Global requirements are moving up; strengthen the developing block to ensure benefit to all

Dr B K Mukhopadhyay

(The author is a Professor of Management and Economics, formerly at IIBM (RBI) Guwahati. He can be contacted at m.bibhas@gmail.com)

The overall situation on the food front has been, especially in the recent past, far from satisfactory, with food prices ruling high all over the globe. Where is the journey towards feeding the world’s population at a reasonable price? Food prices are going up on a continuous basis; demonstrations as well as social unrest have badly affected a number of capital cities.

The time is ripe for dealing firmly with the agricultural disarray.

We are really entering a difficult stage globally and nationally on the agriculture front. Dwindling food stocks and rising prices reflect reality—the very concern that, in turn, must be given top priority. Tackling the threat of climate change and reducing the yield gap are among the pressing needs, among others.

The reality

Clearly, if the current trends are any indication, the food and agricultural policy system is in disarray. The symptoms of such disarray are not difficult to locate. incoherent / inadequate response to exploding food prices; slowdown in agricultural productivity growth; water problems; a disorderly response to continuously disturbing energy prices; rapid concentration in multinational agri-business corporations without adequate institutional innovation aiming at properly guiding them; lack of progress in addressing scarcity; widespread nutritional problems [hunger, obesity, chronic diseases] plus agriculture-related health hazards [avian influenza, etc.]; adverse impacts on climatic fluctuations Underinvestment in areas related to food, nutrition, and agriculture [research, infrastructure, and rural institutions] invites spillover effects and global impacts, among others.

It is high time that sincere collaborative programmes are resumed among the countries in order to adequately address opportunities and challenges. On the other hand, the huge upcoming population in the workable category, in turn, is one of the rare assets that could pay rich dividends.

The ongoing situation calls for giving a big push to farm investment, especially keeping in view the plight of the entire developing world. Though 60 percent of South Asian countries are still dependent on this sector, the growth rate of this sector in particular leaves much to be desired. In the entire developing block, this is the reality emanating mainly from inadequate investment, rural infrastructure, research, and development, plus inadequate diversification to high-value crops. Side by side, non-availability of quality and cost-effective inputs, low efficiency of input use, fast-deteriorating soil health, and water resources remain critical concerns. Agriculture requires a big push so as to realise the much-coveted high growth rate vis-à-vis food security.

In many of the current analyses, it is being pointed out that Thailand becomes one of the beneficiaries of these upward trends in food prices as this country produces surplus food grains. But what is the gain emerging from this trend for the farmer? Their plight remains more or less the same, and it is the traders who are gaining most of the prices that are obtained.

The real challenge that comes in the way of making agriculture an instrument of development lies outside agriculture: managing the political risks (the political economy of agricultural policies) and simultaneously strengthening governance for the implementation of these policies. The crucial need is to share ideas, experience, and expertise by setting up a common seed bank, joint research centre, surveillance system, and early warning system between the nations. Investment and regional cooperation in research and development must be at the top of regional agendas, be they in the north or south.

Building partnerships with scientists and research bodies has now become more essential than ever before. Rapid technological innovation has to be shared at a quicker pace.

Good going?

So far, fast emerging economies like India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, among others, are concerned, but the fact remains that the ongoing trend is steadily moving in terms of registering quicker growth in agricultural productivity. Good going! Growth, modern farm practices, and inclusive technologies are being implemented in order to foster the rural growth process.

It is also a fact that cellular technologies, wireless communication networks, and GIS-based agro-software technologies are reaching rural India to disseminate vital information and updates on weather, farming technologies, fertilisers, livestock, commodity prices, and stock markets. Still, a huge number of villages do not have access to advanced farming technologies and interactive communication networks, not to mention the pace of rural electrification and clean drinking water availability.

Is it not the appropriate time to broaden the sight and look at vital aspects: re-identifying policy dimensions and initiatives; capacity building through PPP, individual initiatives, and joint ventures; boosting agri-business and agri-marketing; GIS mapping and harvesting trends; mitigating climatic change hazards; precision farming—optimum utilisation of resources; leaning heavily on most modern agri-practices; micro-finance and microcredit; and attaching top importance to food security?

Needless to say, the responsibilities are to be shared not only by banks but also by government departments, NGOs, commodity exchanges, agri-marketing and state marketing boards, and of course the extension departments of various states.

No complacency at all

The time is ripe for more well-knitted coordinated actions so as to: initiate inter-sectoral links; promote progressive decision-making, information sharing, and performance improvement; build capacity; create more opportunities for partnership building, development reorganisation, and capacity enhancement for rural stakeholders.

The time is here when this myopic tendency is done away with. No doubt, non-traditional approaches are experienced as the ongoing process is supplemented steadily. But the fast creation of self-help groups does mean a little, if not no, corrective or supportive measures are taken to prevent the same from breaking down.

The failure rate is never looked into more specifically and spatially!

It is better to remember that in a comprehensive environment, two and two do not always make four. Expected losses call for making provision along with keeping the wolf at bay (read unexpected losses). Potato cultivation is better financed when food-processing activities extend friendly hands!

It is not to be forgotten that the underprivileged section is bearing the brunt of climate impact as they are neither equipped enough to prefigure meteorological changes nor do they have the capacity to mitigate the impact caused by climatic hazards, and there is no specific early warning system to forecast natural disasters.

What is more, as the estimates stand now, farmers would in fact require 25 percent more water by 2025 as compared to today’s level for producing food grains to feed the domestic population! The availability of water for agricultural purposes would go down by 10 to 12 percent from what is available now if remedial measures are not taken at the earliest. Rightly, the recently concluded Bangkok Conference, among others, referred to boosting renewable energy, combating wide-scale deforestation, and improving the drive for energy efficiency so that the very issue of climate change could be tackled to the extent practicable.