New Delhi: The third session of Jagran Agri Panchayat was on the topic 'Increasing productivity through better management of inputs in farming'. Panelists in this were Dhanuka Agrotech Chairman R.G. Agarwal, Director General of Agrochem Federation of India Dr. Kalyan Goswami, Head of Seed Science and Technology Department of ICAR - Pusa Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra and Head of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry Department of ICAR - Pusa Dr. Debashish Mandal. The session was conducted by Jagran New Media Associate Editor Vivek Tiwari. The panelists explained how yield and income can be increased by balanced use of good seeds, fertilizers and pesticides and by taking care of soil health. On this occasion, ICAR scientist Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra said that the government is planning on a large scale to promote seed export. A seed revolution can be seen in the country in the next five years. Here are the main excerpts from the conversation with the panelists: -

Moderator: How big a problem is fake agro chemicals in the country, how can this problem be solved?

R.G. Aggarwal: Fake fertilizers and seeds are a big problem in our country today. It can be said that a parallel industry is running for this. In such a situation, many farmers are cheated and their crops are ruined. ICAR and Dhanuka are jointly running awareness campaigns. Farmers should not buy any product without a bill. If a seller talks about 18 percent GST and asks you to buy the goods without a bill, then complain about him. Nowadays all good companies are putting QR codes on their products. You can scan it with your phone and get information about the product. Also, you can get information about the use of that product by visiting the company's website.

Moderator: Does the use of chemical pesticides cause cancer?

R.G. Agrawal: Till now there is no such scientific report that agrochemicals cause cancer, this misconception is being spread. Agrochemicals are being used all over the world. Ministry of Health data shows that Northeast is number one in cancer, whereas most of the farming there is done in a natural way. We have to think about the fact that today the production per hectare in China is three times that of India. We have more cultivable land here, rainfall is also 33% more than them but why is our production not increasing. The use of pesticides has reduced as compared to earlier.

Moderator: What is natural farming? Is there an alternative to chemical pesticides?

Dr. Kalyan Goswami: We have to accept that before the Green Revolution, we were dependent on other countries for food grains, whereas today we are self-sufficient and are also exporting to other countries. This has been possible due to the hard work of farmers and scientists. This was not possible without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. If we say that we suddenly move towards completely organic or natural farming, then our food security will also be in danger. But natural farming is completely possible in gardening. Especially in places where the temperature is low. We have to make a balance between the use of organic and chemical. Farmers should know when and how much chemical fertilizers and pesticides should be used.

Moderator: What is the impact of climate change on agriculture? How can better seeds ensure food security and better income for farmers?

Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra: Food security was the priority for our country in 1960. But today we are also talking about nutrition or nutrients in food grains. Recently, the government has launched 109 new improved varieties of seeds in the market in view of climate change. Some of these varieties have more nutrients than normal. These are bio-fortified. Now such varieties of crops are being prepared that even if there is a situation of drought or flood, we keep getting some production. The crop does not get destroyed completely. At the same time, the amount of nutrition in the grain can also be increased. Even today, there is a class in the country which depends only on food grains for nutrition. Bio-fortified seeds can prove to be very useful in improving the health of these people.

Moderator: What is the government's plan for seed export?

Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra: The government is working on a plan to promote seed exports in the coming time. The New Seed Bill has been pending in Parliament for almost 20 years. With the coming of this bill, farmers and companies will benefit a lot. Today India's share in seed production is five percent and in exports it is one percent. There is a plan to increase the share in exports to 5 percent in the coming five years. To meet the demand, farmers of UP, Punjab, Haryana will have to come into seed production. The purpose of the government to form Bharat Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited was to increase exports. We have to increase the quality of seed production. A revolution in seed production can be seen in the coming five years.

Moderator: How can organic seeds increase the income of farmers?

Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra: Agricultural products get better prices in the name of organic. Today, if we talk about organic production, there are two ways. On one hand there are international rules and on the other hand there are rules of the Government of India. As per the rules, the seeds should be organic. However, right now there is a relaxation that only organic seeds should be used for organic production. This may become necessary in the coming times.

Moderator: What are genetically modified seeds?

Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra: Apart from BT cotton, genetically modified seeds have not been approved for any crop in India yet. There is another technology similar to GM which is called genome editing. This technology is being used in India. A lot of research is going on in the country on genetically modified seeds. The government has to decide whether to use genetically modified seeds for other crops or not.

Moderator: What should a farmer do to maintain better soil health?

The Indian government has made about 30 crore soil health cards so far. This is a big campaign. We have to understand that only that which is alive has health. We do not consider soil as a non-living thing. A spoonful of soil contains so many bacteria or organisms that their number would be more than the number of people living on earth. The full form of soil is Source of Infinite Life. 99 percent of the food grains on the entire earth come from soil. Only one percent comes from aquatic life. For the last several decades, we have exploited nutrients from the soil for our food security. Its balance has deteriorated. 50 years ago, if we had added one kg of NPK, we would have got 14 kg of grains. Today, by adding one kg, we get two to three kg of grains. We are continuously increasing the amount of fertilizer. Dr. Ratanlal, who has been awarded the World Food Prize, says that soil is like a savings bank account. If we keep extracting nutrients from it, then after a while the fertility of the land will end.

The food we eat today lacks nutrients. Children are getting anaemia due to low iron content in food. There is a lot of iron in the soil. It is the fourth most abundant element, but plants are unable to get it. There is a lot of zinc in the soil of Rajasthan, but people there are deficient in zinc. Because zinc is unable to go from the soil to the plants. This is happening due to imbalance in the soil. It is not that chemicals are useless, but you have to take care of the quantity. Too much organic matter also harms the fields. In such a situation, it is important for you to have information.