74 10. GREEN REVOLUTION TECHNOLOGY The term ‘Green Revolution’ has been used to mean two different things. Some experts of agricultural geography use it for referring to a broad transformation of agricultural sector in the developing countries to reduce food shortages. Others use it when referring to the specific plant improvements, notably the development of HYV (High Yielding Varieties). What so ever the meaning of Green Revolution may be taken, the adoption of HYV of wheat and rice has been considered as a significant achievement as it offered great optimism, In fact, these varieties of seeds have revolutionized the agricultural landscape of the developing countries, and thereby the problems of poverty, hunger and undernourishment have been reduced in certain regions of the developing countries. The transformation of West Bengal into a leading State in agriculture in India is the result of the development strategy followed in the state over the last two decades. The development strategy entails the effective implementation of land reform measures and providing crucial non-land inputs like HYV of seeds, fertilizers, irrigation facilities, mechanization, agricultural credit, etc., to the beneficiaries of land reform measures. This has allowed a vast number of rural poor to take up agricultural activities who hitherto were not involved in productive activities. To increase the agricultural production it needs to introduce a new agricultural technology. The modern agricultural technology came into effect in West Bengal in 1970. In 1977-78, only 26 per cent of the total agricultural area of West Bengal used high yielding technology and in 1998-99 it was extended to 90 per cent of the total area 1 . Reference : 1. Budget speech, 2003-04.
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10. GREEN REVOLUTION TECHNOLOGY
The term ‘Green Revolution’ has been used to mean two different things. Some
experts of agricultural geography use it for referring to a broad transformation of
agricultural sector in the developing countries to reduce food shortages. Others use it
when referring to the specific plant improvements, notably the development of HYV
(High Yielding Varieties). What so ever the meaning of Green Revolution may be taken,
the adoption of HYV of wheat and rice has been considered as a significant achievement
as it offered great optimism, In fact, these varieties of seeds have revolutionized the
agricultural landscape of the developing countries, and thereby the problems of poverty,
hunger and undernourishment have been reduced in certain regions of the developing
countries.
The transformation of West Bengal into a leading State in agriculture in India is
the result of the development strategy followed in the state over the last two decades. The
development strategy entails the effective implementation of land reform measures and
providing crucial non-land inputs like HYV of seeds, fertilizers, irrigation facilities,
mechanization, agricultural credit, etc., to the beneficiaries of land reform measures. This
has allowed a vast number of rural poor to take up agricultural activities who hitherto
were not involved in productive activities.
To increase the agricultural production it needs to introduce a new agricultural
technology. The modern agricultural technology came into effect in West Bengal in 1970.
In 1977-78, only 26 per cent of the total agricultural area of West Bengal used
high yielding technology and in 1998-99 it was extended to 90 per cent of the total area1.
Reference : 1. Budget speech, 2003-04.
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10A. High Yielding Seeds
Indian farmers are almost aware of the important of improved seeds in cultivation.
Improved seeds make possible and increase of 10 to 20 per cent in production. But they
generally use seeds of indifferent quality either because the special good quality seeds
kept for sowing purposes are consumed away during the off season or because good seed
better deteriorate through bad storage. The main constraints of acceptance and or
utilization of improved seeds are poor financial condition and lack of technical know-
how of the farmers. To overcome the situation the govt. is going considerable attention to
(a) research conditions (b) larger production and better distribution of quality seeds (c)
provision of adequate credit facilities to enable the farmers to purchase and use quality
seeds, and expansion of irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides which are necessary for efficient
use of quality seeds.
To increase the production of agriculture, the new technology is needed. The high
yielding seeds are one of them. In West Bengal, the govt. is supplying different types of
high yielding seeds for cultivation to the cultivators through Panchayats in every year.
As a result the poor and marginal farmers are benefited and the production is increasing
year after year. The distribution of different seeds through Panchayats has been given
below:
The State Government also provides quality seeds for different crops in minikits
to the poor farmers in the state. In 2002-03, the state supplied 10.96 lakh minikits
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containing seeds of wheat, khosla til, paddy, arhar lentil, mustard, khesary, moong, etc. to
the farmers.1
Distribution of seeds (in qntls.)
Name of the seeds 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97
Vegetable 140275 275244 321600 305000 267600
Pulses 7429 5950 12500 13200 14700
Oil 11621 13250 15525 16525 17625
Jute 18500 18500 18500 18500 18500
Potato 300000 300000 200000 300000 300000
Contd. 97-98 98-99 99-00 2000-01 2001-02
Vegetable 271600 310000 316000 331600 342500
Pulses 14700 14700 15600 15600 16700
Oil 28725 19725 20525 20725 21800
Jute 18500 18500 18500 18500 19750
Potato 322925 362925 362925 374178 385065
Source : Dept. of Agriculture, Govt. of West Bengal
Reference :1. Economic Review, 2003-04, Govt. of West Bengal.
10B. Consumption of Fertilizers
In any method for boosting agricultural output, the use of chemical fertilizers, has
an important role to play. Indian soil through varied and rice in deficient in nitrogen and
phosphorus two plants nutrients which together influence crop return. With more
dependency on agricultural land, the use of larger doses of chemical fertilizers is the only
way to augment our food grains production. The new agricultural strategy in the seventh
plan is oriented towards increasing use of organic manures, both farm yard and rural
compost.
In West Bengal, more than 80 per cent of the land beneficiaries are using
fertilizers and 61.20 per cent utilizing manures for cultivation. Through more than 80 per
cent of the land reforms beneficiaries are using it but they could not use the fertilizers
according to their requirements due to lack of finance. In case of manures, the level of
utilization is low because of one-third of cowdung is not collected and one-third is used
as fuel by the beneficiaries.
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Fertilizer consumption in the state has been rising even though the prices are
increasing. In table 1, the fertilizer consumption per thousand hectares of land is
calculated for the year 1997-98. Then the districts are ranked on the basis of the value of
the ratio NPK/NCA. In per unit hectare of land, the quantum of fertilizer used is the
highest in Purulia followed by Bankura district.
Table 1 : Consumption of Fertilizers in West Bengal by district
Source : Deptt. of Agriculture, Govt. of West Bengal, 2001-02
Reference : 1. Budget speech, West Bengal-2002-03.
10C. West Bengal Fertilizers Market
West Bengal has total area of 8.6 million hectares out of which 5.5 million hectares is
net-cropped area with 171% cropping intensity. Nearly 50 million people are staying in
rural area in 37,910 villages. A large number of towns out of total 379 towns are
agriculture-based. A little more than 50% of state’s income is from Agriculture. It
produces 15% of the total production of rice in the country and is one of the principle rice
growing states in India. Other important crops are Potato, Jute, Oilseeds etc.
The scope for increasing fertiliser consumption in West Bengal is enormous which is
justified by the following facts:
* In last two decades the Agricultural Growth in West Bengal is substantial in All
India Standards.
* Consumption of plant nutrients per unit in West Bengal is 113.7 Kg/Ha where as
in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh these are 171 Kg/Ha and 165.5 Kg/Ha
respectively.
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* In West Bengal only 6 districts account for out of about 18 districts 52 per cent of
the total consumption of fertilisers. Thus, there is immense scope for enhancing
the fertiliser consumption in other districts.
* In addition, the area under irrigation is also expanding, with investments in minor,
medium and major irrigation projects. This will also help increase fertiliser
consumption.
Hence, the fertiliser consumption is expected to grow here substantially. Total
nutrient consumption in West Bengal is 1.232 million tons during 1999-2000. In 1993-94
the total Urea, DAP and MOP consumption were 0.708, 0.2 and 0.175 million tones
respectively. In 1998-99 total Urea, DAP and MOP consumption were 1.02,0.386 and
0.251 million tons respectively, which are growth of 44%, 93% and 43% respectively.
Kharif(crop sown in monsoon):Rabi (crop sown in autumn/winter) share in total fertiliser
consumption is around 35:65. Total number of sale points increased by 1219 during the
year from 35,546 during 1999-2000 to 36,765 during 2000-01. The private sector had 92
per cent share in total number of sale points in the state during 2000-01 as against 8 per
cent in the cooperative and other institutional channels at the end of 2000-01.
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10D. Extension of irrigation system
Water is indispensable to agricultural production. In areas where rainfall is
plentiful and well distributed over the years, there is no problem of water. But in certain
areas rainfall is very scanty as well as uncertain. In these areas, artificial irrigation is
absolutely essential, for without it, cultivation is almost impossible. In these regions,
provision of irrigation will facilitate growing of more than one crop in the year. There are
certain food crops like paddy, wheat etc. which require abundant regular and continuous
supply of water is essential in order to protect various regions from famines and to ensure
double if possible, triple cropping and rapid increase in agricultural production.
The rapid spread of irrigation in this State has also been one of the reasons for the
growth of agricultural production, particularly of rabi and summer crops. The growth of
agriculture in West Bengal during the Left Front period is due to spread of irrigation
facilities in rural Bengal (Ref: James K. Boyce, agrarian impasse in Bengal). The State
Govt.’s main objective has been to provide irrigation support to the poor smaller farmers.
As minor irrigation facilities can be land holding, specific, the State Govt. relies on the
spread of minor irrigation for ensuring irrigation support to the poor farmers. The
ultimate minor irrigation potential in the sate is 44.34 lakh hectares through ground water
and surface water sources.
The increase of food grain production, production capacity and density depends
upon irrigation. So, much importance has been given to the irrigation system to its
extension. The village employment is linked with the extension of irrigation system. Thus
every year approximately 1.5 lakh hectare additional lands are brought under the
irrigation system. In West Bengal after 1977, the total land under irrigation has extended
from 30 per cent to 52 per cent till to-date. Compared to other states as Punjab, Haryana
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etc. this percentage is insufficient. After 1977, four major and 26 medium irrigation
projects were under taken in West Bengal. Apart from this the “Teesta irrigation project”,
the biggest in total eastern region has progressed satisfactorily.
The extension of cultivation into the dry season was made possible by the supply
of two essential inputs : irrigation and fertilisers. Boro, as a matter of fact, is a less risky
crop than aus and aman which are grown during the wet season, since its water
requirements can be managed.
Irrigation coverage includes the irrigation sources created by the government
departments and the installations taken up through private initiatives. The spread of
irrigation potential is a major plank of the development strategy of the state government.
The thrust of the state government is on the growth of minor irrigation potential. The
underlying reason is that “minor irrigation has higher utilization of potential created than
larger irrigation systems and because it is also land holding specific” (Economic Review,
Govt. of West Bengal, 1994-95). From the “Profile of Districts” published by the Centre
for Monitoring Indian Economy in October 2000, the data of gross irrigated area as
percentage of gross cropped in the year 1995 is taken up and presented in table -1. The
districts are ranked on the basis of the percentage coverage.
Table-I Gross Irrigated area as percentage of Gross Cropped Area
(1995)
Sl. No. District Percentage Rank
1. Burdwan 47.17 1
2. Birbhum 30.18 2
3. Bankura 16.22 7
4. Midnapore 11.62 8
5. Howrah 8.90 9
6. Hooghly 27.84 3
7. 24-Pgs(n) 22.85 4
8. 24-Pgs(S) 3.14 13
9. Nadia 17.19 6
10. Murshidabad 20.22 5
11. Uttar Dinajpur 5.17 11
12. Dakshin Dinajpur 5.17 11
13. Malda 8.29 10
14. Jalpaiguri 0.24 16
15. Darjeeling 3.40 12
16. Coochbehar 2.96 14
17. Purulia 1.27 15
Source : Profile of Districts, Published by CMIE, October 2000.
The provision of adequate irrigation facilities is a priority area of the State
Government. The Economic Review, 2000-2001 of the State Government notes, “While
expanding the irrigation potential available in the State, the State Government has paid
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particular attention to the spread of minor irrigation facilities”. The emphasis on
development of minor irrigation is made because minor irrigation facilities have better
record of utilization of potential created than larger irrigation systems and minor
irrigation facilities can be land holding specific ensuring easier provision of irrigation to
the target group (Economic Review, 2000-2001, Govt. of West Bengal).
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10E. Mechanization
Modern farming tools and technology like tractors, threshers and sprayers are also
imperative for the successful cultivation of HYV. These varieties, as stated at the outset,
require elaborate arrangements of canal and tubewell irrigation. Rising of three and four
crops from the same field in one year is possible only if modern technology is available
to the farmer. The traditional plough and bullockcarts are less efficient to finish the
agricultural operations on time. Enormous machinery, like tractors, threshers, sparayers,
tillers, chaff cutters, pumping sets etc., are required for the timely operations of sowing,
weeding, spraying and harvesting of HYV. The mechanization of agriculture also helps in
the judicious utilization of complementary inputs like irrigation water, chemical
fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. For example, a farmer, having a tractor and blade
terracer manages to grade his field to a much better level in the course of time as
compared to a farmer not having the similar sources of power and equipments at his
disposal. The proper grading and leveling of fields helps in reducing water losses, and
economize on labour required for irrigation. Among many useful aids which increase the
efficiency of the farmers are seed-cum-fertilizer drill, well designed plant protection
equipments, dunlopcarts, trolley, threshers, sprayers and tractors. Availability of electric
power which is the nucleous of all technological development is imperative for multiple
cropping under the HYV programme. As a matter of fact, electric power has a vital role
in the development and extension of HYV. It supplies the mechanical power to tubewells,
pumping sets, threshers, crushers, grinders and chaff cutters.
In West Bengal, the capitalist farming is growing year after year. The Govt. also
encouraging the farmers specially the poor farmers to use the technology to increase the
productivity and for this purpose the Government has also arranged to agricultural credit
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to the farmers. Below the table shows the agricultural machineries and implements in
West Bengal.
Agricultural machineries and implements in West Bengal-2002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Seed cum ferti- Seed Chaff Thresher Disc Wheel Seed cum Seed
