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Subject: Agriculture

  • PR23: A perennial rice variety developed by China

    pr23

    Farmers in China are now growing a perennial variety of rice called PR 22 which does not need to be planted every year.

    What is PR23?

    • Researchers at the Yunnan University have developed a variety of perennial rice named PR23 by cross-breeding regular annual rice Oryza sativa with a wild perennial variety from Africa.
    • Unlike regular rice which is planted every season, PR23 can yield eight consecutive harvests across four years (as these plants with stronger roots grow back vigorously after each harvest).
    • PR23 yields, reported at 8 tons per hectare, are comparable to regular irrigated rice.
    • But growing it is much cheaper since it requires less labour, seeds and chemical inputs.

    Benefits of the variety

    • It can result in remarkable environmental benefits such as soils accumulating close to a ton of organic carbon (per hectare per year) along with increases in water available to plants.
    • It is were preferred by farmers since it saved 58% in labour and 49% in other input costs, over each regrowth cycle.
    • The researchers claim it can transform farming by improving livelihoods, enhancing soil quality and by inspiring research on other grains.
    • The invention could transform rice farming by making it climate-friendly, besides using less of labour and other inputs.

    Why is the discovery of the new variety significant?

    • Rice feeds about half of the world, and its farming and consumption are primarily in Asia.
    • Most crops grown today were once perennial, but bred to be annual, short-duration, to make them more productive.
    • Perennial rice could be a transformational innovation if it proves to be economically sustainable.

    Significance for India

    • India is the world’s second largest rice producer, after China, and the largest exporter with a 40% share in global trade.
    • It is grown during both summer and winter crop seasons.
    • Perennial rice can reduce the drudgery of annual trans-plantation, a back-breaking task, and generate savings on seeds and other inputs.
    • China’s early success has another lesson for India: to raise investments in public research and agricultural sciences.
    • This can help counter the impact of climate change on food security and rural incomes.

     

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  • Darjeeling Tea Industry in Crisis

    tea

    Tea Board officials admitted that Indian tea had not been able to establish itself globally, and that one of its key brands, Darjeeling Tea, was under acute stress.

    About Darjeeling Tea

    • Darjeeling Tea, called the ‘Champagne of Teas’, was the first Indian product to get the GI (Geographical Identification) tag in 2004 for its distinctive aroma and flavour.
    • About 87 gardens in Darjeeling which employ about 55,000 workers produce approximately 7 million kg of tea, most of which is exported.

    Why is it under distress?

    • Garden owners are reeling under higher costs of production and other issues.
    • Inferior quality tea from Nepal is being imported, and then sold and re-exported as premium Darjeeling Tea.
    • Nepal shares similar climatic conditions and terrain, produces tea at a lower price because of less input costs, particularly labour, and fewer quality checks.
    • In 2017, the production of Darjeeling Tea hit a low of 3.21 million kg. Since a substantial market of Darjeeling Tea switched to cheaper varieties of tea, including the imported variety from Nepal.
    • Tea planters and industry experts admit that the tea industry in Darjeeling has not recovered from the damage it incurred in 2017.

    Is climate change impacting production?

    • The decline in production is due to multiple factors, which include climate change, declining yields, and high absenteeism among workers.
    • Because of the hilly terrain of Darjeeling, there is no land left for expansion of tea gardens.
    • The tea bushes are older than other parts of the country.
    • Uprooting and planting them is both time and cost-intensive.

     

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  • 67% drop in PM-KISAN pay-out in 3 years

    pm kisan

    The number of farmers who received the 11th installment of funds from the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) had fallen by 67%.

    What is PM-KISAN?

    • The PM-KISAN Yojana is a government scheme through which, all small and marginal farmers will get up to Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support.
    • It is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from GoI. It has become operational since 1st December 2018.
    • Under the PM-KISAN scheme, all landholding farmers’ families shall be provided with the financial benefit of Rs. 6000 per annum per family payable in three equal instalments of Rs. 2000 each, every four months.
    • The definition of the family for the scheme is husband, wife, and minor children.
    • State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
    • The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

    Note: Aadhaar was made optional for availing the first instalment (December 2018 – March 2019). But now it is mandatory.

    Who are NOT eligible for PM-KISAN?

    The following categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme.

    • All Institutional Landholders

    Farmer families that belong to one or more of the following categories:

    • Former and present holders of constitutional posts
    • Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
    • All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries
    • All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more. (Excluding Multi-Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of the above category
    • All Persons who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year
    • Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out the profession by undertaking practices.

    Note: It is not so easy to remember all such exclusions. But one must be able to recognize them by applying pure logic and thumb rule. This can be well understood from the PYQ given.

    Plus, West Bengal is yet to implement the PM-KISAN scheme while the farmers have completed their registrations!

    Why in news?

    Ans. Fall in number of beneficiaries

    • PM Kisan was one of the largest Director Benefits Transfer schemes in the world and certain higher income categories of farmer families were excluded from the benefits.
    • But 67% reduction in overall beneficiaries clearly points to exclusion of eligible beneficiaries too.
    • Only about three crore farmers in India had received all the 11 instalments.

    How are states responsible?

    • The responsibility of maintaining the data of beneficiaries, remained with the States.
    • The Scheme extensively uses digital technologies to verify eligibility of farmers.
    • States/ UTs upload the data of eligible farmers after verification of the farmers, in terms of eligibility and exclusion criterion prescribed under the scheme.
    • The data of farmers so uploaded by States goes through several validations, through the portals of UIDAI, PFMS, Income Tax Portal and NPCI.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes? (CSP 2020)

    1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets
    2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks
    3. Consumption requirements of farm households
    4. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility
    5. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1,2 and 5 only

    (b) 1,3 and 4 only

    (c) 2,3,4 and 5 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”vo5cdcyjfh” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • Addressing the Leakages in PDS in the light of PMGKAY

    PMGKAY

    Context

    • The government of India extended Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), a scheme to distribute free food grains to the poor, for another three months. However, issues of food grain leakages remains unaddressed.

    Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

    • PM-GKAY: Launched during COVID-19 crisis to provided food security to the poor, needy and the vulnerable households/beneficiaries so that they do not suffer on account of non-availability of adequate foodgrains. Under PMGKAY, effectively it has doubled the quantity of monthly foodgrains entitlements being normally delivered to beneficiaries.
    • Benefits: Under PMGKAY welfare scheme, 5 kg of food grain per person per month is provided free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • Financial Expenditure: Financial implication for the Government of India has been about 3.45 Lakh Crore for Phase-VI of PMGKAY. With the additional expenditure of about Rs. 44,762 Crore for Phase-VII of this scheme, the overall expenditure of PMGKAY will be about Rs. 3.91 lakh crore for all the phases.
    • Grain Allotment: The total outgo in terms of food grains for PMGKAY Phase VII is likely to be about 122 LMT. Food grain for phases I- VII is about 1121 LMT.
    • Implementation: PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) has been implemented in the following phases –
    1. Phase I and II (8 months): April’20 to Nov.’20
    2. Phase-III to V (11 months): May’21 to March’22
    3. Phase-VI (6 months): April’22 to Sept.’22

    PMGKAY

    Impact of the PMGKY scheme

    • Ensuring food security and public health: Policymakers and experts concede that the scheme made a difference to food security and public health during the pandemic.
    • IMF commended the scheme: Be it the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food and Public Distribution or the authors of an IMF-published working paper, “Pandemic, Poverty, and Inequality: Evidence from India” (April 2022), the scheme has received commendation.
    • Absorbing the shock in the pandemic: The working paper concluded that “the social safety net provided by the expansion of India’s food subsidy program absorbed a major part of the pandemic shock.”

    Why the experts are suggesting the study of PMGKY?

    • Rationalizing the budget: To keep the budgetary allocation under control, rules on quota for rice or wheat can be changed suitably.
    • Checking the diversion of Funds: While it is all right to provide foodgrains free during the pandemic, the central and State authorities need to ponder over the scheme’s continuance, given the chronic problem of diversion from the Public Distribution System (PDS).
    • Combing the Centre and state subsidy: In many States, including West Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka, the 50 kg is free. In Tamil Nadu, for over 10 years, rice-drawing card holders have been getting rice free.

    PMGKAY

    How the transparent study of PMGKY will help in leakage detection?

    • Updating the database of beneficiary: Study should be the basis for updating the database of foodgrain-drawing card holders, scrutinising the data critically and zeroing in on the needy.
    • Automation of PDS: The task should not be onerous, given the widespread application of technological tools in the PDS such as Aadhaar, automation of fair price shops and capturing of the biometric data of beneficiaries.
    • Estimation of PHH: Using this database, the Centre and States can decide whether the size of the Priority Households (PHH) nearly 71 crores, can be pruned or not.
    • Reasonable price to avoid freebies culture: In addition, if they feel the need to go beyond the mandate of the NFSA, as is being done under the PMGKAY, they can supply the foodgrains at a reasonable price. The culture of providing essential commodities free of cost at the drop of a hat has to go.

    Conclusion

    • PMGKY has helped the needy in people in the dark period of pandemic. However, with good intention of government food grain leakages of PDS couldn’t be stopped. Transparent study of will certainly help in leakage detection and more targeted delivery.

    Mains Question

    Q. Schemes of food security are always with good intentions; However, lack of transparency and leakages disturbs targeted delivery. Discuss the measures to ensure the last mile delivery of food grains.

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  • India’s GM crop revolution and the controversy over GM mustard

    GM

    Context

    • As soon as the government took the decision to release India’s first genetically-modified (GM) food crop Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) for “environment release”, some activists approached the Supreme Court to ban it for various reasons. The Supreme Court has ordered the status quo to be maintained till the next hearing on the matter on November 17.

    What are Genetically modified organisms (GMO)?

    • Changes in genetic material: GMOs can be defined as organisms (i.e., plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination
    • Transfers of genes: It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between nonrelated species.
    • GM foods: Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods

    GM

    What is the ironic case of opposition to the GM crops?

    • Opposition to GM is not new: The opposition to GM food crops is not new. There has been a global campaign in this regard by many activists. GM crops have spread around the world since 1996.
    • of countries accepted the use of GM crops: More than 70 countries have accepted the use of GM crops. For instance, by 2019, roughly 190 million hectares were under GM crops, led by corn and soyabean in the US, Brazil, Argentina, and canola (rapeseed/mustard) in Canada, even Bangladesh has marched ahead with Bt brinjal.
    • No concrete evidence of harmful impact: There is ample evidence in support of that with no harmful impact on human or animal health or the environment per se.

    India’s journey towards GM crops, specifically “Bt cotton”

    • First GM crop released under Vajpayee government with the slogan of Jai Vigyan:
    • Atal Bihar Vajpayee envisioned that science could transform agriculture
    • India had its first GM crop, Bt cotton, released in 2002 by the Vajpayee government. He extended the original slogan of “jai jawan, jai kisan” (salutation to the soldier and the farmer), given by Lal Bahadur Shastri, to include “jai vigyan” (salutation to science).
    • The case of Historic success of Bt cotton:
    1. Cotton production Increased: With the Bt cotton, Cotton production increased remarkably from a mere 13.6 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg) in 2002-03 to 39.8 million bales in 2013-14. Registered an increase of 192 per cent in just 12 years, ushering the famous “gene revolution”.
    2. Area under Cotton cultivation expanded: The area under cotton cultivation expanded by 56 per cent, of which about 95 per cent is under Bt cotton.
    3. Cotton productivity per hectare increased significantly: Cotton productivity increased from 302 kg per hectare in 2002-03 to 566 kg per hectare in 2013-14, an increase of 76 per cent,
    4. More productivity more income to farmers lead to increase in agri- GDP: The gains to cotton farmers whose incomes increased significantly. For instance, Bt cotton led Gujarat’s “agrarian miracle” of very high (above 8 per cent) annual growth rate in agri-GDP during 2002-03 to 2013-14.
    5. Revived the glory to The Indian cotton in the world market: It made India the second-largest producer after China, and the second-largest exporter after the US, of cotton in the world today.

    What are the concerns associated with the cultivation of GM crops?

    • Emergence of Increased pest resistance: Enhanced sucking pest damage in Bt cotton; increase in secondary pests such as mired bugs and Spodoptera; and the emergence of pest resistance.
    • Impact on environment of human health: Environmental and health implications in terms of toxicity and allergenicity that can cause hematotoxin reactions in the human body.
    • Fear of increased mono cropping: Farmers’ exposure to a greater risk of monopoly in the seed business.

    GM

    What is the controversy and debate associated with GM Mustard?

    • Debate on advantages and impacts: There is a raging debate going on advantages and disadvantages of GMOs. For a long time, further study was requested by farmers, environmentalist on GMO crops.
    • Denial goes against the principle of basic rights of farmers: By not allowing GM mustard or for that matter even Bt brinjal for so long, one is denying the basic rights of farmers who want to increase their incomes.
    • Allow with the sustainable practice with the use of science and technology: The best way to do so is by raising productivity in a sustainable manner. The field trials of GM mustard at different locations showed 25-28 per cent higher yield and better disease resistance compared to indigenous varieties. This can go a long way in augmenting domestic mustard oil supplies and farmers’ incomes.
    • Unnecessary debate after the approval by the scientific body: Dissent is a good sign in any democratic society and forms an essential part of checks and balances. But once the safety tests are done and the scientific body (GEAC) has given the green signal, what is needed is political leadership to keep the decision-making science-based.

    GM

    Why GM Mustard is important for India?

    • India’s heavy dependence on Imported edible oils: India heavily depends on imported edible oils (55-60 per cent of India’s domestic requirement is imported). A large portion of this about three-four million tonnes every year comes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the US, etc, which is all from GM technology (in soybean and canola).
    • Import and GM crops are already in our food chain: We eat plenty of our own cotton seed (binola) oil, and about 95 per cent of our cotton is now GM. Cotton seed is also fed to cattle which gives the milk its fat content. Even poultry feed, such as soya and corn, is being imported. So, one thing is clear GM food is already in our food chain, and has been there for quite some time.
    • A chance to emerge as a major export hub: It was expected that India would be at the forefront of the gene revolution and emerge as a major export hub to other Asian and African countries. What the IT revolution has done in computer science, the Bt revolution could have done in agriculture.

    Conclusion

    • The agriculture of tomorrow is going to be science-based, and the winners will be those who adopt it and develop it further today. Innovation is the name of the game, and “Jai Anusandhan” is a good slogan given by PM Modi. But it will have meaning only when the government goes ahead with not just GM mustard but also fast-tracks Ht Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, and even GM soya and corn.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are GM crops? With policy paralysis in the case of GM mustard, India may not be able to keep pace with the success of Bt cotton. Critically analyse.

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  • In news: Kisan Rail Project

    kisan rail

    Punjab has assured Kerala Government to provide paddy straw for usage as fodder for livestock using the Kisan Rail Project.

    Why such move?

    • Kerala, being a land-stressed coastal state, does not generate enough roughage that can be used as fodder for cattle.
    • It ranks second in milk production after Punjab.
    • The move will help Punjab to deal with the excessive paddy straw which contributes to stubble burning.

    About Kisan Rail Project

    • In the Union Budget 2020-21 an announcement was made by the Union Finance Minister regarding the launch of Kisan Rail.
    • The idea behind running Kisan Rail services is to move perishables including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fishery and dairy products from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions.
    • The speedy rail movement would thus ensure minimum damage during transit.

    How can farmers transport their produce?

    • The farmers have to approach the Chief Parcel Supervisor of the Railway Stations from where the Kisan Rail service is scheduled to originate or to have enroute stoppage, along with their consignment.
    • Due care is taken to ensure that the packing condition is not faulty.
    • The consignment is weighed and charges are levied as per the prescribed parcel rates (P-scale).

    Salient features

    • 50 percent subsidy is given in freight for transportation of fruits and vegetables.
    • The subsidy is being borne by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under their Operation Greens – TOP to Total scheme.
    • There is no minimum limit on quantity that can be booked, enabling small famers to reach bigger and distant markets.
    • Kisan Rails are based on the concept of multi commodity, multi consignor, multi consignee and multi stoppages – to help small farmers with lesser produce to transport their consignment without any middleman.

    Need for such scheme

    • Farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, often find it difficult to sell their produce in markets beyond a certain distance.
    • This is primarily due to factors such as non-availability of affordable transport, delay in transit resulting in damage/decay to produce, and unwillingness of road transporters to carry small sized consignments.

    Benefits provided

    • Access to markets: Vast network of Indian Railways enables farmers from remote villages to connect to the mainstream market and sell their agricultural produce.
    • Helps prevent food wastage: It saves times and encourages farmers to transport their perishables to greater distances and bigger markets.
    • Getting better deal for farmers: Kisan Rail is a factor enabling improvement in terms of trade for farmers and the real returns received by farmers for their produce.
    • Doubling farmers’ income: Access to such markets will enable farmers to sell their produce at a better price, which will go a long way in fulfilling Government’s vision of ‘doubling farmers’ income.’

     

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  • Poverty Estimate using National Family Health Survey

    Poverty

    Context

    • The recent release of the National family health survey (NFHS) data for 2019-21 allows for a detailed analysis of the progress in the reduction of absolute poverty and related determinants like nutrition.

    Poverty estimation in India

    • Planning Commission Expert Group (1962): It formulated the separate poverty lines for rural and urban areas at â‚č20 and â‚č25 per capita per year respectively.
    • VM Dandekar and N Rath (1971): They made the first systematic assessment, based on National Sample Survey (NSS) data. They suggested providing 2250 calories per day in both rural and urban areas.
    • YK Alagh Committee (1979): It constructed a poverty line for rural and urban areas on the basis of nutritional requirements and related consumption expenditure.
    • Lakdawala Committee (1993): It suggested that consumption expenditure should be calculated based on calorie consumption as earlier. State specific poverty lines should be constructed. It asked for discontinuation of scaling of poverty estimates based on National Accounts Statistics.
    • Tendulkar Committee (2009): The current official measures of poverty are based on the Tendulkar poverty line, fixed at daily expenditure of â‚č27.2 in rural areas and â‚č33.3 in urban areas is criticized by many for being too low.

    Poverty

    How poverty is estimated under NFHS?

    • Multidimensional poverty index: The NFHS surveys are part of a multinational attempt to provide estimates of a multidimensional poverty index. Its computation rests on estimates of poverty according to 10 different indicators:
    1. Nutrition
    2. Child mortality
    3. Years of schooling
    4. School attendance
    5. Cooking fuel
    6. Sanitation
    7. Drinking water
    8. Electricity
    9. Housing
    10. Assets
    • The deprivation index: the deprivation index for each indicator is the per cent poor (deprived) according to that indicator. The aggregation of the 10 indicators into one index involves legitimate issues of weighting, but individual components do not suffer from this drawback.

    Poverty

    What are the findings of NFHS?

    • Multidimensional poverty declined: at a compounded annual average rate of 4.8 per cent per year in 2005-2011 and more than double that pace at 10.3 per cent a year during 2011-2021.
    • Declining child mortality: There are some issues with the 2011 child-mortality data, but for each of the 10 components of the MPI index, the rate of decline in 2011-2021 is considerably faster than in 2005-2011.
    • Average decline in overall indicators: The average equally weighted decline for nine indicators was 1.9 per cent per annum in 2005-2011 and a rate of 16.6 per cent per annum, more than eight times higher in 2011-2021.
    • Consumption inequality decline: Every single household survey or analysis has shown that consumption inequality declined during 2011-2021. This is consistent with the above finding of highly inclusive growth during 2011-2021.

    Poverty

    What are the efforts behind inclusive growth and reduced poverty?

    • A major factor behind the inclusive nature of growth during 2011-2021 is the focus of government policies on each of the individual indicator’s indicative of a dignified standard of living. A direct impact of this dedicated fiscal push is that slow-moving variables such as housing, access to cooking fuel, sanitation, etc, have witnessed a remarkable increase.
    • Swachh Bharat Mission: The government’s Swachh Bharat mission in 2014-2021 constructed over 110 million toilets even if some were without easy access to water, many were.
    • Saubhagya Yojana: Similarly, close to one-third of Indians were deprived of electricity till as recently as 2014. It was only after a dedicated push (Saubhagya Yojana) that India managed to electrify every village, and eventually households. Electricity deprivation declined by a 28.2 per cent rate post-2014; between 2005 and 2011, the rate of decline was close to zero.
    • Jan Dhan Yojana: Another example is the Jan Dhan Yojana which made financial inclusion a reality in India, especially for women.
    • Ujjwala Yojana: On access to modern cooking fuel (through the Ujjwala Yojana), deprivation was nearly halved from 26 per cent to 14 per cent in just five years. The previous halving (2005/6 to 2015/16) took 10 years.
    • Awas Yojana: The affordable housing scheme (Awas Yojana) has meant that less than 14 per cent are now deprived, compared to thrice that number in 2011/12.
    • Jal Jeevan Mission: More recently, government has embarked on an ambitious project of ensuring universal access to piped water under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Rural piped water coverage was a little less than 17 per cent in 2019, but is now well above 54 per cent and expected to at least be near, if not meet, the 100 per cent target by 2024.

    Conclusion

    • Extreme poverty in India is surely on decline but pandemic have pushed people again back to the poverty. Pandemic have put the break on inclusive growth of people. Government must realize these and plan accordingly.

    Mains Question

    Q. Analyze the data of NFHS for poverty estimation in India? How government policies have helped to reduce the extreme poverty in India?

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  • GI tag in news: Kashmir Saffron

    saffron

    The Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir has organised a saffron festival in the Karewa of Pampore.

    Saffron

    • Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the “saffron crocus”.
    • The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food.

    Kashmir Saffron

    • It is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) in some regions of Kashmir, including Pulwama, Budgam, Kishtwar and Srinagar.
    • It has been associated with traditional Kashmiri cuisine and represents the rich cultural heritage of the region.
    • Its cultivation is believed to have been introduced in Kashmir by Central Asian immigrants around 1st Century BCE. In ancient Sanskrit literature, saffron is referred to as ‘bahukam’.
    • In 2020, the Centre issued a certificate of Geographical Indication (GI) registration for Saffron grown in the Kashmir Valley.

    Major types

    The saffron available in Kashmir is of three types —

    • ‘Lachha Saffron’, with stigmas just separated from the flowers and dried without further processing;
    • ‘Mongra Saffron’, in which stigmas are detached from the flower, dried in the sun and processed traditionally; and
    • ‘Guchhi Saffron’, which is the same as Lachha, except that the latter’s dried stigmas are packed loosely in air-tight containers while the former has stigmas joined together in a bundle tied with a cloth thread

    Whats’ so special about Kashmir Saffron?

    • The unique characteristics of Kashmir saffron are its longer and thicker stigmas, natural deep-red colour, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical-free processing, and high quantity of crocin (colouring strength), safranal (flavour) and picrocrocin (bitterness).
    • It is the only saffron in the world grown at an altitude of 1,600 m to 1,800 m AMSL (above mean sea level), which adds to its uniqueness and differentiates it from other saffron varieties available the world over.

    Policy moves

    • The National Saffron Mission (launched as a part of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) was sanctioned by the central government in the year 2010 in order to extend support for creation of irrigation facilities.
    • It seeks to facilitate farmers with tube wells and sprinkler sets which would help in production of better crops in the area of saffron production.
    • North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) under Saffron Bowl Project has identified few locations in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya for saffron cultivation.

     

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  • Green Signal to GM Mustard

    MustardContext

    • The recent clearance by the government for the release of GM Mustard Hybrid DMH 11 based on the recommendations of GEAC under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is a bold decision in the best interest of our farmers and the nation.

    What are Genetically modified organisms (GMO)

    • Changes in genetic material: GMOs can be defined as organisms (i.e., plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination
    • Transfers of genes: It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between nonrelated species.
    • GM foods: Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods
    • GM Mustard: GM mustard crop was introduced, which was later withdrawn. There is a raging debate going on advantages and disadvantages of GMOs. For a long time, further study was requested by farmers, environmentalist on GMO crops.

    MustardAdvantages of GM mustard?

    • Benefits to producers and consumers: GM foods are developed and marketed because there is some perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer of these foods. This is meant to translate into a product with a lower price, greater benefit (in terms of durability or nutritional value) or both. Initially GM seed developers wanted their products to be accepted by producers and have concentrated on innovations that bring direct benefit to farmers (and food industry generally)
    • Improves crop protection: One of the objectives for developing plants based on GM organisms is to improve crop protection.
    • Insect Resistance: Some GMO foods have been modified to make them more resistant to insects and other pests. This means the amount of pesticide chemicals used on the plants are reduced, so their exposure to dangerous pesticides is also reduced
    • Develops stronger Crop: Another benefit that GM technology is believed to bring about is that crops can be engineered to withstand weather extremes and fluctuations, this means that there will be good quality and sufficient yields even under a poor or severe weather condition
    • Provides Environment Protection: GM crops often requires less time, tools and chemicals, and may help with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion and environmental pollution
    • More Nutritious Foods: According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), some GM foods have been engineered to become more nutritious in terms of vitamin or mineral content.
    • More economic benefits: Larger production leading to increased farm income, reduced poverty, low food prices and thus reduced hunger and malnutrition. Besides new food products are also included, diversifying food varieties

    What is the risk associated with GMO?

    • Contamination of genes: GMOs contaminate forever. GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds can travel far and wide.
    • Irreversible changes in gene pool: It is impossible to fully clean up our contaminated gene pool.
    • More herbicides in our food: Genetic engineering allows plants to survive high doses of weed killers, resulting in higher herbicide residues in our food.
    • Super weeds and super bugs: GMO crops are creating ‘super weeds’ and ‘super bugs,’ which can only be killed with more toxic poisons.

    MustardWhy there was necessity to grant approval for GM Mustard?

    • To meet our current challenges: Over-exploitation of natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity), declining factor productivity, urgency to achieve sustainable development goals, especially ending poverty and hunger, and addressing timely the adverse effects of climate change the best option is scientific innovations and their scaling.
    • The adoption of GM food crops is in our broader national interest: Genetically modified maize, soybean, cotton, tomato and canola are grown across the world and the area currently under GM crops is about 200 m ha. Besides India, these have been grown for many years in the US, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Australia, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China.
    • To meet the existing deficit in edible oils: India is currently importing around 13 million tonnes at a cost of Rs 1.17 lakh crore to the exchequer. Interestingly, of this, 2.0-2.5 mt soybean oil and 1.0-1.5 mt canola oil is already GM. Hence, we are consuming GM oil already, besides, the 1.5 mt of GM cotton oil produced domestically.
    • Associated health benefits: It is scientifically proven that the consumption of refined oil does not allow any protein to enter the human system. Thus, the consumption of GM oil is completely safe from a health point of view.
    • High yields to farmers: A major concern of our farmers is that yields of mustard are low and have stagnated for a long time at around 1,260 kg/ha, much lower than the global average of 2,000 kg/ha. Yields of canola in Canada, China and Australia are almost three times higher than in India since they use GM hybrid technology. Mustard is a very important oilseed crop, grown in 6.0 -7.0 million hectares, mostly in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Thus, the government’s decision to allow the production of GM Mustard hybrids will go a long way in increasing our yields, while reducing the use of pesticides.

    MustardWhat else needs to be done?

    • Providing enabling environment: The Department of Agriculture (DoA) and ICAR need to move forward fast and provide an enabling environment to test the available seed of Hybrid DMH 11 in the current rabi season.
    • Encourage public-private partnership: This needs to happen on several farmers’ fields in the mustard belt. It must also encourage public-private partnerships to produce quality seeds to cover more area next year.
    • Encouraging further innovation: Also, scientists at ICAR institutes must be encouraged to develop new GM Mustard hybrids on a mission mode. Allowing the production of GM Soybean and GM Maize going forward will also be a positive step, increasing both the productivity and profitability of these crops and doubling farmers’ income.

    Conclusion

    • The decision to remove the unscientific ban on GM crops reflects the determination of the government to move towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. It also meets the aspirations of our scientific community and farmers can derive the benefits of innovative technology.

    Mains Question

    Q. How GM mustard crop are different from conventional crops? What are the benefits and risks of adopting the GM mustard crop?

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  • GI in news: Kalanamak Rice

    kalanamak

    Kalanamak, a traditional variety of paddy is all set to get a new look and name.

    Kalanamak Rice

    • Kalanamak rice is a paddy with black husk and strong fragrance, which is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment,
    • It is grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
    • The traditional Kalanamak rice is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
    • It’s recorded in the GI application that Lord Budhha gifted Kalanamak paddy to the people of Sravasti so that they remembered him by its fragrance.

    What is the upgrade?

    • The traditional paddy has been prone to ‘lodging’, a reason for its low yield.
    • Lodging is a condition in which the top of the plant becomes heavy because of grain formation, the stem becomes weak, and the plant falls on the ground.
    • Addressing the problem, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has successfully developed two dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice.
    • They have been named Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.

    Back2Basics:  Geographical Indication

    • A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
    • Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
    • India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
    • GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
    • GI is granted for a term of 10 years in India. As of today, more than 300 GI tags has been allocated so far in India (*Wikipedia).
    • The tag stands valid for 10 years.

     

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