Smarter agri
techniques need to address ground-level problems: Researchers
DSR requires
farmers to directly sow rice into rows in the field, using a machine
Ankur Paliwal | Karnal (Haryana) Last Updated at May 1,
2018 00:47 IST
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DSR is one of the methods promoted by the CGIAR Research Programme
on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. They test and develop
techniques to promote climate-smart agriculture
Three years earlier as explained in the first part of this series,
Vinod Kumar, a farmer then 29 years old, decided to change the way he grew
wheat and rice. He was encouraged by scientists who were experimenting on climate-smart
techniques that help farmers grow more food, increase their income and also
adapt to climate change. This was in a portion of farmers’ fields, including Kumar’s,
at Anjanthali village, about 20 km away from here.
Kumar had already adopted a few of these technologies. Such as
Happy Seeder, a contraption that deals with the crop residue that becomes a
headache for farmers every winter; they invariably burn it, creating immense
air pollution. It helped him increase wheat production and avoid burning of
rice residue. However, there is a big cost problem, as explained in the earlier
part of this series. And, the climate-smart Direct Seeding of Rice or DSR method,
that Kumar tried, did not work for him.
So, he switched back to the traditional way that consumes 30 per
cent more water. With millions doing likewise, Haryana’s groundwater table is
receding by about a metre every year.
“The issue is more complicated than saying DSR doesn’t work,” said
Sheetal Sharma, scientist at the South Asia office of the International Rice
Research Institute. “The real problem lies somewhere else.”
DSR is one of the methods promoted by The CGIAR Research Program
on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security or CCAFS, which is a global
network of scientists studying agriculture and climate change. They test and develop techniques to promote climate-smart
agriculture. Climate change could decrease overall crop yields by 30 per cent in South Asia by
the mid-21st century.
In India, CCAFS started working in Haryana and Bihar, for these
represent two different geographies of the Indo-Gangetic Plains, this country’s
food bowl.
The issue
Traditionally, farmers first sprout rice seeds in a nursery for
about 30 days and then flood the field with water standing up to five or six
cm. In which they or hired labour then transplant sprouts.
DSR requires farmers to directly sow rice into rows in the field,
using a machine. Studies show this technique leads to better seed germination,
root development and uptake of nutrient. It also saves on the cost in hiring
labour and tilling, and uses up to 30 per cent less water than the traditional
method. DSR is one of the techniques the Haryana government will promote in the
250 villages where it plans to launch climate-smart agriculture in the next
three years.
However, when Kumar and some other farmers in Haryana tried DSR,
they had to deal with lots of weeds of various kinds. These grow because the
field gets air, sunlight and moisture. The available herbicides are ineffective
and expensive, Kumar and other farmers told this writer. They claim to have
spent 1.5 times more on herbicide and fertiliser if they sow rice the DSR way.
They also say the rice doesn’t germinate properly, affecting the yield,
sometimes up to 30-50 per cent. “Yes, you save water but at the cost of farm
income,” said Kumar. “So, most farmers are not going to care about water.”
“DSR is a 100 per cent flop in Haryana,” adds Pradeep Meel, deputy
director at the state’s agriculture department in Karnal. Scientists launched
it before it was perfect, he explains. Meel says rice was sown using DSR on
50-60,000 acres in the state over last five years but most farmers have
switched back to the traditional way.
Sharma and other scientists say DSR requires more care in terms of
proper irrigation and herbicide application at the right time but “farmers in
Haryana won’t pay attention because water is almost free for them,” said
Sharma. “The traditional alternative is just easy.” Given the way traditional
rice harvesting is robbing Haryana and Punjab of ground water, farmers will
have no option but to sow rice the DSR way, says Mangi Lal Jat of the
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Delhi. “DSR gives
comparable yield if you do it right,” said Jat. Scientists agree that although
more research is needed for better weed management, the Haryana government will
have to price water if it wants farmers to grow rice in an environment-friendly
way.
Alternatives
Another climate-smart way to solve the problem is to replace rice
with crops that consume less water. One is maize — it requires only a tenth of
the water needed in traditional rice cultivation. However, this too could fail
if not supported by right policies. Kumar and other farmers can plant maize if
the government assures that it will buy maize from them at a price comparable
to rice. Currently, the minimum support price for a quintal of rice is Rs
1,550; for maize, it is Rs 1,425.
“Maize also has a moisture issue,” said Hanuman Sahay Jat,
scientist with the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute here. He explains
that at the time of harvest, maize still has about 25 percent moisture. If
stored directly, this is prone to fungal attack. Farmers in Haryana are in the
habit of taking the harvested crop directly to the market to sell, where there
are no dryers, “which the government will have to install”, he observes.
CCAFS scientists have developed more technologies. Such as a
software called Nutrient Expert that tells farmers how much of a particular nutrient
the soil in his field requires. Farmers in Haryana and Punjab generally use too
much of nitrogen and almost negligible amounts of potassium. However, unless
technologies such as Nutrient Expert are available at the community level, even
progressive farmers like Kumar will not adopt it.
“Scientists, governments and farmers will have to work together.
Else, climate-smart agriculture won’t succeed,” said Arun Khatri-Chhetri,
scientist with the Delhi chapter of CCAFS. “It requires effort and a shift in
thinking.”
First Published: Tue, May 01 2018. 00:47 IST
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