Gist of Editorials: A Wake-up Call on Proprietary Seeds | GS – III


Relevance :  GS Paper III


Theme of the Article

How India can shift its agriculture from a high-yield ideal to a high-value one.

Why has this issue cropped up?

PepsiCo was suing small farmers in India for growing a potato variety that is used in its Lay’s chips.

The downward spiral of small-scale farming

  • Many small farmers are reliant, directly or indirectly, on proprietary seeds.
  • These seeds are grown in high input environments that erode local biodiversity.
  • High inputs, loss of the skills and social relationships has lowered income, status and dignity.

Are farmers to blame for relying on proprietary seeds?

  • Agricultural extension officers have taught farmers to buy ever-higher-yielding seeds.
  • The Plant Variety Protection law permits farmers to sell seeds to other farmers.

The concern with proprietary seeds

Farmers are adapting to local conditions and traditions in order to use genetically standardized seeds, to ruinous effect.

Time for paradigm shift

  • It may be useful to take a peep into recent regulatory efforts in Europe.
    • The EU encourages the use and marketing for organic agriculture.
    • EU is supporting the creation markets and marketplaces facilitating trade of heterogeneous seeds.

How can India shift its agriculture from a high-yield ideal to a high-value one?

  • First, small farmers must be educated and encouraged in traditional/desi agriculture.
  • Second, an immutable record-keeping system is needed to break the link between the profitable and the proprietary.
  • Third, India’s invaluable traditional ecological knowledge systems need to be revived.

Conclusion

The lawsuit by PepsiCo must be a wake-up call to the government and policymakers for the economic development of Indian farmers and of the entire nation.


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