Location Specific Research: Rice Technology in India

Abstract

By the early 1970s it was realized that the major burden of increasing India's foodgrain production and spreading the gains of agricultural modernization rested on improving rice productivity. Official statistics and numerous studies showed that a major transformation had taken place in wheat, rather than paddy, production (Lockwood, Mukherjee, and Shand 1971; Byres 1972; Dasgupta 1977). Thus by 1971-72, wheat production had reached 26.4 million tons, showing an increase of some 14.4 million tons over 1961-62, or an annual compound growth rate of 8.8% (Vyas 1975). Since 1971-72 wheat production has risen further, to a peak of about 30 million tons in 1977-78. In contrast, total foodgrain output over the period of the fourth five-year plan only rose by 9.6 million tons between 1968-69 and 1973-74, against a target of 31 million tons. Lack of growth in rice supplies was a major contributing factor to this shortfall. Rice showed a growth rate of 1.9% per annum and failed to play the leading role assigned to it in the fourth plan period (Shand 1980). The performance of rice was disappointing in view of the number of highyielding varieties (HYVs) of rice imported and released by AICRIP in India. It subsequently became clear that these introductions did not show the anticipated yield capacity in farmers' fields; in most areas their adoption by farmers was minimal (Byres 1972). During these years, the research effort of India's rice varietal breeding program was focused on evolving a few widely adaptable high yielding varieties, which it was hoped would provide wide-scale coverage throughout the country. This approach did not take adequate account of the full spectrum of agroclimatic conditions, however, that prevail in the vast rice-producing areas of India (PEO-ANU 1977, pp. 37-41). It is possible that early expectations for rice were fashioned by the wheat experience in the sense that, when compared to rice, only a few HYVs were needed to achieve a wide level of area coverage, owing to the comparative ecological and agroclimatic uniformity within the northern wheat belt. Further, the release of Mexican HYVs of wheat to cultivators was preceded by comprehensive testing, field trials, and demonstrations. But, in the case of rice, administrative action preceded development of scientific knowledge. Knowledge concerning the numerous small but crucial changes that need to be introduced in rice agronomy was limited at the time the HYV Programme was initiated in rice, and even today such knowledge is not widespread among extension workers (Swaminathan 1969). This was one of the important reasons for the poor perfor-