IE: Echoing the Green Revolution: January 09, 2009

For a country seeking a second Green Revolution, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) offers hope and promise of rich dividends.

With India’s GDP posting a growth of 7.9 per cent in the third quarter of this fiscal, it appears that the overall economy is back on a track of accelerating growth. Yet the brighter outlook cannot quell a nagging unease at the negative performance of the farm sector battered by widespread drought followed by floods in two states.

Propelling agriculture onto a high growth trajectory is imperative for inclusive growth. With almost 60 per cent of population deriving its livelihood from land, a poorly performing farm sector, in the midst of an accelerating broader economy, will widen the rural-urban divide and further marginalise the rural poor.

While the first Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s proved to be a double-edged sword, impressively boosting agricultural productivity, yet raising serious misgivings about its sustainability, a Second Green Revolution piggy-backing on MNREGS will be mindful of past mistakes, safeguard natural resources and ensure equitable rewards from agricultural growth. This could well be an “evergreen revolution” or “doubly green revolution”.

In its four years of implementation, MNREGS has sprouted enough green shoots for a fruitful alliance with agricultural development strategies. Five elements, germane to MNREGS, can create an enabling environment to usher in the next Green Revolution, more sustainable than its earlier cousin.

First, recharge of groundwater aquifers, improvement of soil fertility and conservation of biodiversity lie at the heart of MNREGS. Work priorities are mandated under the legislation. Consequently, water conservation, water harvesting, drought-proofing, flood protection, land development and afforestation together account for over 80 percent of all activities undertaken on both public and private lands.

The recent expansion of the scope of MNREGS to include works on the lands of small and marginal farmers is a strategic step towards increasing irrigation potential and drought-proofing small-holder agriculture in rainfed areas. Land development practices reduce soil erosion and loss of organic matter. This constant rejuvenation of the natural resource base through MNREGS is a paradigm shift from the earlier Green Revolution where yield increases came at the cost of groundwater aquifers and soil health.

Second, convergence of MNREGS with other development programmes increases durability and productivity of assets. It also suggests a larger role for conservation style agriculture which includes the use of stress-tolerant, climate-resilient varieties of seeds, drip irrigation, zero-tillage, raised-bed planting and systems of rice intensification. This improves water-use efficiency, optimising productivity per unit of water, thereby producing ‘more crop per drop’.

Large number of water bodies being restored and renovated, village tanks being deepened and de-silted, farm ponds being constructed — all create major potential for aquaculture as a means of improved nutrition and income generation. A pond-based farming technology for rainfed waterlogged areas, integrating rice and fish cultivation, raises water productivity and net returns to the farmer.

Contrasted with the wheat-rice led Green Revolution, a latter day productivity boosting regime synergised by MNREGS will be characterised by diversified farming systems, more suitable to rainfed areas. Less water-intensive crops such as pulses and oilseeds, coarse cereals, dryland horticulture, agro-forestry, fodder and pasture development are likely to gain as a result. Diversification will be the hallmark of such a Green Revolution.

Third, MNREGS has its maximum impact in the rainfed areas. The first phase 200 districts are primarily rainfed where single cropping leaves the small-holders unemployed or severely under-employed for a significant part of the year. Market wage rates prevailing are usually lower than the MNREGS wage. Hence workers turn out in large numbers for MNREGS works. Of the nearly 4 crore households provided employment in 620 districts so far this year, nearly half are in the first phase 200 districts. Moreover, of the 25 lakh households who have completed 100 days of employment, 50 per cent are in these districts. More than half the total expenditure of Rs. 20,000 crore so far has been spent here.

Contrasted with the earlier Green Revolution, which by-passed the rainfed areas, the next Green Revolution following on the heels of MNREGS could bring about major productivity transformation in the rainfed areas.

Fourth, through its sheer size and scale, MNREGS can positively influence the farm sector by injecting sizable public investment on both community and private lands. The estimated expenditure under MNREGS in 2009-10 is Rs. 45,000 crore. Public investment of this order on an annual basis will boost gross capital formation, which in turn will further induce private investment. The gross public capital formation in agriculture in 2007-08 was Rs. 33,350 crore . Dug wells on farmers’ fields constructed under MNREGS have led to private purchase of water-lifting devices, farm equipment, quality seed and planting material. A more dramatic increase in gross capital formation as a result of MNREGS can be expected.

Fifth, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) play a pivotal role in implementing the MNREGS. There is a major role also for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in awareness generation, capacity building and catalysing convergence. The setting up of the Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras in every village panchayat as a Knowledge and Resource Centre with an ICT and e-governance hub under MNREGS will empower the rural community through information access. PRIs, CSOs and ICT enabled services will bolster the official agriculture extension machinery of the state governments, which has seriously weakened over the years. Participatory processes, transparency and accountability in rural governance are being strengthened by the MNREGS.

In an era of technological optimism, a second Green Revolution enabled by MNREGS is within reach, which will be more sustainable than the earlier one. States, especially those with predominance of rainfed farming, need to recognise the opportunities unleashed by MNREGS. Agriculture production strategies cleverly crafted can forge unique synergies for improving the individual and collective livelihoods of the poor. It is time for Lakshmi, that fickle goddess of wealth, to turn her eye towards the bottom of the rural pyramid.

The writer is secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development. Views expressed are personal.