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Hybrid pigeonpea seed technology beneficial, opine smallholder farmers
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Monday, 03 February, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d At the recent review meeting on hybrid pigeonpea seed production [held at the headquarters of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad], over 70 smallholder farmers and seed producers from six states (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat) collectively endorsed and recognised the contribution of the hybrid in achieving food and nutrition security, resilience and improved livelihood.
The hybrids, which are the first in the world for any legume, are the result of ICRISAT’s crop improvement efforts. Despite facing challenges such as resource scarcity, climate change and degradation of soil fertility, farmers cultivating the hybrids in the aforemenitoned states reported a significant increase in pigeonpea yields. A medium-duration ICRISAT hybrid, ICPH 2740, demonstrated 38 per cent higher yields than other local varieties.
Pigeonpea is one of the five mandate crops of ICRISAT extensively grown by resource-poor farmers in the semi-arid tropical nations of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The others are sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea and groundnut). Besides these, they also cultivate six varieties of small millets. ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. The activity was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Programme on Grain Legumes.
The meeting
Seed producers, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and scientists also attended the meeting, aimed at formulating a road map to expand pigeonpea production in India. Answering the challenge of producing more food to meet the demands of a growing population, ICRISAT raised its target to achieve a pigeonpea yield of five tonne/hectare by developing the high-yielding hybrids, which are expected to help smallholder farmers maximise their returns and secure their food and nutritional needs.
“We want prosperity for smallholder farmers. Our aim is to enable them to create wealth for themselves and their communities and fuel the engines of economic growth of nations. Hybrid pigeonpea technology has great potential to lift millions of farmers in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa out of the hunger trap. We have the means, science and technology, and most importantly, a strong will to achieve our targets and efficiently serve the interests of the agricultural community,” ICRISAT’s director general William Dar said.
The scientists at Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University’s (ANGRAU) Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Tandur (in Andhra Pradesh’s Ranga Reddy district) reported a pigeonpea yield of nearly three tonne/hectare in their on-station fields using the ICPH 2740 hybrid. C Sudhakar, senior scientist at the research station, said, “We have experienced a significant increase in production and now we hope to harness the full potential of ICPH 2740 using resourceful management practices.”
M V Nagesh Kumar, principal scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Palem, briefed the participants on the strategies for the large-scale seed production of hybrid pigeonpea. The experience of Gurubhagawan Reddy, a farmer from Vasantapuram, a remote village in Mahabubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, could be cited as an example for ICRISAT’s inclusive market-oriented development IMOD) strategy, which lays emphasis on progress from subsistence agriculture to profit-oriented agriculture.
He managed to sell his pigeonpea hybrid seed at Rs 12,000 (approximately $190) per 100kg. “I am extremely happy with the results. To increase the chances of cross-pollination, I have been cultivating sunflowers around my farm as suggested by ICRISAT scientists. It boosted my production and income as well,” he said. K B Saxena, principal scientist, pigeonpea breeding, ICRISAT, stated that institute must reach farmers on a larger scale and encourage them to take to pigeonpea cultivation.
“Pigeonpea has the potential to secure the future of global food production, and hybrid technology would be the catalyst in the process,” he added. A Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, RARS’ associate director of research, said training would be imparted to smallholder farmers on pigeonpea cultivation in the coming months. Ravinder Raju, manager (production), Andhra Pradesh State Seed Development Corporation (APSSDC), appreciated ICRISAT scientists’ role in producing hybrid pigeonpea seeds.
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