India needs second green revolution: Kalam

New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today said India has to use research and new methodologies to bring about the second Green Revolution for increasing agricultural productivity as the country required at least 340 million tonnes of foodgrains to meet population growth by 2020.

Inaugurating the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) Triennial Conference 2006 here today, Dr Kalam said agricultural science and scientists should find innovative methods using genomic technologies to enhance crop productivity and make them tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Also, there is a need for developing low cost, energy efficient, environment friendly agro machineries for small farmers, he added.

Information Technology should be used for maintaining an updated and enriched database of region specific agricultural information and its timely dissemination for soil enrichment, seed selection, action relating to arrival of monsoon to the farmers.

The President also stressed the need for examining the products, demanded by the new life-styles and to facilitate dissemination of such information for enabling the farmers to get better value for their increased output.

There is a need to reduce the post harvest losses at present quite substantial particularly in fruits and vegetable crops of which the country is the second largest producer.

Other areas which need quick attention are: characterisation of soil to the matching of the seed with the composition of the fertiliser, water management and evolving pre-harvesting techniques for such conditions, Dr Kalam added.

The President foresaw 170 million hectares of arable land, at present available in India which would shrink to 100 million hectares by 2020. During the same period number of farmers would be reduced by 50 per cent but the population will increase which is expected to require 340 million foodgrains.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the country had to address the issue of poverty by concentrating on profitability, productivity and permanency to bring about the needed food while maintaining the environmental security.

He, however, warned by 2025 about 22 million hectares of irrigated rice area in Asia may face 'economic water scarcity" as supplies for irrigation become too expensive for farmers.

An addtional 17 million hectares may confront 'physical water scarcity: as supplies for irrigation simply dry up. And, there is a need to increase the efficiency of water use which never exceeded 40 per cent in India.

UNI/JSS/BBS LS BS1818