Policies adopted in name of green revolution be reviewed: RSS

Ninora (MP), May 13: Policies adopted in the name of "green revolution" led farmers to depend more on multinational companies and large industries, RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said today and advocated their "strong review".

"The policies that we have accepted in the name of green revolution had resulted in farmers depending more on large companies for seeds and fertilisers than the self-sustainable model that was in vogue prior to it," Joshi said.

He was addressing a session on agriculture during the 'International Vichar Mahakumbh' being organised as part of the ongoing month-long Simhastha fair.

"Government, society, scientists and farmers should strongly review it and should seriously ponder over what we have achieved in the last 60 years by adopting modern agriculture at the cost of traditional one," Joshi said.

He said, "We cannot support mechanisation totally as this type of agriculture is pushing farmers towards the path of dependability. They have to depend on large industries for agri-equipments." Demanding formulation of "Comprehensive Agriculture Policy", Joshi said the government should take into account climatic conditions of different regions of the country while framing it.

"It's the duty of country's scientists and policy-makers to frame schemes by striking a balance between traditional and modern agriculture by keeping in mind the current scenario," Joshi said.

In his address, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev said the time has come to "expose" false claims made while pushing people towards chemical-based agriculture and that they should be motivated to go for organic and nature-based agriculture. Slamming multi-national companies for "profiteering", Ramdev said the purchase of branded products is "ideological pollution".

Ramdev said he will aggressively promote swadeshi products. He also announced wearing only hand-woven cotton cloths henceforth. Addressing the session, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said though chemical-based agriculture is not good but it cannot be replaced overnight.

Therefore, the state government will develop "model agriculture farms" based on traditional methods to present alternative ways of farming to the people, he said, adding mixed agriculture with different crops will also be encouraged.

Chouhan said agri-MNCs whose sole aim is profiteering should be bundled out of the country. Speaking on the occasion, environmental activist Vandana Shiva claimed that Rs 70 billion go waste every year due to chemical-based agriculture and its related ill-effects. She opposed the royalty being realised by MNCs and demanded that country's seed diversity, organic diversity and food security be protected from foreign companies.

PTI