Atomic research to play big role in agriculture mooted

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) director Ratan Kumar Sinha said here that India had made impressive strides on the agricultural front during the last three decades. Much of the credit for this success should go to the national agricultural research system. Policy support, production strategies, public investment in infrastructure, research and extension for crop, livestock and fisheries have significantly helped to increase food production and its availability, he said.

Referring to the use of radiation in agriculture, Sinha stated that use of radiation and radioisotopes in agriculture is one of the important fields of peaceful applications of atomic energy for societal benefit and BARC has contributed significantly in this area. Radiations and radioisotopes are used in agricultural research to induce genetic variability in crops to develop improved varieties, to manage pests, to monitor fate and persistence of pesticides, to study fertiliser use efficiency and plant micronutrient uptake and also to preserve agricultural produce, he elaborated.

Delivering the 25th convocation address of the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) held at Dharwad, he said, agriculture and allied sectors have grown at an estimated rate of 3.5 pc during the 11th Plan, compared to the 2.4 pc during the 10th Plan.

“However, we need to double our efforts to ensure that 4 per cent average growth is achieved in the 12th Plan Period. This calls for a Second Green Revolution which is more broad-based, more inclusive and more sustainable. The time is ripe to produce more without depleting our natural resources any further, and look towards agricultural scientists for ushering in this Green Revolution, he asserted.

It is estimated that to meet the demands of increasing population, India will need over 345 million tonnes of foodgrain by 2030, surmounting impeding factors like reduced land for farming, shortage of water and increasing costs of inputs. Research on rainfed and dryland farming and adoption of public-private-partnership should take driver’s seat in the 12th plan. Entire agricultural scientific community will have a challenging task to achieve this, he observed.