A
great part of rural India grows rice and eats rice. In the South,
it is evidently rice, while in North, it may be wheat. Many states
such as Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, etc. are some of the largest
rice growing states. Each state also has a pocket of rice-growing
areas, which is often nicknamed as the ‘rice-bowl’ of the
state. To millions of rural
Indians, rice is their way of living… It is their culture and ethos.
That is why, we see rice occupying a prominent place in marriage
rituals as a sign of prosperity and fertility. Rice is their pre-occupation.
Rural farmers are passionately committed to growing rice, even under
harsh environmental conditions.
Today, our country is facing a crucial
challenge in the agricultural sector, specially in matters of rice
cultivation.
Problem: Today, we are facing the
paradox of hunger in the midst of plenty, of food mountains and
hungry mouths. In fact, food security is very high; but by 2020,
we will be very food insecure because of groundwater depletion.
There is pollution and soil salination. More and more land is becoming
unusable. Rice is a water-intensive crop. To produce one kilo of
rice, we need 2,500 litres of water. How do we minimize hunger and
promote organic farming of rice and allied products?
It is said that in the world today,
there are over one hundred thousand rice varieties. Of these, some
ninety thousand are preserved by communities (grassroot)
- (International Rice Research Institute - IRRI, Philippines). In
fact, the Indian Government contributed more than 120,000 varieties
of rice seeds to IRRI. Hence, the battle about patenting rice or
a debate on intellectual property rights is simply futile. Worse
still, the village-based farming communities are seen as engines
producing rice for urban population.
But first, why rice? Rice
is grown on all the continents of the world, except Antarctica.
As a global food, it has a large influence on human nutrition and
food security all over the world. It is the staple food for over
half of the world’s population. In Asia alone, more than 2 billion
people obtain 60 to 70 percent of their caloric intake from rice
and its derived products. Rice is the most rapidly growing food
source in Africa.
Almost a billion households in Asia,
Africa and the Americas depend on rice systems for their main source
of employment and livelihood. About four-fifths of the world’s rice
is produced by small-scale farmers and is consumed locally. Rice
systems support a wide variety of plants and animals, which also
help supplement rural diets and incomes. Rice is, therefore, on
the frontline in the fight against world hunger and poverty.
Rice is also both a symbol of cultural
identity and global unity. The number of festivals, rituals, celebrations,
and recipes that are centered around this crop is noteworthy. For
all of these reasons, Rice is Life.
a recognition of the agro-ecological,
socio-economic and cultural differences among rice-based production
systems, as well as of the constraints to their sustainable development
in different regions, countries and communities.
a coordination
and harmonization of efforts, contributions and participation among
all stakeholders, through an agreed framework.
Rice is life": Aspects of rice-based
systems
Rice as the focal point through which the interdependent
relationships among agriculture, food security, nutrition, agro-biodiversity,
the environment, culture, economics, science, gender and employment
can be clearly seen.
Rice Production: It is grown in a wide
range of soil moisture regimes, from deep flood to dryland, and
in different soil conditions. Rice plays a variety of roles that
are related to the following important aspects of food security
as well as rural and economic development.
Nutrition: In the developing world as
a whole, rice provides 27 percent of dietary energy supply and 20
percent of dietary protein intake.
Agro-biodiversity: Rice-based systems
are hubs of biodiversity. They combine well with other agricultural
production activities, such as the raising of fish or ducks on waterlogged
rice fields, and the feeding of rice straw to livestock. In turn,
ducks and fish feed on weeds and small aquatic organisms, while
livestock help with transportation and land preparation, as well
as providing organic fertilizer. Rice is also grown together with
vegetables and fruit trees such as banana and coconut. Rice fields
also host a wide variety of natural enemies that control harmful
insects and pests. In these ways, rice-based systems provide great
opportunities for improved nutrition, diversified agriculture, increased
incomes and the protection of genetic and agricultural resources.
Water and land management:
Rice is the only major cereal that can withstand
water submergence; further, rice-based systems can make a productive
use of all the available water and land resources. Terracing allows
cultivation on steep slopes, helps prevent soil erosion and landslides,
controls floods, minimizes weed growth and generates water percolation
and groundwater recharge. Submerged conditions enable organic matter
to accumulate in soils.
Gender: Women and men often develop different
agricultural expertise and knowledge. Women play important roles
in both rice production and post-harvest activities. However, women
have less access to credit, farm inputs, marketing facilities, extension
services and information, and often miss out on the benefits of
improved rice cultivation at the field level
Challenges and opportunities
Improving food security and nutrition: Although rice is a
rich source of energy and protein, it has an incomplete amino acid
profile and contains limited quantities of essential micronutrients.
Nutrition can be improved by better rice processing and cooking
techniques, the use of rice varieties with high nutritional values,
and the fortification of rice with vitamins and minerals (e.g. through
applying food technology). Food security can be enhanced by promoting
complementary crops, livestock and fisheries activities within rice-based
systems.
Diversity in rice-based systems:greatly
contributes to rural income and complete nutrition in a more balanced
diet.
Managing water resources:
There is a growing concern about the sustainability of global water
resources. Water scarcity can be addressed by reducing the quantity
of water required (through developing new rice varieties or improved
irrigation systems) or by recycling water through multiple uses.
The cultivation of rice in low-water regimes will lead to changes
in water and nutrient management, cropping patterns and tillage
practices.
Environmental protection:
Environmental concerns in rice production include an indiscriminate
use of pesticides, inefficient use of fertilizers and emissions
of greenhouse gases. At the same time, rice-based ecosystems host
a wealth of biodiversity. The majority of the planting material
used by poor farmers is derived from seeds that they produce themselves
and that represent generations of local genetic resources.
Traditional rice-based systems as part of
world heritage:
The inclusion of outstanding rice-based systems in the multi-stakeholder,
multi-agency Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
Project-represents a major opportunity. GIAHS is expected to lead
to the creation of a new World Heritage for Agricultural Heritage
Systems category under the World Heritage Convention.
The institutional context:
More and expanded partnerships between government and non-governmental
(including the private sector) development and agriculture institutions
are required in order to increase farmers' - particularly women
farmers' - access to land, credit, information and new technologies
and innovations. This will be a central challenge in many countries.
The challenge and opportunity for synergy:
The overall challenge for rice-based systems is to identify and
execute synergetic solutions for rice development, and these are
possible only if decision-makers, technicians, farmers and civil
society are well aware of the many factors related to sustainable
rice production. In addition, sound policies on rice development
depend on the harmonization of diverse policy instruments, which
are often under the auspices of different ministries.
Risks small farmers face today in the globalisation
scenario:
The multinationals are making demands to stop subsidy to
the farmers in order to arrest the growth of indigenous production
and impose globally produced food items in the developing countries.
Paradoxically, big farmers in the west receive grants for not growing
more food, as there is excess of production already. This is a clear
imbalance of farmers’ rights and control over production and distribution.
Patenting of Basmati by the multinationals
meant that indigenous knowledge and production inherited by farmers
from age immemorial no .longer belongs to the farmers. This is a
gross injustice. Similarly, several other varieties of rice are
patented by other global actors
Food security
vs. food sovereignty: Though
there is going to be enough food available in the world.There will
be two problems. Firstly, it will not be within
the reach of the average consumer; and Secondly,
the traditional farmers will not be allowed to grow this food on
their own land, becausethe supply of genetically modified seeds
will be available only with the multinationals.
Guidelines for Action:
A small farmer or mediumfarmer today has to re-look at his farming
practice. While in the market, hybrids as well as the use of chemical
fertilizers promise a rich yield in the beginning, one needs to
be aware that it not only damages the quality of the soil but also
the quality of water and the quality of the crop itself.
Indigenous farming involves the growing of the
traditional variety of seeds with traditional practices (without
machinery and chemicals fertilizers).
Give up chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
opt for organic farming
Rice grown as a mono-crop fails to control
the increase of the pests, minimizes bio-diversity – opt for
mixed cropping (along with rice, grow legums, flowers (along
the bund), cereals / grams, chilly, etc.
practice. For example, 2,500 litres of water
is required to produce 1 kg. of paddy. Hybrid seeds consume more
water, avoid growing them. In the drought-affected / water scarce
areas, water conservation is an important practice.
Organic manures such as vermi-compost-
* Facilitates an income generating scheme to
benefit the marginalized and landless labourers
* Takes care of the waste-disposal and improves
sanitation.
* Increases the practice of animal husbandry.
* Produces Bio-gas
* Makes possible vermin-compost from the slurry.
* All the above things operate in a cyclic process.
Educative Aspects:
Small People’s organizations / institutional
level:
Awareness about the indigenous practices of
cultivating rice; so, too,protection of natural resources like
water, soil, etc. available in our environment. Waste disposal practices
by promoting backyard vermi-compost generation need to be promoted;
In the drought-prone areas, water and soil conservation
should be the focus. It is also essential to remember that hybrid
varieties are not cultivated in drought-affected areas, as they
require enormous amount of water.
SHG / Credit Cooperatives / Community level, groups can:
Encourage farmers who employ them, to opt for
organic farming, for which the people produce vermi-compost
Campaign Collection for
the Year 2003
Caritas India acknowledges gratefully
the collection of Rs.30,77,686 for the year 2003. This amount
has reached numerous marginalized communities for their self-reliant
development.
CARITAS INDIA
C.B.C.I Centre, Ashok Place, Gole Dakkhana,
New Delhi- 110001
Phone: 23363390,
23742339
Fax: 23715146, 23367488
Email: caritas_india@vsnl.com
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