-old extreme idiot says, “The second Green Revolution has to begin in dry farming areas,” having failed to perform in fertile and irrigated regions, has now come up with a next 50-year plan for a “second Green Revolution.”
He recommends computerized soil testing at the commencement of each cropping season for 13 macro and micronutrients and the computer will tell farmers which crop to grow. In 1992, I decided to test the soil of my land and brought the samples to PUSA and was told that my samples were first in that part of the block. The test was for nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and pH of water, etc. Before this test, I raised a record sunflower crop and after the test there was no time to procure truckload of gypsum, so I went ahead and raised record Basmati crop. Punjab is producing food grains at par in productivity with the best regions in the world in spite of poor quality of seeds, very little surface water allocation and moneylender exploitation.
Rainfed agriculture, however risky and vulnerable, continues to play an important role in India, contributing 60% of the cropped area and 45% of the total agricultural output.
PUNJAB FOOD PRODUCTION
It is irresponsible to believe rain-fed agriculture contributing 60% of cropping area and 45% of total agricultural production or 40% of irrigated area produces 55% food. This means irrigation contributes to only 37.5% increase in food production. Punjab produces 12% of food grains from 2.5% area under cultivation and 1% of river waters. Punjab can also improve food productivity by 50% easily their is potential to double food production.
This crook has not deliberately omitted state-wise data of irrigated area and food production. Punjab though allocated only 600 cubic meters of surface water per ton of food production, water available per ton of food production in Kaveri basin, home of M.S. Swaminathan, in raising rice is over 14,000 cubic meters per ton of food. Also Kaveri basin receives twice more rainfall than Punjab.
In the above it is clear to me that 75% to 80% of reliable irrigation or 62.5 million hectare is provided by tube-wells and only 20% to 25% of area is irrigated by canals or just about 16-20 million hectares.
Among the states, three have already achieved 70% or more of the ultimate irrigation potential with TN recording 100% achievement, followed by Punjab and Rajasthan at 84% and 74% respectively.
In the above report for MoWR also chaired by Swaminathan he accepts that TN has already achieved 100% irrigation (P-5) but at “National Conference On Agriculture For Kharif Campaign 2007” the rice production for 2005-06 was 5.21 million tons, maize 0.241 million tons and pulses 0.177 million tons but after my taunts and expose of the mediocre and manipulator the figures projected for this year are over 50% more than achieved in excellent monsoon year 2005-06, this too is an excellent monsoon year in TN and estimated figures are 7.8, 0.575 and 0.73 million tons respectively.
Looking at it from another angle if TN can raise production by 50% in one year why can’t India raise food production by 50% in say two years?
Since surface water use potential in agriculture in India is said to be 690 BCM and 100 cm of irrigation is good for one paddy or two non-paddy crops on a million hectares need 10 BCM of water. So at least 60% to 70% of water is wasted, in some regions the figure could be over 90%.
CHINESE MIRACLE
Food production-linked water allocation norm could make more water available to deficit area and double the canal-irrigated area doubling food production in the newly irrigated area.
SRI nonsense of Swaminathan was commented upon on May 20, 2007. Even worse however is India adopting Chinese and Russian “Farming Commune” which miserably failed and China first liberalized farming and introduced private farming and achieved instant success. Food production in China is twice more than during Commune Days.
But this crook has proposed “commune structure” called Small Farmers’ Horticulture Estates (SFHE) to benefit corporate and commission agents more than farmers.
The cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants is now going on in a big way in several parts of the country. Being perishable horticultural crops need effective infrastructure support in the areas of production, processing, storage, transportation and marketing. In villages adjoining large consumption centres (both for home and export markets), small farmers can be helped to organise small farmers’ horticulture estates covering 200 to 500 hectares.
PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS
Such estates will confer on farmers cultivating one to two hectares the power of scale both at the production and post-harvest phases of the horticultural enterprise. Specialised activities like seed production, tissue culture propagation, production of compost, vermiculture, biofertilizers, biopesticides as well as e-commerce can be carried out at those estates. Low-cost greenhouses coupled with fertigation techniques can be promoted, in addition to high-tech horticulture which can be undertaken by farm and home science graduates. The production of good quality, disease-free planting material in all clonally propagated species and seeds and planting materials of varieties suitable for processing will help farmers in areas where production and processing are linked. Such symbiotic linkages between producers and processors will facilitate sourcing of good quality raw material for the processing industry.
NEW MONEY LENDERS
Input prices have shot up and are still escalating. Poor farm families are left to the mercy of input dealers who have emerged as the new moneylenders of the countryside. Quality control is becoming increasingly important. Control has to be exercised over false and exaggerated claims for inputs with laws in place for penalty. Companies have drastically lowered the minimum germination rate they assure farmers. In the case of seed, this has fallen to as low as 60% which implies that a village buying 1000 bags of seed pays for that number, but gets only 600 in effect. Quality control is equally urgent in the case of fertilizers, bio-fertilisers, pesticides and bio-pesticides. There has to be a suitable agency for strict quality control of animal feed, drugs, vaccines and other biological products. Animal-rearers need to be protected from exploitation by unscrupulous manufacturers. It should be mandatory to print the digestible energy and protein content of the concentrate on the bag and the contents of the mineral brick on its packing.
It is clear even the quality of grains of seeds saved and stored by seeds companies have germination of only 60% which is due to fungus and boring insects. One can well imagine the quality of grains stored by farmers at their homes for self-consumption and for seeding the next crop. Who is responsible for this? GOI must provide storage bins to all farmers to safely store food grains.
Pre-production agreements for sale between farmers and corporate houses and processing companies are being increasingly used in the case of certain vegetables, fruits, and medicinal plants. These agribusiness models are being loosely referred to as ‘contract farming’ though in many of these cases there is no formal contract between the farmers and the prospective buyer. The advantage of such arrangements could be biased in favour of the agribusiness organisation. However, there could be beneficial effects of such arrangements to the farmers in the matter of access to adequate and timely credit, good quality inputs, new technology, employment generation, introduction to new crops, separation of production and marketing risks, better farm practices, etc. The need is to develop a comprehensive, clean, equitable and farmer-centric model agreement, which cannot be abused against the farmers. Special care needs to be taken regarding clauses dealing with quality standards, withdrawal conditions, pricing standards, paying arrangements, natural calamities, and arbitration mechanisms.
CORPORATE CROOKS
In the above it is clear without removing the middlemen in the system GOI has in mind to introduce “Corporate” and I don’t think any one of them have the skills to produce food grains and manage it. Corporates are nothing but crooks who are most irresponsible care only for their own profits.
Farmers can supply all the food products corporate need to their retail stores. But corporate want, like commission agents, to pick up the farm produce at lowest rates at harvest time. Are the corporates willing to pay 70% of the retail price to farmers?
Swift action is required to overhaul the Rithu bazaars or farmers’ markets, most of which are presently controlled not by farmers but by traders. Even the “farmers’ markets” are now heavily loaded against the small producers and cartels and trader networks manipulate these and rig prices systematically.
M.S. Swaminathan admits traders who operate cartels rig prices control even farmers’ markets.
KNOWLEDGE CENTRES HELPING LUNATICS
With the liberalisation of procedures, the commodity future market is expanding at a fast pace. The trade turnover in the commodity exchange touched Rs. 5,70,000 crores during 2004-05.
As a national self-empowerment measure, we should establish an Indian Trade Organisation (ITO) and our own boxes for domestic agricultural support on the model of WTO’s Blue, Green and Amber Boxes. The value of our annual agricultural production including livestock in 2002-03 was Rs. 5,60,516 crores. The value of our exports of farm commodities in 2002-03 was only Rs. 34,654 crore (6.18% of total agricultural production).
At no time commodity exchanges captured the food trade, which was equal to agri GDP, presently could be double the agro GDP. Poor quality of crops in storage and handling render them unfit for human consumption.
Mission 2007 — Every Village a knowledge Centre: Knowledge Management and Dissemination. In its first Report submitted in December 2004, NCF stressed the need for knowledge connectivity in rural India, since farm families urgently need the right information at the right place and at the right time to enhance agricultural efficiency and competitiveness.
When India can’t find a replacement for this crook in 40 years Knowledge Centers Shall Be promoting his lunatic ideas. Knowledge promoted by Swaminathan helped commodity exchanges rig prices to twice then prevailing before introduction of these exchanges.
CROOKED SCIENTISTS
Traders now are better informed about the production of crops well before their harvest and price manipulations begins with hoardings program. Traders know exactly how much to store and how much to release to sustain high price levels.
India is led by mediocres and crooks. This crook has not learnt so far that in science we must define “standard conditions” and then calculate the results. Cost has to be calculated on a per-hectare basis. But generally Indian scientists yield to political pressure and adopt unscientific procedures. Costs are determined under political directions.
Standard Conditions for wheat could be “Wheat production of two tons per hectare, cost of four irrigations, 200 kg of NPK, 100 kg of certified seed, cost two ploughing and seed drilling, use of herbicide or manual weeding, harvesting by machines etc., depreciation of tube-well and machinery of Rs. 5000, seasonal rent of say Rs.10,000 per hectare and 50% profit. The figure arrived at be divided by 20 to determine the MSP per quintal.
Cost of tube-well irrigation is not fully accounted in determining MSP.
TN gets twice as more rain and wages are a third of Punjab but cost of producing paddy calculated by his scientists is substantially more in TN.
Similarly, how can we believe MSP for paddy is less than wheat. Since Punjab, a small state with little political influence, contributed bulk of it for government purchase paddy MSP was kept substantially low.
In no time commodity exchanges captured the food trade. The present turnover could be doubled three years earlier. With pride and honor Swaminathan continues to hold on to the positions he has persistently failed in 40 years. India annually produces about 22,000 agricultural graduates and postgraduates. As per available estimates of Applied Manpower Research Institute (AMRI 2000), upto the year 2000 the country produced about 166,200 graduates in agriculture and allied areas, 78,200 postgraduates and 11,400 doctorates.
