Opinion This G20, focus on how to make agriculture less damaging for the planet

If India can demonstrate the application of precision technologies in space, with Chandrayaan-3 by spending a fraction of the cost that the US would incur, why can’t the country use the same principle to develop technologies to help farmers overcome the challenges of extreme weather events?

g20 agriculture, Ashok Gulati , Purvi Thangaraj write

The AWG of G20 highlighted priority areas to encourage diversification in agriculture, promoting sustainable agriculture, and channelling financial resources towards environmentally conscious and climate-resilient farming.

Ashok Gulati

Purvi Thangaraj

September 4, 2023 10:04 AM IST First published on: Sep 4, 2023 at 07:00 AM IST

Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the moon, and this quarter’s (Q1FY24) GDP growth rate of 7.8 per cent, will bolster India’s image in the upcoming G20 final meetings, scheduled on September 9-10. India can showcase not only its scientific prowess in space technologies but also the management of its economy, which looks set to clock the highest growth rate amongst G20 countries for two successive years. This will surely be lauded by many, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce India’s emergence on the global stage during this Amrit Kaal up to 2047, making science and economy deliver for humanity at large under the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – One Earth, One Family, One Future.

The question before us is: How can India with its G20 presidency walk the talk to benefit the masses in the Global South for whom food and nutritional security is still a challenge, one made worse by climate change? The likely answer to this question is embedded in the Deccan High-Level Principles as outlined in the ‘Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary’ of the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) of G20 nations that was held on June 15-17 at Hyderabad. The Deccan High-Level Principles are: One, facilitate humanitarian assistance to countries and populations in vulnerable situations; two, enhance availability and access to nutritious food and strengthen food safety nets; three, strengthen policies and collaborative actions for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture and food systems; four, strengthen resilience and inclusivity in agriculture and food value chains; five, promote the one health approach; six, accelerate innovation and the use of digital technology, and seven, scale-up responsible public and private investments in agriculture.

These are steps in the right direction. However, implementing these principles in a time-bound manner remains a challenge. Where will the funding come to achieve all these objectives?

In any case, the AWG of G20 highlighted priority areas to encourage diversification in agriculture, promoting sustainable agriculture, and channelling financial resources towards environmentally conscious and climate-resilient farming. This involves adopting climate-smart farming practices and precision technologies for agricultural production to withstand climate fluctuations.

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If India can demonstrate the application of precision technologies in space, with Chandrayaan-3 by spending a fraction of the cost that the US would incur for the same feat, why can’t the country use the same principle to develop technologies to help farmers overcome challenges of extreme weather events? It could then share these technologies with other countries of the Global South. We believe this is feasible and can be done cost-effectively, provided it’s on the government’s priority list and there is a time-bound action plan. The ultimate goal is to enhance the efficiency and resilience of agri-value chains and promote digitisation as a catalyst for agricultural transformation.

This includes the establishment of standardised agricultural data platforms as digital public goods and harnessing novel digital technologies to revolutionise the agri-food sector. Sensor-equipped drips, drones and LEOs (Low Earth Orbits), for instance, can be used in agriculture to get “more from less”, saving the planet’s scarce resources.

The AWG’s proceedings also highlight the need to promote food and nutritional security via higher investment in agri-R&D, especially biofortification. Encouraging research in biofortification and disseminating information on fortified crop varieties to farmers is key to achieving nutritional security. ICAR scientists have already demonstrated that even basic staple crops such as wheat, rice, maize, and millet can be bio-fortified with enhanced iron, zinc, and even anti-oxidants. ICAR has created 87 varieties of climate-resistant and nutritious crops. These crops include rice (8), wheat (28), maize (14), pearl millet (9), finger millet (3), small millet (1), lentil (2), groundnut (2), linseed (1), mustard (6), soybean (5), cauliflower (1), potato (2), sweet potato (2), greater yam (2), and pomegranate (1) varieties, which were developed as a result of collaboration between national and international organisations. However, the dissemination of this research to the Global South is equally important for India. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released zinc-rich rice and wheat, which can be shared with countries of the Global South. Biofortification is much more cost-effective compared to supplementing rice with nutrients, say iron, in our public distribution system. But India spends only 0.48 per cent of agri-GDP on agri-R&D. This needs to be doubled, if the country has to play the role of a leader.

Also Read | Ashok Gulati, Purvi Thangaraj write: Better nutrition, fewer emissions

The AWG also highlights the “significance of strengthening a rules-based, open, predictable, transparent, non-discriminatory, inclusive, equitable and sustainable multilateral trading system”. It also emphasises working together to improve our food systems by strengthening local, regional, and international agri-food value chains. This can lead to affordable and accessible food, agricultural inputs, and products. A sustainable multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, can increase market predictability and boost business confidence.

India would surely like to bring millets to the fore, even on the dining tables of G20 members. But much more product innovation and dissemination is needed to make it a part of global cuisine, akin to say quinoa.

Is it possible for India to turn this aspirational framework into a reality at home? The answer lies in re-thinking its agri-policies to prioritise the well-being of people and the planet. Current policies of open-ended and assured procurement with Minimum Support Price (MSP) for say paddy and wheat, coupled with massive subsidies on fertilisers, power, and irrigation, have caused damage to our natural resources, especially soil, water, air, and biodiversity. We need to re-purpose agri-policies to a more environmentally sustainable and nutritious food system. Can G20 countries come up with a model and time frame to make agriculture less damaging to the planet? So far, India has not come up with a major move in this direction, nor have the US or China. Time is running out and the G20 needs to work closer, faster, and smarter with demonstrable results by 2030 to feed this world and also save the planet, by making it green and clean.

Gulati is Distinguished Professor and Thangaraj is a Research Associate at ICRIER. Views are personal