Hybrid Technology: Taas founder Dr. R.S. Paroda explains the myths and facts of hybrid technology

Dr. R.S. Paroda explained in detail the myths related to hybrid technology and its need. Dr. Paroda is an agricultural scientist as well as the founder president of Taas. He has also been the director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. In a conversation with Kisan of India, he gave detailed information about hybrid technology. He also gave information on issues like BT cotton, GM mustard.

Nowadays everyone is talking about hybrid technology and organic farming, both these technologies are important for the development of agriculture. But without hybrid technology, it will not be possible to feed the growing population of the country.

In such a situation, Dr. R.S. Paroda explained in detail the myths related to hybrid technology and its need. Dr. Paroda is an agricultural scientist as well as the founder president of Taas. He has also been the director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Higher Yields From Hybrid Technology

Dr. R.S. Paroda says that in today’s time, farmers have to increase production by reducing costs and connect with the market so that income can increase. For this, such technology is needed which can increase their production so that other input costs can be reduced. Hybrid technology is beneficial for them.

This technology gives 20-30 percent more yield than traditional technology. Also, it has been successful in dry areas and gives good yield. Hybrid varieties of sorghum, millet, maize, sunflower, mustard etc. give good yield even in less water.

He says that if good seeds of hybrid crops are properly delivered to the farmers, then not only the farmers will benefit but the country will also benefit from higher yield.

Advantages of Hybrid Seeds

Dr. Paroda tells that when the hybrid seed of BT cotton came, its cultivation was done in about 7 million hectares which later increased to 12 hectares. The area of ​​BT cotton increased by about 95 percent. Farmers started planting BT cotton instead of jowar and bajra. What happened was that earlier we used to import it, but after the arrival of hybrid variety, we started exporting it, so this is the wonder of technology.

Dr. Paroda further tells that the production of hybrid variety of maize is 7-10 tons in winter in Bihar, earlier not even one ton could be produced. In Rajasthan also, farmers want to cultivate hybrid crops only. Hybrid seeds have to be bought every year, due to which the cost may increase a little but the yield is more and other costs are reduced.

Need to provide seeds to all farmers

Dr. Paroda says why not promote this technology and provide its seeds to all farmers. Under this technology, maize is cultivated in 60 percent area, BT cotton covers 95 percent while 40-50 percent hybrid is being used in jowar and millet. So why not increase it to 100 percent.

Private seed sector also needs to be promoted to make hybrid seeds and provide them to farmers. Also, GST should not be imposed on the seeds that farmers are getting so that more and more farmers can buy it. He says that when his institute came up with the New Seed Policy, the private sector came forward.

Private sector needs to be promoted for more seed production. Apart from this, he says that his institute also works to convey to the government what are the new possibilities in the agriculture sector and what new policies should be there for it. Also, it is important to provide correct information to farmers because many times farmers do not know what is good for them.

Prime Minister inaugurated 109 varieties

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 109 hybrid varieties. Regarding this, Dr. Paroda says that all these are biofortified, that is, they are good for nutritional security. But its benefits will be available only when people get information about it, seeds of new varieties will be made and a pricing policy will be made for it. People should also know the difference in the quality of crops, only then they will be ready to spend more for good quality.

Are GM Varieties Harmful To Health?

Many people feel that these GM varieties are harmful to health. Regarding this, Dr. Paroda says that if this had happened, then today 200 million hectares of area would not have been under BT crops in the whole world. Also, countries like Brazil, Japan, Australia, Canada would not have been taking it. BT soybean is being imported here, whose oil is being used.

Till date, no one has complained about it nor has any negative report come. There is just a mindset that it is bad. He says that if you have money and you can buy good organic products, then it is fine. In organic, the yield is less, so the products are expensive. But the majority of the country’s population cannot take it and neither is its production so high. 

Dr. Paroda says that we have to increase the production in our country, because our population is increasing, every year we are creating a new Australia, in such a situation, fertilizer security will have to be ensured, how will we feed the increasing population.

If we had said that we are happy with the old technology and varieties, would the Green Revolution have happened? Would it have been possible to ensure food security? There was opposition to this at that time too, but today everyone is silent. We have to keep an open mindset.

ICAR’s varieties do not reach the farmers

Dr. Paroda says that ICAR releases many new varieties every year but they are not able to reach the farmers. For this, there is a need for coordination with the private sector. Because scientists will develop good varieties, but it is not their job to deliver it to the farmers.

This work will have to be done by the university or the private sector. For this, there is a need to take forward the public-private partnership.

What needs to be done for marketing

For a good income, it is important to connect farmers directly to the market, otherwise middlemen will continue to exploit them. Dr. Paroda says that for this, farmers will have to join FPO or the government should take such measures so that farmers can directly connect to the market.

Also ask the companies to produce seeds and deliver them to the farmers. It is also important to give information to farmers about which variety is suitable for their area. Dr. Paroda says that to move forward in the agriculture sector, it is very important to connect the youth to this sector.

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