WHEN A group of 20 farmers in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district ventured into production of seeds of finger millet (ragi) and little millet (samai) in 2019, it had no idea what the future had in store. For the next two years, unusual weather events ensured that the crops did not have grains good enough for use as seeds. "The years 2020 and 2021 saw excess rain in July and August. This did not allow the plants to take nutrition from the soil. The resultant grains were weak and the endosperm-part of a seed that stores food for the development of a plant and is crucial for germination-was absent when the seeds were crushed open for inspection," says M L Sanyasi Rao, programme manager of Watershed Support Services and Activities Network, a non-profit working with tribal farmers in the area. The farmers had estimated 20 tonnes of produce, but the harvest in November 2021 resulted in only 15 tonnes, with the grains unusable as seeds. The harvest was then sold as crop for 25 per kg, while its sale as seed would have fetched 35 per kg.
There is no difference in the cultivation mechanism for producing seeds or for growing crops. Vast majority of farmers in India set aside a part of their field for growing seeds that can be used the next season. But climate change has posed a threat to seeds, which are essential for food security of the country. Grains of wheat and rice, the two staples distributed under the government's public distribution system and crucial to food security, have also seen a shrinkage in recent years, say farmers.
"Usually, the share of light or weak grains is 5-7 per cent. But last year, over 20 per cent of my wheat grains were of poor quality. These cannot be used as seeds," says Vikas Choudhary, a farmer from Karnal district in Haryana. Choudhary works as a participatory farmer with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) under Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR'S) seed production programme.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara