An iconic book

Agriculture and food systems worldwide are passing through a difficult time. Climate change, environmental degradation, profit hunting motives, urban-bias etc. allegedly bedevil the process of sustainable agricultural development. Unfortunately, the upcoming challenges and the solutions are rarely put in layman's language so that common readers could benefit from.
Combating Hunger and Achieving Food Security (Cambridge University Press 2015) is possibly one of the most illustrated recent books in the arena of agriculture and food security. The writer of this column is fortunate to have a glimpse of the book. Comprised of 30 chapters/sections - ranging from biodiversity to bio-fuels, and from agricultural heritage to the future of Indian agriculture - the 165-page book deals with sustainable agriculture, in a broad sense, to address changes and challenges that global agriculture in general and Indian agriculture, in particular, are grappling with. Possibly, most of the articles come from the authors' collection of speeches or lectures in seminars/conferences, some from popular writings also. Unlike other empirics-based books, it can be called an experience-based book. But putting 30 themes in 165 pages apparently shows competence of the author in comprehension. However, the book is a good candidate for a review for three main reasons. First, an interest about the author himself; second, the art of making hard-nosed scientific issues for common readers; and finally, the relevance of the book to Bangladesh case.
The author of the book is a great Indian geneticist, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. Perhaps he needs no introduction to the old generation like us but the young generation does not know much about him. Not only as a pure academician and scientist, Dr. Swaminathan served as the Secretary of Agriculture to the Indian government. He has been described by the United Nations Development Programme as the 'Father of Economic Ecology' and is called as the father of Indian Green Revolution by his countrymen.  Dr. Swaminathan is a recipient of many prestigious prizes including Ramon Magsaysay award for Community Leadership (1971), the Albert Einstein World Science Award (1986) and first World Food Prize (1987). At ninety, he is still active and agile.
The book begins with an account of the understanding of the efforts that ushered in the Green Revolution of the 1990s. The purpose of the account is to enlighten the young generation about the progress in food and agriculture. He reckons that there are three threats to the future of food production and sustainable agriculture which are almost akin to Bangladesh. First, prime land is going out of agriculture for non-farm purposes, such as real estate and bio-fuels. "We are pointing out that if 10 per cent of all transport fuels were to be achieved through bio-fuels in the world, this would absorb 26 per cent of all crop production and 85 per cent of the world's freshwater resources. Therefore it will be prudent for all countries to accord food security the pride of place in the national land use policy". The second threat comes from global warming and climate change. For example, a one meter rise in seal level is likely to inundate about one-fifth of Bangladesh. Dr. Swaminathan suggests anticipatory research and action for checking the adverse impact of such changes. "Fortunately in nature there is considerable genetic diversity in relation to the adaptation of crop varieties and farm animals to changes in climate and monsoon behaviour. For example, there are genes for flood and drought tolerance." The third threat springs from the proposal to provide cash instead of grain to those needing protection against hunger. "…The public distribution system will suffer if procurement by public agencies goes down…Government, therefore should always remain at the commanding height of the food security system".
A part of the book is devoted to women's role in agriculture and food. The author suggests that women farmers be given land rights, water rights and credit and other input rights - even a Central Agricultural Development Fund for Women Farmers are to be used to empower women farmers with incentives for development of women farmer-friendly technologies, training and capacity building, creation of market facilities, organization of day care centres and other related issues.
The book also discusses the major causes of chronic and hidden hunger and emphasizes to redesign the farming system based on nutritional considerations. In the absence of strategies the maximization of the benefits of a good monsoon, and minimizing the adverse impact of unfavourable weather - monsoon management strategy - food security would be difficult to achieve. "Distress sale of farm animals by farmers is one of the early symptoms of drought-induced agrarian distress…Livestock and livelihoods are invariably linked in small farmer households. The ownership of livestock is also egalitarian. Hence in the overall drought and flood management strategies, there should be provision for organizing livestock camps where livestock can be looked after during unfavourable weather conditions."
His observations on governance in India seem applicable to Bangladesh also.  Lack of transparency, accountability, human attitude, protection of ecology and environment seem to put sustainable development into serious doubt. "Our country is going through a difficult period when the ground rules for the behaviour of every citizen are being violated. There is unfortunately a trend to make a profit out of poverty and move away from the concept that the means of achieving a goal are as important as the desired goal. The word 'accountability' is fast disappearing from our dictionary. Green Revolution is getting replaced by greed revolution".
And finally, the book concludes that there must be synergy between scientific knowledge, political will and farmers' active participation to achieve the goal of overcoming chronic and hidden hunger in the developing countries. Agriculture today constitutes the backbone of the livelihood security system …If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right in our country. Therefore, the government of India as well as state governments should always endeavour to remain in the commanding height of the national food security system".
Abdul Bayes is a Professor of Economics at
Jahangirnagar University. [email protected]