The bio-fortified seeds, developed by ICAR in collaboration with institutions across the country, are meant to revitalise the agriculture sector and boost food security.
Published Aug 24, 2024 | 2:12 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 24, 2024 | 2:12 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, released a list of 109 bio-fortified, climate-resilient seeds developed by ICAR on 11 August
The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has recommended 30 high-yielding, climate-resilient crop seeds for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the two Telugu-speaking states.
The 30 seeds were among a list of 109, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi released on 11 August. The bio-fortified seeds, developed by ICAR in collaboration with institutions across the country, are meant to revitalise the agriculture sector and boost food security.
ICAR researched 109 seed varieties of 61 crops — 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops.
Field crops.
Of the 69 field crop seeds, 22 are cereal varieties. Meanwhile, of the 40 horticultural crop seed varieties fruits and vegetables have eight each.
M Prabhakar is the Primary Investigator at the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) centre at ICAR. Speaking to South First, he said these climate-resilient seeds could withstand climate issues.
“Telangana recently saw heavy rains statewide, the seeds ICAR developed can survive that along with droughts, floods and heatwaves,” he stated.
Furthermore, ICAR has recommended each crop to specific states, based on soil and climate conditions. “While we know which seeds meet our expectations, we do not have enough of them to spread,” he said. He added that it will take a couple of years at most and at least one or two seasons for the seeds to multiply optimally.
“These seeds will benefit farmers with high yields and more protection,” he added.
According to the Global Food Security Index, 2022, India ranked 68 among 113 countries. The index evaluated countries out of 100 based on affordability, availability, quality and safety, and sustainability and adaptation.
Horticulture crops.
India scored an overall 58.9 alongside Algeria, between the Philippines and Paraguay. However, the breakdown of the scores gave more insights.
India scored 31 in Agricultural Research and Development (R&D), 16.1 points under the global average of 47.1. However, India scores 10.1 points (39.3) over the global average of 29.2 in public expenditure on Agriculture R&D.
Yet, the country lagged in the global average in access to agricultural technology, education, and resources and commitment to innovative technologies. India scored 52.2, slightly shy of 54.3 (the global average) in access to agricultural technology, education, and resources. Concerningly, India scored a zero against the 54.9 global average in terms of commitment to innovative technologies.
This framed India as an average food-secure nation, emphasising the need for agricultural research. However, the index relied on publicly available data to evaluate the nations, leaving room for a more nuanced reinterpretation.
Of the 30 seed varieties recommended for the two Telugu states, 17 are field crops, and 13 are horticultural crops.
Recommended seeds.
Under field crops, the four recommended varieties are resistant to sheath rot, neck blast, leaf blast and plant hoppers. Additionally, three maize varieties and one variety of sorghum millet made up the cereal crop recommendations.
The list of recommended pulse varieties is chickpea, pigeon pea, and green gram. The chickpea and green gram varieties have about 15 and 23 percent of protein. The pigeon pea variety is resistant to wilting.
ICAR also recommended two varieties of safflower and one variety of sesame under the oilseeds subsection. Both safflower varieties have over 35 percent oil content while the sesame variety has about 46 percent oil content.
Additionally, the council recommended only forage pearl millet under the forage crops subsection. These are crops grown for livestock grazing or preserved as hay or silage. It predicts a 120 to 130 maturation period for this variety.
The council did not recommend any sugarcane crop varieties for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. However, it recommended one variety of cotton under the fibre crops and pillipesara under potential crops.
In horticultural crop varieties, ICAR recommended three varieties of mango seeds and one variety of pomegranate and guava each. Additionally, it recommended a variety of pummelo (a citrus fruit) under the fruits subsection.
The council recommended two varieties of tomatoes under vegetables but skipped tuber crops. It recommended one spice variety, ajwain, and one plantation crop variety, cocoa. Apart from these, it recommended one variety of marigolds for both states and a variety each of crossandra and gladiolus for Andhra Pradesh under flower recommendations.
However, there are no recommendations for medicinal plants.
Despite the long list of recommended seeds, Prabhakar said their availability would be ‘demand-driven.’ “In Telangana, you already have an influx of climate-resilient seeds. We’ll provide the recommended varieties if there is a demand for them,” he stated.
An exhaustive list with targeted suggestions aside, one has to look beyond the theoretical benefits of the seed recommendations. The seeds are still undergoing multiplication before reaching the market, there are issues within the current agricultural infrastructure which require attention.
In May 2024, farmers in Telangana were scrambling to secure sufficient seeds for the new season. Similar concerns crop up nationwide. Therefore, it is important to harbour reasonable expectations from the implementation of this innovation despite its optimistic aspirations.
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
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