With the state reeling under severe drought, Dr SV Suresha, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, says agricultural research is now focusing on climate-resilient technologies that can save farmers from distress during drought or flood situations.
In an interaction with TNIE, he spoke on various issues -- from climate change and change in rainfall pattern to shortage of labour force in villages and how excessive use of pesticides can harm people’s health. Excerpts
How bad is the drought situation on the ground?
Drought is not new to us, and agriculture scientists are prepared to deal with such conditions. At present, around 75-80 per cent of crops have been sown, while rainfall deficit is about 30 per cent, though it varies across districts. The bigger concern is the uneven distribution of rainfall, particularly during critical stages of crop growth when protective irrigation is required.
Climate change and rising temperatures are adding to the challenge, with a 2-degree increase potentially affecting crop yield by about 30 per cent. Changing rainfall patterns are also creating difficulties. However, available technologies can help farmers manage the situation, and agricultural universities and the Agriculture department are providing technical support.
Why are droughts so frequent?
Agriculture is a gamble with nature, as rainfall cannot always be predicted accurately. In southern Karnataka, farmers mainly depend on the kharif crop, while northern Karnataka has both kharif and rabi seasons. Farmers often sow after the first showers, but a dry spell of 15-30 days can cause the crop to wither, resulting in losses of both seeds and fertilizers applied during sowing. Though technology allows the sowing window to be extended until October 10, farmers often sow early, expecting more rain. Scientists advise them to wait for adequate rainfall. The key is ensuring that rainfall is distributed across rainy days rather than prolonged dry spells.
Why is rainfall prediction not accurate?
Rainfall prediction is not accurate over longer periods. The forecast for seven days may be reliable, but predictions made 15 days to one-and-a-half months ahead have lower accuracy. Initially, only rainfall deficit was predicted, without clarity on its extent. The bigger concern is rainfall distribution and prolonged dry spells. While short gaps can be managed, continuous dry spells can damage crops and affect yields even after conditions improve.
The government says this time the drought is severe. How do you assess the situation?
It is a severe drought due to deficit and uneven distribution of rainfall. We have also recorded unusually high temperatures. We never observed temperatures of 30 degrees in September, but this time it reached 30-31 degrees. We are expecting the central team to visit soon. .
What could be the impact on food production?
Our earlier experience says these droughts are not continuous. If this condition continues for another three or five years, it will be difficult. But luckily there is a shift and we are expecting the situation to return to normal next year.
What can the Karnataka government do to support farmers?
The government has already introduced contingency crop plans, with farmers advised to grow millets where there is sufficient rain and moisture. For crops affected by dry spells, we are advising intercultural operations to conserve moisture. Our Krishi Vigyan Kendras are also providing advisories and reaching around 50,000-60,000 farmers through messages.
Can agriculture be made drought-resistant or drought-resilient?
Drought is becoming a norm, so research is now focusing on climate-resilient technologies rather than only drought resilience. These address rainfall deficit, temperature, humidity and excess rainfall. For flooding, researchers develop taller varieties that can withstand submergence, instead of dwarf varieties. The focus is to make crops resilient to different climatic conditions.
How can fodder production be addressed?
We have a large livestock population. In southern Karnataka, most households depend on dairy but now it is threatened. Because of drought, we are running short of fodder. There is no vegetative growth. We have technology such as silage, but we were not promoting it earlier because green fodder was available. Now we are promoting harvesting of crops when they are still green. Even if the yield is affected, farmers can harvest them after around 45 days and feed them to livestock which can at least be sustained.
How is the drought affecting cattle and livestock?
Definitely drought will affect livestock, but provisions have to be made. If farmers have silage at home, they can get fodder throughout the year. Otherwise, they have to depend on concentrates, which increases cost of production. It may not be viable for farmers to depend only on concentrates. Green fodder is also at stake because of the drought. If there is some rainfall, we recommend crops such as horse gram and green crops that can be used for fodder.
What technical knowledge are agricultural universities sharing with farmers?
We advise farmers to choose crop varieties based on the sowing window. If sowing is delayed, they should opt for short-duration varieties that mature within about 100 days instead of long-duration crops. Our research focuses on developing varieties with shorter crop durations, helping farmers avoid adverse conditions and reduce potential losses.
Researchers often stress on reducing water-intensive crops such as paddy. What should be the focus now?
Water conservation is important not only in agriculture but also in domestic use. Excessive chemical fertiliser use can harden topsoil, reducing water percolation and nutrient uptake. Paddy cultivation using borewell water also depletes groundwater. In areas such as Kolar, tank-filling projects can help recharge borewells and raise groundwater levels. Conserving water and maintaining healthy soil are therefore essential for sustainable agriculture.
How true is the notion that agriculture is no longer profitable?
Nearly 70 per cent of farmers are small or marginal, and their profit margins are shrinking. One of the reasons is land fragmentation. Plus, most villages these days are like old age homes, with the youth setting out to build their lives in cities. They don’t stay back to work the fields, and we need to retain that workforce. Due to scarcity of labour, labour costs have skyrocketed as well. As scientists, we push farmers to go for mechanisation, but many of them cannot afford it. They cannot afford bullock carts as well, because bullocks have to be reared a year in advance. But there are profitable models; for that, agriculture needs to stop being seen as a profession of absentee landlordism. If you want to be profitable, you cannot sit in a city and hope that coordinating with the labour force in rurality is enough.
Should farmers try growing cash crops instead of food crops?
After Independence in 1947, the nation was suffering from foodgrain shortage right until 1965. All governments encouraged growing of food crops. But local varieties did not respond well to fertilisers. Commercial crops like arecanut are being grown in Karnataka, instead of paddy. But if we fully move towards that, our country’s self-sufficiency will be threatened gradually.
Farmers blame agriculture scientists for introducing chemical fertilisers and dwarf varieties in 1965, which are prone to pests. Now when we ask them to shift to organic farming, they resist because we are the ones who pushed for chemical fertilisers in the first place. But our concern back then was legitimate: we needed to bail out the country from hunger. Due to overuse of chemical fertilisers, organic carbon in the soil has reduced to 0.3, while 1 is the ideal level and 0.6-0.7 is the normal level. But with soil so low in carbon, it suffocates.
What is the status of student enrolments for agriculture in Karnataka? How much of that translates into agriculture being vocationally taken up after graduation?
As opposed to engineering, agriculture and allied subjects had all seats filled up in the second round of counselling itself. Unfortunately, 90 per cent of graduates do not go back to farming. But entrepreneurship in agriculture is on the rise, which is a good sign. Curricula revision is necessary to keep up this trend.
Will the revision include climate-resilient practices and Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Absolutely. For the first time in Karnataka, I have included AI into agriculture curriculum as a course for a semester. It is compulsory for all undergraduate and postgraduate students. Now we have a separate laboratory where we give them hands-on training. Students are required to undergo these courses in the present situation, otherwise they will become outdated. Automation can assess moisture levels and critical stages, based on the data we have. Predictions will also become easier. We are developing, through students, a body of human resources that will propagate these learnings at various levels.
What is the duration of the AI course introduced at UAS Bengaluru?
The AI course is offered alongside regular courses and has been made compulsory. While the regular curriculum is finalised by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, UAS Bengaluru introduced the AI course separately. We have completed one academic year, and it is the first such initiative in Karnataka.
Can AI be of any help at this juncture?
AI usage in agriculture is definitely picking up, but land fragmentation and affordability are huge concerns still.
How can technology and startups be integrated with farming on the ground?
We need to consolidate land holdings, make technologies affordable and develop solutions that farmers can adopt. More importantly, we need to implement Dr Abdul Kalam’s PURA concept by improving urban-like infrastructure in rural areas to encourage people to stay there.
Are any policy changes needed to address these challenges?
No new policy is required. What is important is taking technologies to farmers and encouraging adoption. Crop insurance and NREGA can also support farmers during drought, including through employment in soil and water conservation activities.
What are the biggest challenges facing agriculture in Karnataka and India today?
Climate variation, fragmented land holdings, depletion of soil fertility, indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and non-availability of farm labour are among the challenges. The list is big, and everything is interconnected.
How can excessive pesticide use impact people’s health?
Pesticides can pose health risks when farmers exceed the recommended number of sprays or harvest crops before the prescribed waiting period. We recommend specific concentrations and advise farmers not to harvest for at least 10 days after spraying certain chemicals. However, farmers may spray more due to fear of crop loss or harvest early when prices rise. Such practices can leave chemical residues in food, which may accumulate in the body and potentially affect health over time.
Is there any mechanism to prevent excessive pesticide use?
It is practically difficult to completely prevent such practices. However, pesticide residue standards are enforced, especially for exports. If residues exceed permissible limits set by individual countries, consignments can be rejected.
How can pesticide standards be regulated in the domestic market?
Regulating pesticide residue standards in the domestic market is challenging because permissible limits differ across countries. For organic produce, consumers largely depend on trust. People often buy products labelled ‘organic’ without checking certification. Therefore, stronger awareness and verification are needed.
Farmers are facing severe distress, and some are taking extreme measures. Is lack of water driving farmers to such a situation?
I don’t think water scarcity alone is responsible. If you look at Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru Rural, which are largely dry areas, farmers can sustain themselves through multiple and mixed cropping systems, or integrated farming. They combine field crops with vegetables, animal husbandry, dairy and poultry. This diversification provides multiple sources of income. However, monocropping can increase farmers’ vulnerability. Farmers should adopt integrated and tree-based farming systems which may not eliminate their difficulties completely, but can significantly reduce their financial burden and risks.
How is urban horticulture helping people in Bengaluru?
We conduct training programmes to teach people how to grow nutritious, organically grown vegetables on rooftops. We also provide farming kits. The initiative is also a learning process for students, helping them understand where food such as paddy, ragi and milk comes from. We have conducted around 13 such programmes so far.
What is your advice to youngsters in cities who are unsure whether to return to their villages and take up farming, especially given the uncertainties in agriculture?
Technology is rapidly improving, and youngsters with exposure to modern technologies can bring innovation to farming. Even if they return to their villages, they can adopt high-end technologies and AI to improve agricultural practices. During Covid-19, many people took up weekend farming. However, converting foodgrain fields into plantations can affect food security. Today, crops such as arecanut are being cultivated even in geographically unsuitable areas because farmers find them financially attractive.
How do you reassure farmers at this time?
We have given recommendations to the state government and are taking technologies to farmers. Wherever there is hope of saving the crop, we advise farmers to maintain soil moisture using available technologies. If the crop fails but remains green, it can be harvested and used as animal feed. The Agriculture and Horticulture departments are disseminating this information. Farmers whose crops were not sown can also use crop insurance. Government assistance of Rs 2,500 can provide some relief, but suffering will remain. Our aim is to minimise it through technology and support.
