A presentation by Prof M.S Swaminathan (FNA, FNAAS, FRS, UNESCO, Chair in Ecotechnology, MSSRF, Chennai) at the NAAS Silver Jubilee - 25 Years of Achievement in Agricultural Science and Way Forward for 2030, New Delhi, 3 June 2015

1. NAAS Silver Jubilee
25 Years of Achievement in Agricultural Science
and Way Forward for 2030
Prof M S Swaminathan, FNA, FNAAS, FRS
UNESCO Chair in Ecotechnology, MSSRF, Chennai
New Delhi, 3 June 2015
Over 60 years of Adventure in
Agricultural Research & Development

2. NAAS has rendered
invaluable service to
enhancing the prestige
and purpose of
agricultural sciences as
well as public policy
formulation

3. Indian Agricultural Research Institute (1947-49)
Research on Non-tuber
bearing Solanum sp.
for the Associateship of IARI
Picture Source: Google image

4. Prof R Prakken
Wageningen (1949 – 50)
Genetics Department
Tuber bearing Solanum
breeding for Nematode resistance
Picture Source: Google image

5. Breeding for Golden Nematode Resistance
(Globodera rostochiensis)
Resistance Genes from Solanum polyadenium

6. Cambridge University (1950-52)
Ph.D. Research on the Origin of Potato
Picture Source: Google image

7. Lake Titicaca
Region
Centre of Diversity
in tuber bearing
Solanum
The Irish Potato famine of
the 1840s led to the search
for new genes for resistance
to biotic and abiotic stresses
Hawkes collection
at Cambridge

8. University of Wisconsin (1952-54)
Genetics Department
Gene transfer in potato across sexual barriers
Picture Source: Google image

9. Solanum acaule
Donor of Frost
Resistance in the variety
Alaska Frostless
Gene Transfer through the
“artificial stigma” technique

10. Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack (1954)
Indica - Japonica hydridization programme
The beginning of yield revolution in rice
Dr K Ramiah
Picture Source: CRRI, Google image

11. Emphasis on multipurpose projects
IARI ( 1954-72)
Breeding for High Yielding Varieties Programme
Picture Source: Google image

12. Intensive Agricultural District Programme
(Package Programme)
o Launched in 1960-61 for maximising the benefits of
irrigation water and mineral fertilizer
o By 1963-64, IADP covered 15 districts
o Unfortunately the impact on yield improvement was
not upto expectation, since the package of practices
missed one important ingredient, namely, a genetic
strain which can respond to the rest of the package
Swaminathan, MS, 1962

13. Comparison of woo-gen (right) and dee-geo-
woo-gen strains, the latter containing
the sd1 mutation
The effects of different Rht alleles on plant height in wheat (cv. April
Bearded). The wild-type contains Rht-B1a and Rht-D1a, which are
homoeologous (corresponding) genes on the B and D genomes. Rht-
B1c is a more severe allele at the Rht-B1 locus
Source: http://5e.plantphys.net/
The Green Revolution in Wheat and Rice
Transformational Genes
Ref: Swaminathan, MS 2013 J. Agri. Research

14. Need for Genetic checkmating of new disease threats
Puccinia Path

15. Innovations in the 1960s
Extension (Generating Yield Consciousness)
o National Demonstrations – 1964
o National Tonnage Club of Farmers (1965)
o Seed Village (beginning with Jounti village to Delhi
State)
Public Policy:
o High Yielding Varieties Programme
o Minimum support Price
o Public Procurement (FCI)
o Public Distribution
Synergy between Technology and Public policy

16. IARI – Strengthening the Research Infrastructure
(1966-77)
A General view of the Atomic
Garden at the Indian Agricultural
Research Institute showing plants
grown in different sectors for being
treated with gamma rays
A Close-up of the Gamma Source
with the seed tray and the
monitor used for measuring
radiation
Source: Indian Farming,
October 1960
Nuclear Research Laboratory
Division of Genetics
Source: IARI

17. “Intensive cultivation of land without conservation of soil fertility and soil
structure would lead ultimately to the springing up of deserts. Irrigation
without arrangements for drainage would result in soils getting alkaline or
saline. Indiscriminate use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides could cause
adverse changes in biological balance as well as lead to an increase in the
incidence of cancer and other diseases, through the toxic residues present
in the grains or other edible parts. Unscientific tapping of underground water
would lead to the rapid exhaustion of this wonderful capital resource left to
us through ages of natural farming. The rapid replacement of numerous
locally adapted varieties with one or two high yielding strains in large
contiguous areas would result in the spread of serious diseases capable of
wiping out entire crops, as happened prior to the Irish potato famine of 1845
and the Bengal rice famine of 1942. Therefore, the initiation of exploitative
agriculture without a proper understanding of the various consequences of
every one of the changes introduced into traditional agriculture and without
first building up a proper scientific and training base to sustain it, may only
lead us into an era of agricultural disaster in the long run, rather than to an
era of agricultural prosperity.”
M.S. Swaminathan
Indian Science Congress, Varanasi, January 4, 1968
Sustainable Food Production : Early Warning

18. “How can we speak to those who live in
villages and slums about keeping the
oceans, the rivers and the air clean when
their own lives are contaminated at the
source?”
Indira Gandhi added the dimension of
social sustainability to economic and
environmental sustainability
Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, 1972
Source: Google Image

19. Evergreen Revolution is the Pathway
o World requires 50% more
rice in 2030 than in 2004
with approximately 30%
less arable land of today
o Mainstreaming ecology in
technology development
and dissemination is the
road to sustainable
agriculture

20. Krishi Bhavan (1972-80)
Source: Google Image

21. Union Planning Commission (1980-82)
New chapters on
 Environment ,
 Women and Development
 A new deal for the self
employed
Chapters introduced for the
first time in five year plans
New initiatives :
National Biotechnology Board
National S&T Entrepreneurship
Development Board

22. International Rice Research Institute, the Philippines
(1982-88)
 Strengthening & filling gaps in NARS
 Women in Rice Farming System
 Improving Farm Income (Rice BioPark)
 Genetic Resources Conservation
 Sustainable Rice Farming Network
IRRI – first among the CGIAR Institutes
Source: Google Image

23. RICE BIOPARK
IN Nay Pyi Taw
Myanmar
Designed to save
and add value to
each part of the
rice biomass, such
as rice straw, husk
and bran

24. MSSRF (1989 onwards) : Research Centres
Chennai Chennai Kalpetta, Kerala
Poomphar PondicherryJeypore, Orissa

25. o Coastal System Research (CSR)
o Biodiversity & Biotechnology
o Ecotechnology & Sustainable Development
o Agriculture, Nutrition & Health
o Information Technology
o Capacity Building & Networking
o Gender & Development
o Climate Change : Adaptation & Mitigation
Anticipatory, Participatory & Strategic Research

26. Alarming State of Malnutrition in
India
o 39% of children under 5 are stunted
o 15% under 5 are wasted
o 40% of women of reproductive age are
underweight, and
o 48% of women of reproductive age are
anaemic
Source: Global Nutrition Report 2014

27. CALORIE
DEPRIVATION
PROTEIN
DEFICIENCY
MICRONUTRIENT
DEFICIENCY
Picture Source: Google images
Three major dimensions of hunger

28. Biofortification and Zero Hunger Challenge :
3 Major approaches
1. Naturally occurring biofortified plants like moringa,
sweet potato, nutri-millets and fruits and
vegetables.
2. Biofortified varieties selected by breeding and
selection, eg, iron rich pearl millet and zinc rich rice
3. Genetically biofortified crops like Golden Rice and
iron rich rice (after appropriate regulatory
clearance)

29. 25 x iron in spinach
17 x calcium in milk
15 x potassium in bananas
10 x vitamin A in carrots
9 x protein in yogurt
National Geographic, November 2012
Genetic Garden of Biofortified Plants

30. Rich in Nutrition; Climate Smart
Culinary Diversity

31. Need: All India Coordinated Research Project for Chefs
Source: CSE & Google Image

32. TRIBE DISTRICT
Medicinal
Plants used
Bhatra Nawarangpur
81
Bhumia Koraput 69
Bonda Malkangiri 55
Gadaba Koraput 83
Gond Nawarangpur
67
Kandha
Koraput +
Rayagada
124
Koya Malkangiri 48
Paroja Koraput 74
Saora Rayagada 59
9 tribes 4 districts
660 MPs
Women and
Cultural & Curative Diversity
Farmers’ Rights :
Conserver, Cultivator, Breeder
Genome Saviors
Tribal Families of Koraput, Odisha

33. Science,
Vol 325,
31 July
2009
Gene Banks
for a
Warming
Planet

34. 19 varieties of Yam in 4 species were in Cultivation (as of
2006) but less than 5 in rural market and none in urban
market
Dioscorea alata
1. Inchikachil I & II`
2. Kuzhikavithu I
3. Kuzhikavithu II
4. Quintalkachil I
5. Quintalkachil II
6. Anakomban
7. Kaduvakkayyan
8. Urulan kachil
9. Kuppathottikizhangu
10. Elivalankachil
11. Neendi/Veetukizhangu
12. Vella kachil I & II
13. Chorakachil/cherakachil/chuvappukachil/ Neela kachil I, II & III
Dioscorea esculenta
14. Nanakizhangu
15. Vella Enchi kachil
16. Mullan Kachil
Dioscorea rotundata
17.Africankachil
18. Thoonankachi
Dioscorea bulbifera
19. Erachikachil/Adathappu
Life Saving Crops
in Wayanad
Leveraging Agro-forestry for Nutrition

35. Biofortification through breeding:
High-iron Pearl Millet
ICTP 8203
ICRISAT-bred OPV
(70-74 ppm Fe)
With 10% Higher Yield
86M86
Pioneer hybrid (54-64 ppm Fe)
Marketed by NIRMAL SEEDS

36. Golden Rice :
Trial Site Vandalized in Bicol, Philippines
Source: Rice Today, IRRI, Oct-Dec 2013, Vol.12, No.4
Establish Regulatory system which inspires public,
professional, political and media confidence

37. Marker Assisted Breeding IR 38 x Jeerige sanna
BI 33 x Jeerige sanna
Azucena x Moromutant
Five mapping populations
have been developed and
purified.
Molecular markers for genes
associated with iron uptake,
transport and accumulation
have been designed.
Marker Assisted Selection is
eligible for organic
certification
Source : Indian Biofortification Network

38. Safe and Responsible Use of Biotechnology
Based on Cartagena Protocol
A National Biosafety Regulatory
Authority should be set up under
an Act of Parliament
The bottom line of our national
agricultural biotechnology policy
should be the economic well being
of farm families, food security of
the nation, health security of the
consumer, biosecurity of
agriculture and health, protection
of the environment and the
security of national and
international trade in farm
commodities. - M S Swaminathan Panel (2004)
“To access risks and benefits
from GMOs with reference
to biodiversity, human and
animal health and
environment, a National
Biosafety Authority is
needed. Develop legislation
using the Norwegian Model”
Parliamentary Committee on
Agriculture chaired by Shri Basudeb
Acharya (2012)

39. Role of Community Hunger Fighters in Biofortification
o Become well-versed on the
causes and cures for the
endemic and hidden hunger
prevailing in the village /
town through a nutrition
literacy programme
o Identify and introduce
agricultural remedies to
nutritional maladies based on
gender and age
o Introduce in the farming
system biofortified crops and
varieties
Capacity Building

40. Climate Change and Biodiversity :
Impact of Sea Level Rise
1. Inundation of low lying coastal lands with sea water
o millions of ha of land would be affected
o small islands would be affected very severely
2. Increased incidence of storm surges
3. Seawater intrusion into freshwater and groundwater
4. Enhancement of tidal waters into rivers
5. Accelerated coastal erosion
6. Climate Refugees will look for new areas to settle

41. Genetic Shield against Sea Level Rise
Mangrove Forests

42. Genetic Garden of HALOPHYTES
Obligatory halophytes Facultative halophytes
Tolerate high concentration
of sodium salts
> 3 times of seawater salinity
Even demand high NaCl for
survival and reproduction
1560 species
Most of the species tolerate
only moderate level of salinity
Reproduction requires low
saline condition
Mangroves
60 species
Converting Sea Water into Fresh Water through Halophytes

43. Innovations in below sea level farming in Kuttanad
ONE RICE - ONE FISH
Punja season
November- February
Low chemical input or Organic
Yield- 4.2 t/ha
April- October
Monoculture – Giant Prawn
(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Polyculture*- Indian major carps or
common carps or Silver carps and grass
carps and Giant Prawn
Yield- Rice: 4.2 t/ha
Fish- Prawn: 480 kg;
Carp : 300 kg.
* Recommended practice

45. Gene Bank Seed Bank Water BankGrain Bank
Conservation - Cultivation – Consumption - Commerce
Pathway to achieving the UN Sustainable
Development Goals
Community Food and Water Security System in Koraput

46. Food Safety : Fish for All Centre, Poompuhar

47. Towards an Era of
Biohappiness
 Sustainable Development Goals
 Zero Hunger Challenge
 Biofortification is the Pathway
 LANSA (Leveraging Agriculture
for Nutrition in South Asia) is
the effective platform for
partnership

48. Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy (NVA) Fellows
Rural Knowledge Revolution

49. Addressing the occupational hazards of salt workers
Salt workers particularly
women face serious health
problems such as high rate
of cataract, skin ulcers, high
blood pressure, reduced life
span etc.
The Tamil Nadu Government has recently included all salt pan
workers under the Chief Ministers’ Comprehensive Health
Insurance Scheme. This needs to the replicated all over the country.
For example, Andhra Pradesh has over 10,000 registered salt
workers according to the 1998 survey. They need urgent attention.
Picture Source: Google image

50. National Food Security Bill of India, 2013
Goal : To provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to
adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices
Special Features :
o Life Cycle approach with emphasis on the 1000 days of a
child’s life
o The senior most woman in the household will be designated
the Head of the Household from the point of view of food
entitlements
o Enlargement of the Food Basket by including nutri-millets
and other orphan crops in the Public Distribution System
o Entitlement : Every person belonging to priority households
shall be entitled to receive five kilogram of foodgrains per
person per month at subsidised prices.
From Ship to Mouth to Right to Food

51. No Time to Relax : Major Challenges Ahead
o Avoiding Food losses and Food Waste
o Climate change, temperature, precipitation, and
sea level
o Shrinking per capita land and water resources
o Expanding biotic and abiotic stresses
o Adverse cost-risk-return structure of farming
o Market volatility
o Reluctance of youth to take to farming : Lack of
Demographic Dividend

52. Unfinished Adventure : Zero Hunger Challenge
Picture Source: Google image