The Indian Green Revolution was a period of agricultural transformation in India that began in the 1960s and '70s. It was a period of great change and progress, and it was made possible by the tireless efforts of agricultural scientist and humanitarian Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, better known as MS Swaminathan. On September 28, 2020, Swaminathan passed away at the age of 98. This article is a tribute to him and his immense contribution to India's Green Revolution.
Father of Green Revolution
Swaminathan's journey towards becoming the "Father of the Green Revolution" was deeply influenced by the Bengal famine of 1942-43. The famine claimed the lives of millions, and it served as a grim reminder of the vulnerability of India's agricultural sector. Determined to find a way to prevent such devastating famines in the future, Swaminathan embarked on a career in agriculture and genetics.
Swaminathan began his career in 1949, conducting research on the genetics of crops such as potatoes, wheat, rice, and jute. He pursued his studies at the Agriculture College in Coimbatore and was later afforded the opportunity to study at educational institutions in Europe and the United States. In 1954, he joined the Central Rice Research Institute in Cuttack, where he focused on transferring genes for fertilizer response from Japonica varieties to Indica varieties.
At the time of India's independence, the nation's agriculture sector was struggling. Productivity was low, and modernization was desperately needed. India became heavily reliant on imports to fulfill the demand for staple foods. Swaminathan recognized the need for improvement and sought collaborations with international scientists to introduce new agricultural practices. He contacted American scientist Norman Borlaug, who had successfully developed dwarfing genes in his spring wheat varieties in Mexico. These varieties were better suited to India's environment, and this collaboration marked the beginning of the "Wheat Revolution." To commemorate this achievement, Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, released a special stamp.
High yielding Varieties
The Green Revolution, with its focus on increasing agricultural productivity, was a game-changer for India. Swaminathan and his team worked tirelessly to develop high-yielding varieties of crops, such as paddy and wheat. These varieties helped empower low-income farmers by increasing their yields and ensuring food security for the nation. Swaminathan's work on developing high-yield variety seeds of wheat was especially significant, as it helped India avert a mass famine.
While the Green Revolution achieved great success in increasing agricultural yields, it also faced some criticisms. One of the main criticisms was that it primarily benefited already prosperous farmers in states with higher productivity. Swaminathan was quick to recognize these issues and became an advocate for farmers' rights. As early as January 1968, he recommended that the Minimum Support Price at which farmers sell their crops to the government should be at least 50 percent more than the weighted average cost of production. This recommendation aimed to ensure that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their agricultural produce.
For his contributions to the development and promotion of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties in India, Swaminathan was awarded the first World Food Prize Laureate in 1987. Following this recognition, he established the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Taramani, Chennai. The foundation continues to work on various aspects of sustainable agriculture and rural development to improve the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities in India.
Recognition and Positions
In addition to the World Food Prize, Swaminathan received numerous international awards and honors throughout his career. These include the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971, the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 1991, and the Four Freedoms Award in 2000, among many others. He was also conferred with prestigious awards from countries such as the Order of the Golden Heart of the Philippines, the Order of Agricultural Merit of France, the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands, and the Royal Order of Sahametrei of Cambodia. His contributions were globally recognized, with China awarding him the Award for International Co-operation on Environment and Development.
Swaminathan held several important positions during his career, including Director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) from 1961 to 1972, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education from 1972 to 1979, and Director General of the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines from 1982 to 1988. He also chaired the National Commission on Farmers in 2004, which presented a report in 2006 on addressing farmer distress and proposing fair prices for agricultural produce.
Swaminathan's contributions extended beyond India. He played a significant role in various international agricultural and environmental initiatives and left a lasting impact on global agricultural research and development. In recognition of his efforts, he was featured in Time magazine's list of the '20 Most Influential Asian People of the 20th Century' along with icons such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.
Conclusions
With the passing of MS Swaminathan, we bid farewell to a visionary, a humanitarian, and a pioneer in the field of agriculture. His legacy will continue to live on through the Indian Green Revolution, ensuring food security and improved livelihoods for generations to come. As we look back on his remarkable contributions, we are reminded of the power of science, innovation, and compassion in transforming societies and lifting communities out of poverty.
No comments:
Post a Comment