Second Green Revolution

Recent media reports suggest that Government of India is seriously considering for a concerted program on second green revolution in India.
 Recently, PMO’S suggested (news alert) for ushering the resources for second green revolution is the proven facts of the matter. It is suggested that in the proposed program of second green revolution, main theme will be on oilseeds and pulses crops.
 Another interesting fact is eastern part of the country will be thrust area for ushering the second green revolution. People of the region are naturally and eagerly waiting for that to happen.

In first green revolution of India, food grain crops especially wheat had played an important role for ushering the first green revolution and this has had prolonged effect till now.
 It is for the fact that food grain production in India has almost reached ultimate goal although there were contrasting picture of un-even distribution or pattern of production optimization of food grain crops.

Now, the proposed program of giving central theme to the oil seeds and pulses crops naturally deserves the attention in the perspective of present trends of production and import dependency of edible oil.

Although, special emphasis would be given to the eastern part but pan India like movement is expected.

As far as eastern region covering north eastern region is concerned, it is relevant to mention that oil seeds and pulses crops alone will not be an area of exploration especially in north eastern India because in these region excepting the Brahmaputra River basin of Assam and Loktak region of Manipur, maximum area is under hilly region so, ushering the proposed themes of oilseed and pulses crops alone may not yield good result in the region.
 Here, in the north eastern region, a composite approach covering all suitable crops for hilly regions will be very much fruitful.

This second green revolution is expected to be initiated in the 12^th five year plan starting form 2012-13 onwards.
 However, it may also appropriate to mention that along with the visionary idea of second green revolution, one more important aspect that is development of agricultural infrastructure should also be considered to prevent the post harvest loss and channeling the product for proper distribution and marketing of agriculture produce by the farmers of the country and, another aspect that should also be given a chance is capacity building of the farmers.

It is expected that, with the good works of the agricultural scientists and other functionaries and guidance  of the  eminent Agriculture Scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan who played leading role in first green revolution, this country would surely achieve the desired objective of second green revolution.

Bird flu: the Avian Influenza in Resurgence mode

     Before, I begin with, although in blink memory but deep impacting, which influenced my inner mind are sorry face of one Afghan old woman, who was helplessly experiencing her green poppy field being destroyed by the Afghan army and another picture, a lady of same age as referred above was crying on seeing her hens were being hand picked by the Government officials for culling.

    In the former case, it was choice of option that had created mental distort to the Afghan lady and in latter case, it was choice of situation that had to play the role.
    But, both the situation gave me lots of emotional thinking may be it could be realization of the facts that difficulties to raise crops in Afghanistan with the sparsely distributed rain and another is usefulness, the hens play important role  in uplifting  rural economic development.
   If both the cases are seen through the prism, anyone could realize the matter of facts more humanly.

   Coming to the point of discussion that is “the resurgence of bird flu”; Avian Influenza. The United Nations warns (Health Buzz) that Bird flu is making comeback and it is the virus that infect birds and so is human being.
    Though it was reported that appearance of Bird flu has been declining since its appearance in the  middle of the 2003 but news report re-iterates, it is making its way again.
    Usually, what happens is, wild bird that is migratory birds often spreads this contagious and dangerous virus in virus free countries and contaminates the local fowl.
     It is reported that this virus has changed itself for more infliction that is precisely the Mutant strain – news report indicates that it has killed people in the Asia.
    With this mutant strain, it is most likely that the countries like Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam could be affected in this resurgence.

   This new strain was first detected in China and Vietnam As far as its infection mechanism is concerned, the virus is spread through wild migratory bird to local fowl or poultry and then people who keeps continuous activities in the poultry farm.
    However, human to human spread is reported to be rare and the risk is people working in the poultry farm.
    United Nations had already urged for more surveillance and preventive measure for tackling the situation. Virologist form Hong Kong University opined that the mutant strain that has been recently detected in the China and Vietnam is vaccine resistant and it may spread in Asia and beyond.

   The new mutant strain is called H5NI-2.3.2.1 and it is reported to be more virulent compare to its predecessor.

      Virologist Malik Peiris said that “There is a human H5N1 vaccine candidate that is a (WHO) recommended vaccine” another section opined that it doesn’t confer full protection against new variant.

     It is further reported that H5N1 can kill up to 60% of people infected. Symptoms of Bird flu infected people may exhibits; fever, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, eye infection it can also cause pneumonia, severe respiratory problem and succumbing to death.

     Although WHO (30/08/11) does not buy the argument the new mutant strain is more virulent and can cause increased risk to human being “ evolution of H5N1 avian influenza virus does not increase risk to public health”.

   Recently, this virus has again made appearance in Nadia, West Bengal, India (T.O.I, 22/09/11) and state Government has already started culling the hens & ducks across 13 villages of Nadia in 3(three) KM radius and earmarked 10(ten) KM radius areas for prevention.
   The interesting matter is that the Government has just declared on 4^th July, 2011 that now it is virus free but sudden re-appearance has only created very tumultus affects on the very statement.
    In India, memory is still afresh as the matter of the fact that during 2006, this virus had caused huge loss to the people and Government.
   Many Poultry farm of Southern India like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu had to suffer a lot due to such pandemic affects that virus had created.

    Another aspect of the matter is this virus may strike surrounding states and neighboring Bangladesh very soon if corrective measures are not taken in time.
   In Tripura, it appeared on February- March, 2011 and it was the last time it appeared in India. At that time culling of birds had been done by the State Government; this has virtually diminished local hens in the villages.
    So the time has come for the people and the State Government to be more careful and take preventive steps for further resurgence of deadly avian flu in the state.

    In Tripura, people have to be more careful because the porous international boundary, if poultry product let alone the migratory birds are imported without maintaining the proper quarantine measures, it would surely result in the rural economy and health hazard.

 So, keep vigilant and take prevention.

Seismic Warning: North –Eastern India

On 18^th September, 2011 in Indian time, a shock wave has temporarily stopped the festive moods of the people of north-eastern region of India. On that day, earth quake of 6.8 magnitudes in the Richter scale has created fear and frustration to the people of the region.
 This mild as said by the Indian meteorological department has affected parts of north-eastern regions of India and also neighboring Bangladesh and Nepal.  

Indian meteorological department has said that the centre of Geological disturbance or focus point of this earth quake was approximately 10 Kilometer below the earth surface of Indo (Sikkim) Nepal border.

This nature’s wrath has ceased 66 lives majority from Sikkim followed by West Bengal and Bihar. In Sikkim, this earth quake has devastated the people by damaging lives & Properties. The maximum affect has been recorded in the small state of north eastern state; Sikkim.

It has reminded the people of the north-eastern region being under the seismic zone- V to be more careful enough.
 North–Eastern states of India lies in the foot hills of the mighty Himalaya which is known as the young fold mountain in the world, because unlike any other mountain, it is still growing.

North-eastern states being hilly region with very sensitive geo-topographical position could be prone to the huge damage by the earth quakes. The regions as already declared as seismic prone zone by Seismologist should be more careful in tackling any such eventualities.

The Government has already taken pro-active steps to counter any such eventualities in future by framing the state wide Disaster Management Co-ordination mechanisms and creating awareness to the people.

In the schools also, disaster management a chapter has been dedicated completely for understanding the disaster caused due to flood, earth quakes, fire and tsunami etc.

But, despite these, still there is a loophole in spreading the awareness amongst the people of the region. Special stress must be given to these regions because people of these region being the native of hilly terrain dwells in the house constructed in the sloppy hills due to lack of plain area.
 And, these are the most vulnerable groups that could be the first target of any such eventualities.

So, the Government should come out with a strategic and more convincing model for the people of the regions otherwise lives of the regions will be in danger.

Another vulnerable point is people of the region construct houses using locally available material like mud and these surely, would not withstand even few points more magnitudes which recently had created these entire problem.

Business with real humanity.

Till date the year 2011 had the witnessed many unforeseeable incidence which pained the mankind to a great extent.
 In recent time, our fellow brothers and sisters had to undergo a great mental and physical agony by losing their near and dear and witnessing their hard earned belonging destroyed in no time.

Japan, a country till now has been adjusting the nature’s wrath had met an un-precedent and non-predictable TSUNAMI of the century. This tsunami had diminished the bustling coastal region of Japan into a virtual junkie.
 The bustling town with magnificent structure had been de-established all including hugely protected nuclear reactor bringing the problem to the un-surmountable proportion.

Thousands of acres of agriculture land had been destroyed and diluted with salt carried by the towering water wave of the Japanese sea. It is reported that more than 58,000 acres of paddy land became non-suitable for paddy cultivation.
 It was further reported that this tsunami had brought loss to the tune of 4 billion US Dollar. People of the region become homeless and jobless.

The state requested international help for re-construction of the region and hence many reliefs started pouring.

In recent reports, Japanese corporate houses, companies have come forward and extended help in reviving the region and bringing back the agriculture farming and job creation for the people.
 The huge tracks of agriculture land which become non-suitable for paddy cultivation due to salt accumulation has been tried differently for productive purposes. It is reported that cotton is salt tolerant so, Japanese farmers with help of the Government and other concerned agencies have started cultivation of cotton crops in salt soaked paddy field.
 Many agencies have freely distributed the cotton seeds to the farmers. Different corporate houses of the country have come out and working hand in hand with the government for reviving the region devastated by the tsunami.
 These corporate houses have given commitment to procure the cotton from the region and this is part of their corporate social responsibility program. All these efforts would definitely help in reconstruction of heavily ravaged region by the tsunami.

This nature’s furry has been reported from India and America too. In India, a huge tracts of lands had been inundated by the flood water due to heavy down pour, heavily damaged the crops and other properties of the people.
 This short of problem creates lots of burden to the farming communities which is causing or de-establishing sometimes permanently asset created by the people.

In America too, IRENE has created lots of havoc to the people. TV news reflected a horrific scene of IRENE, a well built house flying like card house.
 This has greatly damaged the people and the country. In such situation, if we all participate voluntarily and help in re-building then the people and nation can recover very effectively.

It is expected that in America also different corporate houses however the economic state of affairs have come forward and contributed to the people and the nation.
 As the saying by the legendary industrialist “Whatever has come or earned has gone to the public several times”.

Agriculture farming stills the job of aging population.

There have been media reports that our primary sector; agriculture farming is carried out by the aging population and it is not the case of India alone but also all over the world.
 The average of age of farming population is said to be more than 50 years and they are the population of previous generation. Our Gen X, let alone the Gen Y are not inclined at our primary sectors.
 Theirs is the case of high sophistication with maximum comfort. But, this cannot remain forever; our youth should take the mantle and transform the agriculture farming to the next level.
If the sector is not charming, it is your choice to make it more stable and competitive. While the sector however may be the case but dependency has been increasing day by day due to increase of population.
 Our youth know the agriculture is little bit of sowing / planting and reaping affairs but things have changed and it is becoming very dynamic and challenging.
 Therefore, the sector can not be kept aside and our young population has a great role to transform the sector into more economical and affable by all.

Of course, in some countries like America, young population has been motivated right from their schooling stage and it would definitely make a difference to the youth in their understanding for the primary sector.
 If this type of motivation is ensured in every region or country, surely the sector would slowly move from aging population to the younger generation in more scientific manner with competitive edge.

 Many heart enchanting talks by the luminaries are basically for the  opportunities in  manufacturing and infrastructure sectors of heavy industries for achieving great economic reliance but side by side Agriculture the word should also be heard from big corporate houses although, it may not give them scale and score but then young  people will be motivated.

Now, it is youth to decide whether the sector to be their domain or keep it sidelined.

It is the hard reality that people come from the Agriculture background also but tends to forget the sector later on, why?