Boost to pulses answer  to malnutrition woes

This year being celebrated as the year of pulses at international level reminds us of the gaps in the Indian agriculture that was molded in the light of Green Revolution technologies. The concentration to improve wheat, rice and maize crops fetched dividends in food grain production to the extent we could attain food security act by 2013.

What Chennai Declaration says

• Public-funded research should be strengthened
• Enable large-scale collection and characterisation of pulse germplasm including wild relatives and land races
• Varieties of high protein content resilient to climate change and pest and disease problems should be evolved
• Location-specific technologies and end use specific conditions need to be considered
• Supply quality seed through seed villages and Pulse Panchayats as in TN and Pondicherry

It doesn’t set our pulse racing

• India accounts for over 30% of global pulses output
• Consumption rate is about 35 per cent.
• Production fell from 19.25 mmt in 2014 to 17 mmt by 16.
• India has opted to import more than 5 mmt, instead of pushing pulses cultivation.
• Despite imports, demand outstrips supply as is seen in steep rise in market prices.
• Per capita production declined from 18.5 kg during 1965-70 to about 15 kg during 2011-16.
• Thus, net availability of pulses declined from 69 gms to 41.9 gms/day

However, the malady of malnutrition still haunts us. Global Nutrition Reports reveal that India ranks 114th position in terms of under 5 years age children growth among 129 countries. The information that more than 33 per cent children and 60 per cent women are still below growth standards scared even our renowned economist and former Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Why has such situation arisen?

India accounts for more than 30 per cent of the total pulse grains production in the world, whereas the consumption rate was about 35 per cent. The production level of 19.25 million metric tonnes (mmt) during 2013-14 declined to 17 mmt by 2015-16.Naturally to meet domestic demand, we opted to import more than 5 mmt.

Even after bargaining with markets of 46 countries, where pulses are grown, we have failed to meet the minimum requirements of our people, evidenced by steep rise in market prices. As per the official statistics, the per capita production of pulses has declined from 18.5 kg during 1965-70 to about 15 kg during 2011-16. Naturally, the net availability of pulses declined from 69 gms to 41.9 gms/day.

India is home to several major and minor pulses, grown under diversified farming situations. Several varieties of these crops are being maintained for centuries together by Adivasis. Experts in modern agriculture narrate pulse crops as jewels of Indian crop cafeteria. These crops are critically important for human nutrition, soil health, carbon footprint and agricultural productivity as narrated by FAO. Pulses constitute one of the main dietary staples in India, where large sections depend on direct proteins of plant source.

Pulse crops are essential components to sustain agricultural production since these possess wider adaptability to fit into various cropping systems. Pulses are accommodated under different soil conditions, since they are critical to ensure livelihood security combating poverty and environmental degradation. The symbiotic partnership between pulse legumes and soil bacteria that imparts the ability to fix biological nitrogen improve soil while making soil more porous.

However the policies at all levels, led to relegate pulse crops to marginal status under Indian conditions, evidenced with low production and productivity. M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in collaboration with various national and international institutes organised a seminar for enhancing the productivity and profitability of Pulses that can address nutritional security also in India, synchronising with 91st birth day (7th Aug) of Prof Swaminathan, the doyen of agricultural research and development.

In that context, the participants comprising more than 100 experts discussed ways and means of improving the availability and utilisation of pulses. The deliberations resulted in the Chennai Declaration before media and government in the following manner: Public-funded research should be strengthened for large-scale collection and characterisation of pulse germplasm including wild relatives and land races, so that sufficient variability, that is essential to improve the crops can be achieved; varieties of high protein content and that can be resilient to the emerging challenges of climate change and pest and disease problems should be evolved; and location-specific technologies and end use specific conditions are taken into consideration.

The Declaration also called for taking into account the typical rice and wheat fallow situations, up-lands, tarai and desert region agro-ecosystems and high and low precipitation situations. Quality seed should be made available through seed villages and Pulse Panchayats, as is done by MSSRF in TN and Pondicherry. Popularising the application of microbial consortia to reduce synthetic fertilisers and enhance yields even under dryland conditions.

Post harvest, packaging, transportation ,storage techniques are to be evolved. Farmers’ production organisations are to be formed. As pulses are essential for alleviating malnutrition, the integration of locally preferred pulses with PDS system and inclusion in midday-meal programmes must be made. (Writer is a retired Professor of ANGRAU, AP, and associated with Rythu Rakshana Vedika, Guntur)

By Prof N Venugopal Rao