At the G20 Agriculture Ministers' meeting held in June 2023, India made a resounding call for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient agriculture system. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar underlined India's pivotal role in strengthening global food security. India's remarkable agricultural growth is evident through a substantial increase in food grain production with a record of 329.7 million tonnes in 2022-23 and agricultural exports exceeding Rs 4 lakh crore (US$ 53 B). With the second-largest agricultural land in the world, India's agriculture sector provides livelihoods for nearly half of the nation's population.
However, data shows that Indian agriculture faces significant annual challenges brought about by pests and climate change, impacting the overall crop productivity of the farmers. Hence, fulfilling India's agricultural aspirations, while catering to its 1.4 billion population, necessitates a strong focus on crop protection. This is important to reduce the yield loss caused by insect pests, diseases and weeds, helping us meet our goals for exporting our surplus agricultural produce to other countries and making sure we have enough nutritious food for all.
Challenges to crop productivity in India
Changes in our climate and erratic weather patterns have shifted weed, insect and disease pressures and ranked as the second most common cause of crop loss. Indian farmers also suffer yield losses ranging from 15% to 25% due to weeds, rodents and diseases. These factors substantially undermine our crop productivity, underscoring the importance of effective crop protection management.
Crop protection management encompasses a diverse array of techniques and strategies aimed at minimizing damage from pests, diseases, weeds, and other environmental factors. Simultaneously, it seeks to safeguard the health of crops and the environment. However, it is crucial to underscore that the judicious use of crop protection measures is just as vital as ensuring the safety of the crops, soil nutrients, the environment and the overall ecosystem. This has led to an increased advocacy for the adoption of organic and biological methods in addition to conventional approaches to crop protection which complement each other.
A few studies also indicate that pesticides, when indiscriminately and inappropriately applied to crops, may leach into the soil and into the groundwater, and run-off in the rain into surface water bodies, contaminating them. Hence, appropriate use of pesticides by adding more of green chemicals and bio-pesticides plays a vital role in sustaining agricultural production by safeguarding crops from these pests. To minimize the yield loss due to pests and to ensure pesticide residues stay within acceptable limits, efficient and careful crop protection awareness is necessary.
Pesticide use in India faces systemic and structural hurdles
The challenges surrounding crop protection in India are multifaceted and demand immediate attention. First, in terms of policy and regulation, the Insecticides Act of 1968 and Insecticides Rules of 1971 have seen negligible registration of new pesticide molecules, indicating a lack of domestic research and development. The introduction of the Pesticide Management Bill could address these gaps. The bill aims to regulate the manufacture, import, sale, storage, distribution, use and disposal of pesticides. This is done to make sure that safe pesticides are accessible, which pose less danger to people, animals and the environment.
Similarly, sustainability concerns loom large, with a pressing need for heightened awareness among farmers about the proper use of crop protection products. This includes ensuring the quality of pesticides, as well as educating farmers on the right manner, dosage, and timing for application – the essential 3R's (i.e. right manner, at right time and the right dosage.)
Evidence suggests that farmers often lack guidance, relying on dealers for advice. Proliferation of fake pesticides in the market can be negated by awareness and education campaigns. The situation calls for improved training for extension officers and a greater engagement between the government and private sector with farmers. Addressing these challenges collectively is vital to secure the future of Indian agriculture and ensure sustainable crop protection practices.
Sustainability – a vital factor in scientific crop protection
Sustainability lies at the heart of modern agricultural practices, especially in the realm of crop protection. Embracing sustainable approaches involves several crucial elements. The development and use of green chemicals including the reduced risk products, which are environmentally friendly with safer toxicity profile and pose fewer risks to ecosystems, should be encouraged. The crop protection sector should be encouraged with a conducive policy environment which enables more investments to drive innovation and offer solutions that align with sustainable practices, fostering a dynamic and responsive approach to crop protection challenges. Indigenous research and the "Make in India" initiative promote the domestic production of pesticides. By prioritizing these factors, the agricultural sector can forge a path towards more sustainable and environmentally responsible crop protection practices, safeguarding both the future of farming and the planet.
The way forward – healthy harvests for healthy India
Sustainable crop protection solutions aim to mitigate yield loss caused by pests and extreme weather events due to climate change at an acceptable level with minimum environmental footprints. Ensuring scientific crop protection practices that directly benefit farmers is the cornerstone of agricultural progress. Central to this effort is fostering farmer stewardship and emphasizing the importance of proper pesticide usage as per recommendation through regular and concise training sessions. These training sessions empower farmers with the knowledge and skills needed for judicious use of pesticides by selecting the appropriate molecule to suit crop/pest situation, right dosage and timing of application to get the maximum benefits for a healthy and improved harvest.
It is imperative to bridge the gaps in the stakeholder ecosystem, with a particular focus on the private sector aiding the government to achieve the larger Indian aspirations. Private entities should provide extension services that enhance farmer awareness regarding the responsible and safe use of pesticides while also cautioning against counterfeit products. Placing "safe pesticide use" at the heart of farmer-focused scientific crop protection not only leads to increased yields and productivity but also promotes sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices, benefiting both farmers and the broader agricultural landscape – a step crucial for India to remain the “annadata.”
(The author is the South Asia Field Sciences Leader, Crop Protection Discovery & Development, Corteva Agriscience. He holds a PhD in Weed Science from Gandhigram Rural Institute. With over 25 years’ experience in Crop Protection R&D, he primarily specialises in fungicide and herbicide development.)