July 2007
LeaderSpecial: RainfedResources
The circle of Green Revolution seems to be complete. Punjab’s agricultural growth of 1.86 per cent last year was just a plot in a declining graph since 1970. It is clear that the farming system could not sustain itself feeding on super-intensive inputs, organically as well as financially. Such farming technology has robbed off all things natural from agricultural nature.
What are rainfed areas?Rainfed regions are those where crop production is exclusively dependent upon rainfall.
What do rainfed areas mean for India’s agricultural sector? Rainfed crops account for 48 per cent of the total area under food crops and 68 per cent of the area under non-food crops in the country.
Why should we focus on rainfed areas?
As opportunities for further agricultural growth in irrigated regions get exhausted, food security and productivity growth in agriculture in India will increasingly depend on improved utilisation of rainfed regions.
Why have rainfed regions remained out of policy makers’ focus?The biggest problem of rainfed areas is a historic policy mistake: adapting the Green Revolution principle for rainfed areas.
Why does the much talked about Green Revolution need to focus on rainfed areas?
Rainfed areas will have to be the focus of India’s future agriculture revival. But as the past shows we need a different paradigm of development.
Towards Green Villages
CSE announces a five-day refresher workshop on using environment for eradicating poverty in rural areas, and learning how to make villages sustainable.
Water for food and sustainable rural development in drought prone areas
Bart Schultz reviews links between irrigation and food security, protection of the environment, sustainable rural development, and livelihoods with a focus on the conditions in drought prone regions.
Report of the working group on rainfed areas for formulation of Eleventh Five-Year Plan
The Planning Commission’s working group on rainfed areas gives key recommendations.
Future course in rainfed farming
The paper explores the future course in rainfed farming by building the four capitals: human, social, natural and institutional as the basis of sustainable farming.
Status of rice production system in Assam: A research perspective
India has to turn to her rainfed areas for future food security. The Green Revolution has bypassed the rainfed regions -- Eastern and Northeastern India -- for reasons known only to policy makers. The paper examines the potential of rainfed agriculture in Assam.
Malawi’s tryst with the Green Revolution
Malawi, a drought prone country, is facing a degrading natural resource base due to its intensive agricultural policies and a burgeoning population. Alan Bush draws parallels between the Malawian attempt at adopting Green Revolution strategies to accelerate productivity in its rainfed areas, and India’s call for a second green revolution.
WTO and oilseeds sector
A further likely lowering of edible oil import tariffs under WTO may leave India with less scope of providing protection to its domestic oilseeds industry in the future.
Wheat supply, price prospects, and food security
The last two years have seen a poor wheat harvest. While there has been some recovery this year, what consequences do recent trends have for the supply of wheat, its price and food security?
Minimum support price in agriculture
The many changes that have taken place in the country’s agriculture -- most importantly in the demand supply balance in respect to major crops -- urgently call for a fresh look at the role and relevance of the system of minimum support prices.
Whither India’s food policy?
Government intervention in the food grain market meant primarily for promoting food security has reached a stage where consumers are being deprived of basic food, when a large proportion of the output is diverted from the market to government warehouses…
Interview with Dr J S Samra, Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority
Centre for Science and Environment,41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area,
New Delhi -110062, IndiaTel: +91-1129955124 | Fax: +91-11 29955879 | E-mail:cse@cseindia.org