In India, warming climate pressures scientists to keep developing tougher seeds

Article content

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Unexpected rains and rising heat are only making life more difficult for residents of Rayanpet, a village in arid southern India. It is also negatively affecting thousands of acres of rice grown here.

B said. Ravinder Reddy, a former soldier who took up farming on his family’s land 16 years ago: “We knew when it would rain and for how long, and we would plant our seeds accordingly.” “Now it has become unpredictable and many times the seeds do not germinate either due to heavy rainfall or complete drought.”

Article content

Fortunately for Reddy, agricultural research organizations in India have been working for years to engineer rice seeds that can better withstand climate fluctuations. He has been experimenting with new varieties for the past five years and said they give better yields with less water and are more resistant to disease.

“I planted them in a quarter of my 25-acre field because there is still demand for the older varieties, but I think we will only be using these hardier seeds in a few years,” Reddy said.

India is one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of wheat and rice. Research organizations here, like their counterparts around the world, have long worked to produce seeds that increase yields, tolerate drought or resist plant diseases. It’s a growing need as climate change leads to more extreme and unpredictable weather.

According to a United Nations report released earlier this year, more than 700 million people suffered from hunger last year, and more than a third of the world’s population is unable to afford a healthy diet, increasing the urgent need for resilient seeds that… It can produce food reliably. Aside from India, other programmes, including a US government program and privately funded projects, are helping to develop climate-resilient crops in Africa, Central America and other Asian countries.

Article content

Article content

Since India is among the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, these new seeds are essential to ensure that it produces enough food for its people as well as for export.

Defense against climate shocks

As climate change intensifies, India’s nearly 120 million farmers – most of whom own less than 5 acres of land – see their livelihoods threatened by erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and increasing pest infestations.

Some are turning to so-called natural agriculture — techniques such as using natural fertilizers and planting crops alongside trees and other plants that can protect crops from wind, erosion and some extreme weather — to deal with climate change. But this could mean lower productivity, and the Indian federal government is working to encourage the use of climate-resilient seeds that do not affect crops.

Experts say that increased groundwater salinity, heavy rains over short periods, prolonged drought, and even high temperatures at night can affect rice seeds.

“We really need these seeds to deal with these multiple issues caused by global warming,” said Ashok Kumar Singh, former director of the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute and a scientist specializing in plant genetics and breeding. Singh oversaw the creation of several successful rice varieties resistant to various plant pests and diseases. His organization, with funding from the federal Department of Agriculture, has released more than 2,000 climate-resilient seeds in the past decade.

Article content

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 109 climate-resilient seeds across crops that included cereals, pulses and oilseeds like groundnut. India’s federal government has announced plans to ensure that at least 25% of the country’s paddy land is planted with climate-resilient seeds in the upcoming ‘kharif’ or winter cropping season.

“We are dealing with multiple stressors, including heat and disease resistance,” said Janella Pasupuleti of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, based in Hyderabad. This approach not only stabilizes yields, but also enhances the nutritional quality of crops, benefiting farmers and consumers alike, Pasupuleti said.

Logistical issues that need to be resolved

Even as scientists produce climate-resilient seeds on a regular basis, making sure the seeds reach as many farmers as possible is crucial.

said Aditi Mukherjee, Director of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and author of several UN climate reports.

Article content

Mukherjee pointed out that the green revolution in agriculture in India, which took place in the 1960s when agriculture was modernized to ensure food security and increase the productivity of food grains such as wheat and rice across the country, succeeded because these services were available and well coordinated by the state. And the federal governments at that time.

Agricultural scientists also say more funding is needed for research and development, equivalent to at least 1% of agricultural GDP, said Singh, the agricultural scientist.

In Rayyanbet village, Reddy is preparing to plant rice seeds for the winter season in a few weeks, and says he hopes to expand the area that gets climate-resilient seeds.

“It is good to keep trying new seeds because after some time, they will all face some problem or the other. If the government can also ensure that we get good prices for our crops after the harvest, that would help farmers like us a lot,” he said.

___

Follow Sibi Arasu on X on ↕sibi123 ___

AP’s climate and environment coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with charities, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas on AP.org.

Article content