Time to adopt the Andhra Pradesh agro-ecology model of community managed natural farming systems across India

While farmers face the climate fury, the policy makers have been in a denial mode or have taken these destructive impacts as once-in-while incidents. It appears like there is nothing to worry in the long run

There are two developments this week that I think we need to be appraised of. If we can draw a link, while one development spells out the disaster that lurks, while the other provides an everlasting solution to address the huge crisis the world is faced with, which is likely to worsen in the years ahead.

While media reports say heavy and persistent rains have caused severe crop losses in France, the major wheat growing European country, a journalist from the Netherlands has written asking me whether the perceptible change in weather will be an economic disaster for farmers. Her concern arises from what she sees in Holland where the rains haven’t stopped, inundating the crop fields as a consequence of which standing potato crop is rotting and vegetable seeds are not growing.

India, meanwhile, is hit with an unprecedented heat wave. As the normal temperatures continue to soar, fears are being expressed whether the country will able to address its food security needs in the years to come. A few years back, heat wave at the time of wheat harvest had taken a heavy toll. A year later, a pause in rains that extended for almost a month and that too during the monsoon season, had hit the standing paddy crop. Knowing that climatic aberrations can play spoilsport in the future, the government is being over-conscious and has taken steps and that includes banning wheat and non-basmati exports and also clamped stock limits on various agricultural commodities to ensure food inflation remains under control.

As the Dutch journalist says climate change is becoming a worldwide phenomenon with an enormous impact on agriculture. While the industry finds it to be an appropriate opportunity for selling its climate smart technology, that it has been marketing for several years now, the bigger question is whether the world has thought of approaches, policies and strategies to provide for climate resilient agriculture.

The other development I want to share is that the prestigious Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity has been bestowed on Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCMNF) along with two other international recipients. Now before you ask me what has this to do with the food security concerns that I mentioned above, you need to know that the award recognises outstanding contributions to climate actions and climate solutions that inspire hope and possibility. The award carries Euro 1 million in cash. A day before, Vijay Kumar, the Executive Vice-chairman of RythuSadhikaraSamstha (RySS), received the award at a glittering ceremony at Lisbon in Portugal from former German ChancellorAngela Merkel. APCNF was selected from among 181 nominations received from across the globe.

Now let’s look at the two developments. There is no denying that agriculture in several parts of the world – from Mexico in North America to the Philippines in Asia; and from Texas in USA to Maharashtra in India – is faced with severe climate impacts. In the past too, agriculture has been lashed by heavy rains, floods, freak hurricanes and increasing number of cyclones in some parts while it faces long dry spells and acute drought-like conditions in several other. Needless to say the onslaught of climate-induced weather patterns has had a cumulative damaging impact on farming. While farmers face the climate fury, the policy makers have been in a denial mode or have taken these destructive impacts as once-in-while incidents. It appears like there is nothing to worry in the long run.

While sustainable agriculture is being talked about, agro-ecological farming systems have received attention over the years.

It is here that I think the Community Managed Natural Farming systems being promoted in Andhra Pradesh stand out as the world’s biggest laboratory for agro-ecology and in turn provides an ever-lasting solution to the hugely detrimental climate crisis that stares ahead. I see the agro-ecological solutions it provides to stand up to the climate crisis is full of hope and determination. It is high time the Andhra Pradesh model is replicated throughout the country, with location-specific adaptations.

As I have often said the eight-lakh farmers who have completely shifted or are in the process of shifting from chemical agriculture to natural farming practices face stiff challenges, which have been highlighted in the kharif and rabi season reports that have been brought out every year.

When Green Revolution came, an eco-system to cater to the intensive farming practices was very well planned and laid out. It included setting up of numerous agricultural universities, specialised research institutes, agriculture extension network, and farm credit mechanism, followed by appropriate marketing opportunities. Subsidies and investments flowed in as and when required. There was more support and that includes establishing fertiliser plants, pesticide units and seed development infrastructure that was specifically created.

In the case of natural farming, not even a fraction of the enormous supporting system that was laid out for aiding and helping Green Revolution has been provided. Although natural farming has clearly demonstrated its role and potential in addressing climate issue, it has still to be accorded due recognition as the way ahead; as the economic and social design for the future of agriculture at times of a climate catastrophe that the world has repeatedly been warned of. Similarly, due recognition must come for several other agro-ecological approaches that progressive farmers have shown in several parts of the country. Collectively, I suppose the time has come when non-chemical approaches should be accorded utmost priority in policy planning.

The first and foremost effort should be for developing a mechanism to hold periodic orientation for bureaucrats, judges and vice-chancellors. This is where the key lies.

To change the mindset of people who matter, who have been brought up in an environment where agriculture thrived on chemical inputs, is not that easy. It will require a continuous educational awareness programme; divided in short duration courses, to orient them to new agriculture that takes farming to the future. In economic terms, this is what is meant by disruption.

In short, moving from intensive agricultural practices to agro-ecological approaches will minimise the role agriculture plays in greenhouse gas emissions that leads to climate abruptions and at the same time it lays out mitigating strategies to minimise the impact of climate change on agriculture.

Shifting to agro-ecology therefore has twin advantages. In addition, the third advantage is that it provides healthy food for people.

This is the kind of climate resilience that the country needs.

(The author is a noted food policy analyst and an expert on issues related to the agriculture sector. He writes on food, agriculture and hunger)