SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY

The world’s population is to reach 8.5 billion in next 20 years, with 83% of the world population living in the developing world. Therefore, we from less developed area,  must have the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food, for ever increasing population, for which the planning in the past, had been erratic and uncertain. The greatest challenge lying ahead for all of us is to increase food production while maintaining the ecosystem stability, and rehabitating the environment. The issues and challenges in this regard are to be overcome in a manner, so that, everyone can be adequately and nutritiously fed, without over-exploiting and over consuming the natural resources and affecting Earth’s ecosystems.

This is more so necessary in the light of Agriculture Scenario of past 57 years on which we have only witnessed stagnation instead of expansion and environmental degradation instead of gradation. This had further been aggravated due to inadequate resource allocation to the sector commensturating with its contribution in G.D.P. This has further jeoperdised R&D efforts in the sector to keep pace with time and the needs which happen to be dynamic in nature.

Due to intensive cultivation and over exploitation, there has been a continuous decline in per cpita availability of land resources in the country. As resut of unabated population growth in the country coupled dwindling water resources,  it is projected now, that almost all future increases in food production need to be attained  vertically, i.e. as a result of increase in yield (output per unit land area/animal per unit time) and from growing additional crops during a given year on the same land. There are really, no other viable options. This underscores the need and the importance of science and new technologies, for meeting future national and global food needs. Environment issues will become more challenging as more land, water, fertilizers and pesticides are diverted for food production to attain higher productivity. New technologies will accentuate for the use of more, not less, inputs and chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides) to increase food production. This is going to happen as populations continue to increase and demands continue to inflate.

Degradations of environment, arising from agricultural production, are present, in many forms. Agricultural production is chief user of our land and water resources. Debates will continue on issues of food safety, deleterious effects on fish and wildlife, endangered species and carcinogenicity arising out of agriculture inputs leading to environmental degradation and pollution. It has not yet been clarified by anyone, as to what an extent, environmentally sustainable set of agricultural production technologies be? The economics as well as the technology of development are changing so rapidly that older assumptions are of no consequence and valid any more.

As a matter of fact, many societal global problems have emerged, relating to agricultural sustainability and food security. These include poverty, malnutrition, inflation, unemployment, soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, firewood shortages, toxic chemicals in our environment, changing climate impacts, and agricultural production stability. These problems strongly suggest, that developing world and ourselves, to reassess our needs and seek technologies, that will result in stable production at higher levels. We must address ourselves seriously to their accomplishment in a sustainable manner. Sustainable agriculture is based on the sustainable use of natural   heritage including land, water and agricultural biodiversity, (plants and animals). Sustainable use of these resources, in turn, requires that their ownership and control lie with decentralized agricultural communities in order to generate livelihoods, provide food and harness conservation strategies. These three elements ie ecological stability,  livelihood opportunity  and food security must be the essential ingredients  of our  agriculture policies, and  programs they are both equitable and sustainable.

The current processes of globalization and liberalization of agriculture, threatens to undermine all three dimensions of sustainable agriculture. They are undermining ecological security, by removing all limits on the concentration of ownerships of natural resources, (land, water and biodiversity) and by encouraging non-sustainable resource exploitation, for short-term profits. Trade liberalization of agriculture, has not been guided by the need, for providing livelihood security, for two-thirds of Pakistan’s people, who are farmers, for the food security of the poorer half of the nation, or for country as a whole. Thus, the livelihood base of millions of farmers, and food security at the household, regional and national levels is severely threatened by the globalization of agriculture.

The diversion of natural resources from ecological sustenance, protection of livelihoods and satisfaction of basic needs, to luxury exports and for corporate profit has been made possible because of the five decades of inadequate agricultural policies during which this sector was made to run on massive debts and subsidies while ignoring all the ecological imperatives of sustainability.

Liberalization of agriculture can be on the other hand, in the form of external or internal, depending on whose freedom, forms the basis of liberalization. External liberalization serves the interests of global commerce, and is based on the integration of agriculture into the global market, irrespective of the social and ecological costs. Internal liberalization however, is based on the integration of agriculture into ecological processes, that ensure food security at the household, community and national levels. However, in the wake of WTO challenges, we have to maintain and strike a balance between, EXTERNAL LIBERALIZATION VERSUS INTERNAL LIBERALIZATION.

EXTERNAL LIBERALIZATION

Trade liberalization and globalization of agriculture, is supposed to increase the production of food as well as the efficiency of food production, alleviate the economic situation of farmers, and improve patterns of food consumption. But in country after country, trade liberalization is leading to a decline in: food  production, productivity, and in the conditions of farmers in the North, as well as in the South. Besides, there is less food security for consumers, both in the North and the South.

There are five major sources of external liberalization or globalization of agriculture.

• The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the World Bank.

• The Agreement on Agriculture of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

• Bilateral trade pressure from countries such as the US.

• Internal policy pressure by TNCs (Trans National Corporations) in agribusiness.

• Commitment of experts and policy makers to the external liberalization programme.

From the above, it is not difficult to visualize that external liberalization is foreign trade and foreign investment driven liberalization: it serves external interests. Agricultural liberalization under SAPs is an example of such external liberalization. It consists of the following elements:

•    Liberalizing fertilizer imports and deregulating domestic manufacture and distribution of fertilizers.

•   Removing land ceiling regulations.

•   Removing subsidies on irrigation, electricity and credit, and creating conditions to facilitate the trading of canal irrigation water rights.

•   Deregulating wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, edible oil and oil seed industries.

•   Dismantling the food security system.

•   Removing controls on markets, traders, processors and removing subsidies to cooperatives.

•   Abolishing the Essential Commodities Act.

•   Abolishing the general ban on futures trading

•   Abolishing inventory controls.

•   Abolishing selective credit controls on inventory financing.

•   Treating farmers’ cooperatives on an equal footing with the private sector.

INTERNAL LIBERALIZATION

Internal liberalization of agriculture, implies liberating agriculture in the direction of ecological sustainability and social justice. This includes:

•    Freeing agriculture from high external inputs, such as chemical fertilizers and  pesticides, and marking a transition to a sustainable agriculture, based on internal, ecologically sustainable inputs.

•      Freeing farmers from capital-intensive farming and debt.

•      Freeing peasants from landlessness.

•     Freeing farmers from fear of dispossession, by monopolies of land, water and biodiversity.

•     Freeing the poor from the spectre of starvation, by ensuring food as a human right.

•     Freeing rural people from water scarcity, by ensuring inalienable and equitable water rights.

•      Freeing knowledge and biodiversity from IPR monopolies.

•      Rebuilding local food security, reinvigorating local markets.

In brief, it can safely be said that, Internal liberalization of agriculture is a pre-condition for food security, while external liberalization undermines food security.

Times now have changed, and stable higher production, is still a dream, but remains as a goal, which should be achieved with a minimum of resource inputs. We must shift from a resource based, to a more science based agriculture. This means low inputs to agriculture and animal production, emphasizing efficiency of water use, and enhancement of productivity per unit of land/animal, from both higher yields and more crops per year, and without further causing any harm, to the environment and the ecosystem.

The role of science for future increases of agricultural and animal production will focus on biology. The past century witnessed industrial revolution. The next revolution will be biological one. The 21^st century can be projected as a biological opportunity century, with renewed emphasis, not only in the production, but also on the use of renewable resources.

Control of the basic biological processes that regulate and limit crop and livestock productivity will become increasingly important. This means greater emphasis on genetic improvements, reproductive efficiency, improved animal health, emphasis on protein synthesis, alleviation of stress, and resource conservation. It is in this context that vision document for the development of Agriculture in Sindh in particular and Pakistan in general has been developed which highlights short term strategies, long terms goals and focussed areas of research and activities through Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam as a premier seat of Agriculture education and applied research. The contents of vision include.

Short Term Objectives

• Make  existing laboratories of various departments functional through repair of sick equipment

• Provide state-of-the-art equipment for advanced research

• Increase enrollment at undergraduate and postgraduate level

• Revise curriculum to meet the needs of employers/clientele in public and private sector

• Improve evaluation system of theses, and defense examination

• Upgrade Central library by providing latest books, journals, official records both hard and electronic copies

• Computerize administrative system including, accounts, admissions, examinations and farms

• Identify focused areas of academic and research activity and develop research proposals for funding

Long Term Objectives

• Solutions to all the challenges and issues confronting agriculture

• Establish new departments/centers in emerging sciences

• Provide state-of-the-art equipment for advanced research

• Improve skills through foreign and local trainings to faculty and administrative staff

• Renovate and construct new residential accommodation for students and staff

• Provide International standard housing for foreign students and expatriates

• Improve and Enhance transportation system

• Establish Repair and Maintenance workshops for Electro-mechanical laboratory equipment and automobiles

• Provide physical fitness centers through modern sports complex for both male and females students and the staff

• Strengthen existing telecommunication system

• Improve Basic Infra-structure

Above objectives could, however, be achieved through restructuring of organizational setup of the University, development of human resource, provision and facilitation of infra-structure, and identification of focused areas of research. In this regard 27 focused areas of research have been identified related to agricultural issues and challenges. The main activities of the focused research will however, be to conserve water through efficient use of irrigation application methods such as drip, sprinkler, bubbler, border, furrow, rain harvesting and ponding to develop waste lands; to develop salt and water tolerant crops, shrubs, trees and grass inventory for introduction and growth in waterlogged and saline lands; development of desert lands using brackish groundwater through highly efficient pressurized irrigation systems like drip, bubblers and sprinklers; to exploit potential of agriculture in coastal area of Sindh to generate income for the downtrodden people of the area; to develop strategies to produce quality seed including hybrids to achieve high yield potential; to conserve and develop Indigenous cattle, buffalo, camel and small ruminants’ germplasm; improve livestock production potential through Artificial Insemination and embryo transfer technology and establish “Agriculture Advisory Services Cell" at SAU Tandojam to coordinate and institutionalize outreach efforts in effective manner.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY

VISION OF SINDH AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY TANDOJAM (PAKISTAN)

 http://sau.edu.pk