A Continuing Priority |
| South Asia is the home of one-third farmers of the
world. Almost one billion people of the region, nearly 70 percent of its
population, depend on land for their livelihood. Sustained and equitable
growth in agriculture is, therefore, crucial to food security and sustained
development of the countries in the region. The introduction of the green
revolution technologies on a large scale during the 1970s and 1980s and
associated developments brought the region out of the 'begging bowl' syndrome
to near self-sufficiency in food production. However, the region now faces
a new set of challenges. These challenges, whose magnitude and dimensions
far exceed those we have faced in the past, relate to the sustainable use
of natural resources and maintenance of the quality of the environment in
addition to the continued urgency to enhance productivity. Our preparedness
to meet the emerging challenges calls for a fundamental change in the way
we perceive, organize, and promote scientific efforts to find solutions
to the problems in agriculture, including those of education and extension
of scientific knowledge among stakeholders.
new compulsions High Population to land ratio in the region is overburdening its limited land and water resources. The use of these resources is already stretched. Maintaining and enhancing the integrity of the natural resource base is while at while at the same time increasing productivity is now the major challenge. In a great majority of agriculturally important ecoregions, natural resources and environmental degradation have become a serious impediment to sustained agricultural productivity. Addressing these issues will be crucial in meeting the goals of sustainable development. There is yet another dimension to the emerging challenges. It is now recognised that the way we manage our resources locally has impacts regionally and globally. This realization has led to a number of global conventions, agreements, and protocols; some examples including UN Sponsored Conference on Sustainable Development resulting in AGENDA 21; climate-, biodiversity- and trade-related agreements. The challenge of responding meaningfully to these initiatives demands that we recapitulate the entire perspective of agricultural growth including research, education and extension. Thus we need to harmonize our future scientific endeavours with he new emerging challenges such as solar power changing research systems Over the past half century, the national agricultural research system in India has been growing rapidly. There are now 30 state agricultural Universities, over 80 central research centres/institutes, and a large number of centrally coordinated research projects and research stations. While this large research infrastructure has been the backbone for achieving the increased productivity and a near self-sufficiency in foodgrain production in the past, it is widely felt that the system now should if we are to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st century. The change, amongst others must permit us to move from: Commodity and discipline based approaches to system-based ecoregional strategies; Classical plot- level based research to ecological approaches; and Top down research planning to participatory approaches
The National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP),
being funded in part by the World Bank, aims at bringing about these changes
to enable the system to perform more efficiently and effectively in the
years ahead. Amongst the other strategies the NATP document outlines the
need to develop synergic linkages that promote institutional complementarity
for developing technologies to resolve location-specific technical problems.
This document also envisages to enhance the skills of scientists and technical
personnel to match the demands of adjusting to the changing research and
extension paradigms. The Centre for Advancement of Sustainable Agriculture (CASA) has been established as an independent, non-government and non-profit scientific organization. Its aim is to facilitate operationalizing of mechanisms through which the concerns and needs of the farmers are better articulated in developing and promoting agenda for publicly funded agricultural research. The Centre will promote this by forging partnerships amongst a wide range of stakeholders and more importantly through the policy advocacy role in managing research, education, and extension system for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Over the next 5 to 8 years, it is envisaged that the centre will develop into an institution having about 8 to 10 professionals, who will bring expertise from a range of specialist backgrounds in critical areas of environmental and natural resource management, agricultural research and development management, system approcahes, etc. This group will source and synergize the expertise available across existing institutions in understanding the complexities of agro-ecosystem functioning, promoting innovative action strategies for more effective management, and focusing on policy related issues. Developing and promoting cooperaitive links and partnerships amongst a wide range of relevant stakeholdersfor finding solutions to complex problems of system ecology will be the primary objective. CASA's role will be that of a catalyst in promoting reorientation of the conduct and management of agricultural research systems — a change which is necessary and vital for the research system to meet the scientific challenges of the new millenium. governance CASA has been registered under the Societies Registration act XX1 of 1880 under the Registrar of Societies, Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi on 30 December, 1998. According to the Memorandum of Association, the management of the centre is entrusted to its Governing body according to the rules and regulations of the Centre. funding The Centre is a non-government and non-profit scientific
institution. For developing infrastructure and for specific activities
funds/grants/donations will be sought from public/private foundations,
national and international agencies, and groups committed to promote activities
in the area of sustainable agriculture and land use. Facilitate and foster participatory approaches and partnerships among the stakeholders to generate and spread land-use practices and policies that will contribute to ecologically sustainable agriculture. the objectives Provide a platform to develop a vision of India's research and education in the 21st century that will conform to the emerging paradigms of efficiency, sustainability and environmental conservation for reducing poverty and achieving food security. Facilitate and promote farmer/NGO/scientist participatory
research approaches in generating and extending technologie and policies
for sustainable agriculture. The Centre's mission is to achieve goals of sustainable agriculture through income enhancing, productivity growth promoting, resource conserving and environment friendly practices, technologies and policies. Towards this mission the main strategy being adopted by the Centre is to facilitate and foster participatory approaches and partnerships among the stakeholders to generate and spread land use practices and policies that will contributes to ecologically sustainable agriculture. The main strength of CASA is the strength and national and international reputation of its Board (see below) and thereby its ability to mobilise extensive networks across all aspects of natural resource and policy development. CASA is well placed for the organisation of cross-disciplinary workshops but its emphasis is on the follow up from these activities orchestrating necessary changes at both "the grass roots" and at policy levels. Over the past two years the Centre has undertaken in partnership with other institutions, organization and follow up in respect of the following specific activities: Land Use Land Cover Changes in the Indo-Gangetic Plains Participatory Workshop to Develop a Pilot Project for Establishment of SustainableCommunity Based Aromatic/Medicinal Plant Product Industry in Himachal Pradesh,Palampur, June 26-28, 2000. Workshop on Prioritization in Agricultural Research, September 29th-30th, 2000. Land use & Land cover changes in the Indo-Gangetic
plains The overall objectives of this programme are to Create an international and multidisciplinary collaborating
framework for Land Use Cover Change Research and Achieve an agreement on a broad conceptual multidisciplinary
framework for research on Land Use Cover Changes in Indo-Gangetic Plain
within the overarching theme of food security of the region. And Participatory workshop to develop a Pilot Project
for Establishment of Sustainable Community Based Aromatic/Medicinal Plant
Product Industry in Himachal Pradesh Palampur, June 26-28, 2000. Protection of fast depleting indigenous biodiversity.
The successful outcomes of the workshop included: Raised awareness amongst a wide range of stakeholders
of the desirability and need of adopting new approaches in our efforts
to improve the well being of poor and addressing urgent conservation issues.
Workshop on Prioritization in Agricultual Research,
The workshop was on behalf of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
(NAAS) of India The organizational structure and functional role of India's agricultural research system have evolved over a period of time to match the merging demands. However, it is increasingly being felt that there is need to bring about changes that will enhance our ability and capacity to face the merging challenges in an efficient and effective manner. This will call for optimal use of available human, infrastructure and financial resources. Amongst other steps, better priority setting and targeting research including wider use of economic and social criteria in deciding allocation of resources will be fundamental for making the system efficient. The workshop was organized with a view to Sensitize key research managers on the need to
adopt more formal approaches aimed at setting priorities in agricultural
research and resource allocation decisions.
|