|AGRICULTURE TRIBUNE||Monday, December 9, 2002,
Address whole farming system
Work in ‘bulks’ to be a leader
Agricultural waste is not waste
Know it and it shall deliver
THE adoption of the intensive cycle of wheat/paddy has resulted in farmers resorting to burning of straw in their fields. This is a serious self-inflicted damage that farmers are doing to their fields and the environment.
The burning raises the temperature of the soil in the top 3 inches to such high degrees that the equilibrium of the Carbon: Nitrogen ratio (11:1), the per cent bacteria (4:1), and the percent fungi (9:1) are rapidly changed. The carbon as CO2 is lost to the atmosphere, while nitrogen is converted to nitrate. This nitrate is largely leached away in subsequent irrigation. The consequence is the ever-increasing use of chemical fertilisers to maintain the stagnating yields.
This is a very serious situation and a course correction is imperative. Reversion to organic farming may well be the natural option. Organic farming is eco-management for long-term sustainability of soil fertility and overall productivity of the agro-system. It involves assisting nature to grow healthy crops and contain natural enemies like pests, diseases and weeds, to minimize crop losses caused by them. This is done by following all modern agronomic practices, but completely eliminating all synthetic pesticides and fertilisers.
Nutrition is obtained from recycled organics like crop residues, fortified with applications of cattle manure, mulch, green manures, oil cakes, etc., and assisted by cellulose degrading microbes and earthworms. It is important to understand that biologically, we farm microbes. Whatever our choice of inputs the majority of plant growth functions are governed by microbial interactions. Urea cannot convert to nitrate nitrogen without soil bacteria. Nitrogen cannot be converted to protein without microbial connection. Of all the nitrogen utilised in food production, only 10 per cent is derived from manufactured chemical nitrogen. The remaining 90 per cent is generated from the process of nitrogen fixation, where N2 from the atmosphere is converted to NH3 (ammonia) or NO3 (nitrate) by soil microbes. A shortage of carbohydrate energy is the problem with most nitrogen fixing products in soils. All plant species translocate part of their sugars produced through photosynthesis to the roots. This carbon is intended to feed and encourage the right kind of bacteria and fungi in the root zone to fix nitrogen, release minerals and provide protection against disease causing organisms. The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3) is an enzymatic process involving an enzyme called nitrogenase. The nitrogenase enzyme requires an energy base to perform its task, and this base is in the form of a phosphate compound called Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP). The nitrogenase enzymes responsible for nitrogen fixation contain two other components called "transition metals". One of these contains both molybdenum and iron and is termed MO/FE protein. These are critical for conversion of atmosphere nitrogen to ammonium. Calcium is the other element affecting nitrogen fixation. Calcium determines soil structures which in turn governs oxygen availability.
It is essential to develop an understanding of this natural process and the mechanics of natural nitrogen fixation. Soil organic matter is a mixture with many mineral elements, which are very reactive biologically and chemically and have tremendous surface area per unit weight; and usually contain all the elements essential for plant growth. Under natural conditions of moisture and moderate temperatures, organic matter changes constantly. A basic chemical law states: "the amount of chemical change per unit of time is proportional to absolute surface" and that is why soil organic matter is so vital in supplying plant nutrients and maintaining the equilibrium of the carbon:nitrogen ratio of healthy soils.
This is why organic manures are an important supplement to natural farming.
Pests are regulated to threshold levels by helping to strike a balance between the pests and their natural enemies. Biological control agents, i.e., bio-pesticides, help in keeping pests below the economic threshold level. Neem and tobacco products have recently been introduced for control of a wide spectrum of pests and diseases. Microbial antagonists control leaf and stem diseases. Weeds provide food for natural earthworm activity.
The growing ecological awareness combined with concern over pesticide residue traced in fruits, vegetables and cereal crops has opened up a new market for organic foods. There is no competition between traditional and organic food markets. It is a niche market. Those who want to buy organic food do not settle for traditionally grown food items, even it means higher prices.
Organic foods are value-added products and can be marketed directly to consumers through health food stores or specialty counters of larger food chain stores. At present the world trade in organic food products is about US $20 billion. It is increasing at 10 per cent every year.
Punjab being a major producer of
fruit, vegetables and cereals could receive big gains from meeting the
growing demands of this niche market worldwide. Farmers should opt for
gradual diversification from chemical-based agriculture to the natural
system of farming. During the transition, which may take three to five
years for certification, the yield levels may drop, but experience has
shown that once stability in ecosystem has been achieved and
agro-practices adjusted/refined, the yields compare with
chemical-based farming systems for most fruit and vegetable crops. The
withdrawal of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides lowers the unit
cost of production.
Address whole farming system
ORAGANIC farming is not a new word in the manifesto of modern agriculture to save our basic natural resources like soil, water, biodiversity and sustained crop yield. Earlier, it was known as biodynamic or organic agriculture movement, which was founded in 1924. In 1972 the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement (IFOAM) was formed, which called it organic farming, and took it up for discussion and codification under internationally recognised principles. However, this framework is not fixed. The development of organic agriculture is not complete and is yet to gain a real movement.
To ensure short-term viability, effects are listed against long-term environmental sustainability and attention to the uniqueness of every operation is considered in relation to ecological, economical and ethical imperatives in view of local and global implications. In many parts of the world, organic agriculture is known as ecological/biological agriculture, reflecting the reliance on eco-system management rather than external input.
Strong and unifying principles link the wide range of farming systems and management practices as defined by IFOAM in 1998. These were as follows:
—To produce high-quality food in sufficient quantity.
—To interact in a constructive and life enhancing way with natural systems and cycles.
—To consider the wider social and ecological impact on the organic production and processing system.
—To encourage and enhance biological cycles within farming system, involving micro-organism, soil, flora and fauna vis-à-vis higher plants and animals.
—To develop valuable and sustainable aquatic ecosystems.
—To increase and maintain long-term fertility of soils.
—To maintain the genetic diversity of the production system and its surroundings, including the protection of wildlife habitats.
—To promote the healthy use and proper care of water resources, and all the life therein.
—To use renewable resources as far as possible in locally organised production system.
—To create a harmonious balance between crop and animal husbandry.
—To give all livestock conditions of life with due consideration for the basic aspects of their innate behaviour.
—To minimise all forms of pollution.
—To process organic products using renewable resources.
—To produce fully biodegradable organic products.
—To allow everyone involved in organic production and processing a quality of life which meets their basic needs and allows an adequate return and satisfaction from work, including a safe working environment.
—To progress towards an entire production, processing and distribution chain which is both socially just and ecologically responsible.
The term organic management incorporates the whole farm system and its interaction with climate and environment vis-à-vis social and economic conditions rather than considering the term as comprised by individual enterprise. Full potential of organic farming represents the restructuring of the whole farm system rather than the adoption of current practices to reduce environmental impact for economic gain. Organic farming approach should be strategic rather than a tactical change.
Hence, the key characteristics of organic farming include:
—Protection of long-term fertility by maintaining soil organic matter (SOM) levels by fostering biological activities and careful mechanical intervention.
—Nitrogen self-sufficiency through the use of leguminous and biological nitrogen fixation.
—Weed, disease and pest control, relying primarily on crop rotation, natural predators, diversity, green-manuring and resistant varieties with minimal thermal, biological and chemical intervention.
—Supplementing soil nutrients wherever necessary by using sources made available to plants indirectly by the action of soil micro-organisms and chemical reactions in the soil.
—The extensive management of livestock, giving regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioural needs and welfare issues.
INDIA is well on the track to becoming one of the leading food producing nations of the world, says a study commissioned by Rabo India Finance, a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Rabo Bank.
The study, which was presented at the recently concluded Agro Tech 2002 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry at Chandigarh, notes that India is making an important mark in global food economics, both as a large producer and exporter of agricultural products and as a large and growing market for agricultural and food products.
The study envisions India as one of the top three global exporters for three plus products by 2005 (tea, wheat, rice, dairy, sugar) and sees a strong "India" brand identity developing in the international market for two plus fruits by 2010 (mango, sapota, grapes, guava) and creating 10 plus Indian MNCs by 2010.
It already has an economy with a GDP of US $457 billion, growing at 4.5 per cent per annum over the past decade, and a per capita GDP of $448, with a population of 1.02 billion. Agriculture contributes 25 per cent of the GDP — India’s agricultural production of $104 billion ranked second in the world.
The country has achieved relevance only in rice exports. It does not figure in the list of top three exporters in other products such as wheat, dairy, sugar or fruits. The key reasons behind India’s export performance are summarised below:
Indian companies are well poised to achieve global prominence in several sectors, including dairy, tea, coffee, food service, crop protection, seeds and liquor. Size is important in food and agribusiness as it enables investment in the supply chain and market development, the two most important requirements for growth of the agribusiness sector. However, the industry needs to undergo significant consolidation as also needs to acquire international presence to be able to successfully compete with the multinational companies.
In order to make agribusiness more competitive, the study has suggested better supply chain management and, therefore, improved quality and costs, improved ability to be price competitive, and improved market development. The study has recommended that the government should allow processors to purchase directly from farmers and bypass the mandi. Similarly, input companies should be permitted to sell their products directly to the farmers. This would ensure that the companies are able to interact directly with farmers, without incurring any costs.
Crop insurance business in India has been loss making primarily because of poor economic viability. Experience in other countries suggests that subsidy is required for crop insurance business to be beneficial to a wide section of farmers. Therefore, the Central government should reconsider its decision to end the crop insurance subsidy.
While Indian infrastructure needs to be improved in all aspects such as roads, ports, railways, mandis, the study believes that enabling "bulking" in agri-commodities can significantly bring down costs. For example, it is estimated that about 3.5 per cent of the value of soyabean is lost due to repeated bagging. The investment required for creating "bulking" infrastructure could be obtained from the private sector. However, the government needs to remove the controls on agri-commodities in order to make these projects commercially attractive.
Organised retailing has been
effective in streamlining the supply chain in several nations. Foreign
food retailers bring operational expertise, technology and capital.
The Indian government does not permit foreign investment in retail
currently. However, the government needs to reconsider its stand based
on the following facts: The world’s largest company, Wal-mart, is a
retailer. Wal-mart, with sales of $218 billion, is roughly half of the
Indian GDP. Organised retailing also ensures better quality of
employment (minimum wages, PF, etc) as compared to today’s
traditional grocery stores known for disguised unemployment.
Agricultural waste is not waste
BESIDES providing food, feed and raw material for industry, agriculture generates enormous quantity of by-products, which are usually not used economically. Paddy alone produces straw, leaves, stem, nodes, inter-nodes and husk.
Of all these by-products the disposal of straw, which is produced in a huge quantity, is the major problem. At present it is a common practice to burn straw in the fields. This has become the chief cause of pollution and related hazards during September-November.
Scientists say they have opened up new possibilities for the utilisation of straw. It can be used as industrial fuel, as feed for cattle and their bedding, as compost, as mushroom culture and for making paper, chipboard and panel products. But a very small quantity is used for these purposes.
Paddy straw is not liked by animals, although scientists claim they have made significant headway in making it more palatable, digestible and nutritive. Treatment of straw with caustic soda and water improves its acceptability to cattle. According to them ammonia treatment has also been found effective in making the straw easily digestible.
Paddy straw also has an important use in mushroom cultivation. Experiments with various straws have established the superiority of paddy straw for growing tropical mushroom. Ten to 12 kg of mushroom can be obtained from a quintal of uncut straw. It can also be profitably used for manufacturing substitutes for jute bags. About 100 bags can be made from a quintal of straw and at a cost lower than the jute bag. Straw-based power generation plants on the pattern of the Jalkheri plant and plants to produce alcohol from rice straw can also be set up. Paddy straw can also be used as mulch, the favourable effect of which is attributed to reduction in soil temperature.
However, the consumption for all these purposes is very small compared to the quantity produced.
It is felt strong research is needed to expand and make the economic use of straw and husk.
Wheat straw is also produced in huge quantities. It is fed to livestock on a large scale although it too is considered a low-grade roughage. It is deficient in digestible protein and poor in energy and mineral content. PAU scientists have been successful lately in converting it into fungal protein. It has been found that when a cellulolytic fungus, Chaetomium globosum, is grown on wheat straw it synthesises proteins by using the celluloid material. The feed produced after fungal treatment contains up to 17 per cent protein compared with only 2 per cent in the straw. It has also been found that treating wheat straw with sodium hydroxide solution delignifies its lignocellulose and thus renders it more digestible.
PAU has exploited maize cobs to produce citric acid, used in preserving fruit. A method has been evolved to prepare suitable hydrolysate from cobs for the growth of Aspergillus niger, which synthesises citric acid. Leaves of certain vegetables like cauliflower, radish, turnips and carrots, which mostly go waste, contain valuable proteins. Protein concentrates prepared by biochemists from some of these vegetables have been evaluated for their growth-promoting ability. There are indications that they can serve as a good supplement for whole-wheat flour.
Pine needles going waste in hill areas can be used as insulation material in cold stores. They have a thermal capacity comparable to other commonly used insulants besides being resistant to fungi, termites and other insects. With the use of this material for insulation, a saving of about 30 per cent can be affected in constructing a cold store.
PAU has also designed a biogas plant that uses wastes such as straw, leaves and kitchen waste instead of cattle dung to produce biogas. About 20 kg of straw waste fed to the plant daily produces about six cubic meters of gas. The residue may be used as manure.
A large number of chemicals may be
derived from agricultural wastes. Among them polymers appear
economically promising. A process to produce polymers and convert them
into plastic foams has been developed. Reinforced foam has been
evaluated as a suitable material to make roofs and panels.