MS Swaminathan Contribution in the Indian Green Revolution
Context:
- American agronomic Norman Borlaug visited Delhi in March 1963 and travelled over the nation’s principal wheat-growing regions to examine the crop, which was in the grain-filling stage before harvest.
- Together with M S Swaminathan, he made the decision to send 100 kg of seeds of each of the four semi-dwarf wheat varieties—Sonora 64, Mayo 64, Lerma Rojo 64A, and Mayo 64—for testing in Indian circumstances after making field observations.
- The green revolution in India was brought about by Swaminathan, who also played a key role in bringing Borlaug to the country and realising the possibilities of growing the Mexican variety.
- In 1965–1966 and 1966–1967, India experienced consecutive droughts. Foodgrain imports surged to 10.4 million tonnes (mt) in 1966 as foodgrain production declined to 72–74 million tonnes (mt) from the average of 83 mt during the preceding five years. At this point, Swaminathan advocated for the import of 18,250 tonnes of the two Mexican types’ seeds.
- Large-scale planting of the imported seeds allowed foodgrain output to surpass 95 mt in 1967–1968 and 108.5 mt in 1970–1971. The green revolution’s goal was achieved when wheat production alone more than quadrupled, from 11.4 mt to 23.8 mt between 1966–1967 and 1970–1971.
- Breeding cultivars that allowed farmers to apply more water and fertilisers was the foundation of the Green Revolution.
- Not only is this “more input, more output strategy” unsustainable from an environmental and economical standpoint, but it has also produced diminishing returns over time.
- Perhaps a younger Swaminathan of the twenty-first century might have concentrated on breeding for climate change and technology for increased water and fertiliser use efficiency (“less input, more output”).
- Much like with the semi-dwarf wheat and rice varieties, he would have championed cutting edge agricultural biotechnology, gene modification, and editing research with the same fervour.
- Verghese Kurien is the closest comparison that can be made. Although the architect of the White Revolution was undoubtedly knowledgeable about dairy technology, it was H M Dalaya—who is mostly forgotten—who gave Amul its technological foundation and created the first spray drier in history for producing powder from buffalo milk.
- “My role was in marketing, external affairs, and handling politicians, bureaucrats, and other establishment people,” Kurien acknowledged in his admission. However, without Swaminathan and Kurien, there would have been no Green or White revolutions.
The futurist issue that MS Swaminathan brought up:
- In addition to being a sutradhar, Swaminathan was also Lord Krishna of Indian agriculture, with the ability to see into the future.
- He warned against monocropping (defined as “a single variety…grown in large, contiguous areas”) and “unscientific tapping of underground water (leading to) the rapid exhaustion of this wonderful capital resource left to us through ages of natural farming” in January 1968, citing the risks of pathogen and pest attacks.
- Breeding cultivars that allowed farmers to apply more water and fertilisers was the foundation of the Green Revolution. Not only is this “more input, more output strategy” unsustainable from an environmental and economical standpoint, but it has also produced diminishing returns over time.
Way Forward:
- More scientists with political clout, such as Swaminathan and Kurien, are needed in India today to support agriculture. They developed a strategic vision for the industry that prioritised the farmer in their grand plan.
- As a result, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Swaminathan as a “Kisan Vaigyanik”—a scientist for farmers—instead of a “Krishi Vaigyanik,” honouring his significant contribution to agriculture.
