Singh, R.P. (2016) Local seed system strengthening in marginal environments to mitigate climate change effects vis-à-vis ensuring food security in India. Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4 (2). pp. 158-177.
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Abstract
In India, productivity levels are still below even of the world average in major cereals (wheat and rice), pulses and oilseeds, and about 20% of pulses and 50% of edible oil requirement of the country is met through import. Climate change (CC) affects food production and increase food insecurity. By 2050, country will have to double its food production of current level to meet the diversified and everincreasing demand. As food security always linked with seed security, however, ensuring the quality seed availability in adequate quantity at right time poses greater challenge rather than production per se, and therefore, necessitating the strength of the local seed systems. In the present paper, impact of CC on seed production had been reviewed along with the strategies to mitigate CC effect to ensure food security. To increase production and productivity, the development and deployment of new climate resilient varieties was essential; similarly, the adoption and varietal replacement rate were associated with seed replacement rate, as it was impossible to change varieties without changing seed. The seed crop was affected by CC through influencing crop phenology, reproduction, seed setting, seed-filling duration, seed size, seed dormancy, seed yield and ultimately seed quality, and hence, strategies to mitigate CC effect by approaches which affected seed production and supply chain management. Seed production of climate resilient crop/ varieties at local levels was crucial and the associated indigenous knowledge of farmers with regard to environments and their choice of the kind of crop/varieties in marginal conditions could be harnessed through participatory varietal selection and seed production. Nevertheless, participatory approach, establishment of seed villages and promotion of community seed banks at village level are the integral components of Food and Agriculture Organization administered multilateral International treaty on plant genetic resource for food and agriculture agreementto ensure food security and farmers right. In India, a number of popular varieties had been developed and deployed in maize, rice, pigeon pea and groundnut and others using participatory approach, and during last decade (2005–2006 to 2013–2014), the seed production through this approach had increased by >7.5 times. Similarly, by establishing seed villages, the seed production had increased by >8.5 times which indicated the significant contribution and strengthening of local seed systems.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Climate change (CC), Food security, Climate resilient crops/varieties, Local seed systems, Participatory approach, Seed villages and community seed banks, Farmers right |
| Author Affiliation: | Directorate of Seed & Farms, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi-834006, Jharkhand, India |
| Subjects: | Crop Improvement |
| Divisions: | General |
| Depositing User: | Mr T L Gautham |
| Date Deposited: | 31 May 2018 10:52 |
| Last Modified: | 31 May 2018 10:52 |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/15471 |
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