The darker side of agricultural intensification - disappearance of autumn or aus rice, entry of HYVs, and implications in terms of environmental sustainability in a ‘Green Revolution' state of eastern India

Abstract

Agricultural intensification riding on the Green Revolution ushered bountiful production of selected staples (rice, wheat, maize) in the developing nations and caused a significant economic growth. It showered a new hope through a package of high-yielding seeds of rice and wheat, laying networks of irrigation and facilitating ground-water usage, over-dependence on agro-chemicals, primarily nitrogenous fertilizers, and broad institutional support that claimed to have changed the trajectory of agricultural growth of India. However, its negative impacts have become apparent now.Looking closely and locally at the eastern state of India, I examine various detrimental effects, in terms of agricultural biodiversity, HYV acceptance, and water, and agrochemical usage. In summarizing, I also analyze the findings in terms of environmental sustainability. The major shrinkage of aus or autumn rice acreage and near extinction of landraces, the establishment of a few high-yielding varieties are a few key changes overly visible in the rice cultivation system of West Bengal state. It has also become heavily dependent on groundwater, nitrogenous fertilizers, and pesticides. The side-effects of indiscriminate use of groundwater took a toll on human health through heavy metal poisoning. Monocropping of HYVs also accelerated a heavy onslaught of pests causing major crop loss. Building on these results, it does not seem to grow endlessly and remain sustainable in the long run. The study reinforces its snowballing vulnerability to climate change endangering food systems.

Keywords

• The green revolution
• HYV
• Autumn rice
• Boro rice
• Groundwater
• Agricultural biodiversity