An announcement of 1.5 times the ‘production cost’, as was done recently by the Centre, may not work unless procurement supports it, says M.S. Swaminathan, geneticist and one of the pioneers of the Green Revolution.
There remains, however, no clarity on whether the recent announcement by the Narendra Modi-led government follows recommendation of the National Commission of Farmers 2006, headed by Mr. Swaminathan, of setting MSP at 1.5 times the ‘comprehensive cost’ (called C2 by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) rather than significantly lower ‘agricultural input and family labour cost’ (called A2+FL).
“It is one thing to make an announcement, (but) procurement is another thing. Many times, the prices in announcement is high, but procurement is low. We thought the formula of MSP as C2 + 50% can apply uniformly for all crops. This should be implemented, either statutorily or by conventional means,” he said at the first Foundation for Agrarian Studies (FAS) annual public lecture on Monday.
An assured method of fixing prices was important, particularly for the new generation of farmers, who would like to know the return on their investment, he believed.
Over the decades, Mr. Swaminathan has firmly pushed for science and technology to guide future agriculture. That commitment remains, with the agricultural scientist saying that gene editing and new technologies, such as CRISPR (which allows for altering DNA). “This can be extended to plants. There is no foreign DNA present in this and will not need regulatory mechanisms (unlike Genetically modified BT varieties), except those setting ethical standards,” he said.
Similarly, bio-fortified produce, where the nutrient and micro-nutrients within crops can be enhanced, will be key to tackling maladies, such as malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies. While climate change continues to be a looming challenge that could upend agriculture, Mr. Swaminathan said practices such as seawater farming could shield farmers from coastal erosion and help them overcome unpredictable monsoon yields.
