Prospects of biotechnology in rural Bengal

HSSen

Former Director, Central Research Institute for Jute & Allied Fibres, WB (ICAR, DARE, GoI)

Present address: 2/74 Naktala, Kolkata 700 047

Email: hssen.india@gmail.com, hssen2000@hotmail.com

Blog: hssen-coastalmanagement.blogspot.com  

1.       Introduction

In relation to poverty, the paper acknowledges that around 70% of the poor in India live in rural areas, mainly in areas weakly integrated into mainstream economic, political and social infrastructures, and over 70% of these rely mainly on agriculture, more than half being primarily agricultural labourers. Poverty has important structural dimensions – of age, gender and caste. The use of biotechnology in rural areas should come handy if properly planned through a holistic approach for employment generation, alternative income generation, poverty alleviation, food security, nutrition, ecological balance, etc. fostering sustainable development.

2.       Objectives

The Department of Biotechnology is the apex body at the State level to govern and formulate the policies for biotechnology research and its applications. Their objectives encompassing all spheres of application are as follows. 

·        To conserve, map and sustainably use bioresources

·        To spread general awareness for the optimum utilization of biotechnology in the different sectors

·        To optimally focus resources for R&D in biotechnology

·        To encourage and facilitate introduction of biotechnology at the grass-root level to strengthen the economy of the state

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Key Note Lecture presented during the UGC sponsored National Seminar at the School of Biological Sciences, Uluberia College, West Bengal on 17 January, 2014

·       To encourage rural biotechnological activities for the promotion of village level industries in the state

·        To facilitate energy security and self-sustainability through promotion of biofuels

·        To support employment generating schemes in the field of biotechnology

·      To create centers of excellence as high quality support services to biotech industries

·     To serve as catalyst for the creation of infrastructure for biotech industries, e.g., biotechnology parks

·     To develop competent human resources at different levels in the field of biotechnology

·     To promote the field of bioinformatics which draws support from information technology

·     To suitably address highly pertinent issues like intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, biosafety and bioethics

·     To coordinate and consolidate efforts by the various departments and government undertakings having potential in the area of biotechnology

·     To create congenial environment of biotech industry through process simplification in the clearance of the commercial biotechnology projects

·     To attract private investment for perceptible growth in biotechnological industries

·     To facilitate the flow of venture capital funds and bank credit to biotech companies

·     To extend fiscal incentives and concessions to biotechnology industry

·     To provide an appropriate institutional framework to achieve the above objectives

2.1 The aim at grass root level in rural sector

It should be emphasized that the strengths of West Bengal lie in its highly successful agriculture sector. It also has untapped unique resources in the mangroves unlike any other country in the country. Focusing on these strengths, a biotechnology vision statement for West Bengal may be prepared with focus on rural sector, which will further enhance and organize the existing strengths and also strengthen the weaker sections of the society.

2.1.1 General focus

·     Awareness of biotechnology in the rural sector for the upliftment of the weaker sections of society and to incorporate modern technologies in rural society

·     Developing biotechnology programmes for participation of women in the rural sector

·     Developing biotechnology programmes involving SC/ST/OBC and other minorities

·        Developing of large scale manufacture of bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticide, food processing and packaging at the rural sites

2.1.2 Specific target areas

·        Major initiative to prepare an inventory and mapping of the bioresources within the state

·        To identify specific biosphere zones and maintain ecological balance and conservation of biodiversity

·        Natural and unique reserves in the mangroves, forests, marine life, fresh water resources may be highlighted and further developed using biotechnology for maximal benefit

·        Product & process development: Specialized technologies for enhancing sericulture and improving silk and tussar quality, as well as other vegetable fibres from cotton, jute, ramie, flax (linen),, etc.; value addition to various agricultural & allied  produces using biotechnological interventions, primarily for income generation, without affecting the ecological balance

·        Employment generation for young folks belonging to different literacy classes through small & medium scale entrepreneurs in order to ensure food security coupled with nutritional enrichment and thereby alleviate poverty level in the rural sector

·        Bioremediation of polluted systems

3.           Different application areas

3.1        Agriculture

With nearly 72 percent of the population living in the rural areas, agriculture is the predominant occupation in the State. The index number of agricultural area, production and productivity during 2007-08 with 1981-82 as the base year was 116, 252 and 218, respectively. The total reporting area of the State is 86.84 lakh ha, of which 52.96 lakh ha is the Net Sown Area (61 percent of the total reporting area). The Gross Cropped Area is 97.52 lakh ha with a cropping intensity of 184 percent. Agriculture in the State is small farmer centric with 90 percent of the cultivators being small and marginal farmers. Small and marginal farming communities hold 84% of the State’s agricultural lands. Marginal operational holding (less than 1 ha) accounts for 88.8 percent of the total operational holdings as against 69.8 percent at all India level. Cropping pattern in the  State is dominated by food crops which account for about 78 percent of the area under principal crops. Rice is cultivated in 58.48 lakh hectares (production of 161.48 lakh MT) followed by cereals (all combined) in 63.49 lakh hectares and oilseeds in 7.14 lakh hectares, jute in 6.09 lakh hectares, and potato in 3.67 lakh hectares. The  State is second largest producer of potato after Uttar Pradesh and one of the highest producers of vegetables in the country. Traditionally, West Bengal has been the highest producer of jute. The  State also accounts for 25 percent of tea production in the country, next only to Assam. Against the ultimate irrigation potential of 67.43 lakh hectares, the gross irrigation potential created through major, medium and minor irrigation in the  State till the end of March 2009 was 55.01 lakh hectares. The percentage utilization of potential created is 81.73 percent in major and medium irrigation structures and 81.64 percent in minor irrigation.

The State has immense potential for development in horticulture sector both through horizontal (area expansion) and vertical integration (productivity improvement). With the implementation of National Horticulture Mission, the  State Government contemplates doubling the production under horticulture crops by the year 2011. It may be mentioned that McKinsey, in its vision document for West Bengal, has said that the State should aspire to be ‘the food bowl of India’. The potential for cultivation of horticulture crops such as banana, mango, pineapple, etc, tea plantations and floriculture amongst other crops is estimated at Rs.385.89 crore. The area coverage under fruits increased marginally by 3.80 percent during 2007-08 over the preceding year and production increased by 4.78 percent. The area under vegetables increased marginally to 9.12 lakh hectares in 2007-08 from 9.04 lakh hectares in 2006-07. Area under flowers increased by 5.55% in 2007-08 over 2006-07 and production of loose flowers increased by about 11 percent during 2007-08 over 2006-07. Production of cut flowers, however, increased by 52 percent during the same period. The production of major fruits like, mango, banana, papaya in the State has been increasing steadily over the last few years, however pineapple production has declined. Among the vegetables production, tomato, cabbage, brinjal, cucurbits, lady’s finger are increasing.

In West Bengal, the diverse agro-climatic and physiographic conditions in the plains and hilly zone offer scope for cultivation of a variety of high value medicinal and aromatic plants. The total area under medicinal plants is estimated to be around 550 ha. However, the crop wise area coverage details are not available. Keeping in view the agro-climate and the demand from herbal-based industry in the State, the Medicinal Plant Board, West Bengal has identified 37 medicinal and aromatic plant species for commercial promotion in the State.

Agricultural biotechnology is a collection of scientific techniques used to improve plants, animals and microorganisms. Based on an understanding of DNA, scientists have developed solutions to increase agricultural productivity. Starting from the ability to identify genes that may confer advantages on certain crops, and the ability to work with such characteristics very precisely, biotechnology enhances breeders’ ability to make improvements in crops and livestock. Biotechnology enables improvements that are not possible with traditional crossing of related species alone. Thus the biotechnological programmes in agriculture centres around (a) tissue culture application in order to capitalize upon the totipotency of cells; (b) culture of plant cells for the production of desirable and beneficial compounds; (c) the use of DNA vectors to overcome barriers of sexual union; (d) Production of biofertilizer for the increase of efficiency of high production; and (e) production of substances against the natural calamities including the attack of insects.

·        Transgenic of cereal crops like rice, Brassica, chickpea, potato, tomato, other  vegetables, Large scale seed production. Development of hybrid seeds, nutritionally enhanced vegetables (more protein content, higher lysine content) with higher yields.

·        Development of edible vaccines in plants and fruits such as banana.

·        Improving Cotton, Jute/ Other Vegetable crops  and Tea cultivation

·        Planting of trees of economic importance which will grow easily in West Bengal’s climatic and soil conditions but which may not be growing on a mass scale at present due to lack of technology or incentives.

·        Development of Agro-Forestry plantation (bamboo, teak, eucalyptus, pine etc.) to replace denude forests and to increase economic value by inter cropping.

·        Development of horticulture plants according to economic importance.

·        Enhancement of floriculture using tissue culture, micro-propagation and macropropagation.

·        Regional hardening facilities to provide benefit of tissue culture facilities at the grass roots level.

·        Agriculture in the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions including cereals like barley, sorghum, millet, etc.

·        Medicinal and aromatic plants in high altitudes and plains.

·        Establishment of gene-banks, germplasam for maintenance and propagation of superior quality crops and plants of special value.

3.2        Biofertilizer and Biopesticides

Biofertilizer: The fertilizers are nitrogen containing materials which help the crop plant in higher yield. The industrial production of these fertilizers in different industry is based on energy source, the cost of which goes higher and higher day by day and becomes out of the reach of majority of cultivators.  This is the first phase for the search of alternative source. From the study of leguminous crops, it has been deduced that some microbes are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and the necessity for nitrogen for leguminous  crops is fulfilled. Thus the attention on microbes for artificial manures came seriously to the mind of technologists. It has been observed that the microbes can fix nitrogen which produces energy 25 30% less than normally done in chemical process. Moreover, the pollution problem and hazardous situation experienced by the use of chemical fertilizer may be overcome by the use of microbes. Thus the beneficial effect for the use of microbes as fertilizer is twofold - increased crop productivity and no damage to land and no problem of pollution. The use of microbes as fertilizer (known as biofertilizer) came in the field of agriculture and its different development aspects have changed the pattern of the world. Biofertilizer may be defined as biologically active materials used for the nutrient input for the benefit of the plant. The material may be produced through the microbial inoculation and its synthesis of complex organic compounds in the medium which again taken up by plants. Biofertilizers or the microbial inoculants may include Rhizobium sp. (Symbiotic nitrogen fixing microbe), Azotobacter sp. (asymbiotic free nitrogen fixing microbes), and cyanobacteria and Azolla. There are some species of phosphate solubilising bacteria and mycorrhizon forming fungus which take part in the production of biofertilizer.

Green manuring: This type of farming practice and the cultivation of leguminous plants is done in the field to achieve the benefit of nitrogen fixation done by microbes (Rhizobium) associated with leguminous roots. The leguminous crops are Crotalaria juncea, Cassia mimosoides, Sesbania rostrata, Vigna radiata (annual crop). The leguminous crops can accumulate 80 kg., N/ha. The fix nitrogen leaves a fair .amount of nitrogen in the cultivated field which benefits the subsequent crops.

·        Development of biofertilizers such as blue green algae to enhance soil fertility and decrease dependence on chemical fertilizers.

·        Identification of indigenous micro-flora for the development of bacterial consortium useful as biofertilizers, biopesticides.

·        Development of bio-pesticides and bio-control agents against specific indigenous targets in rural areas in the plans and mountainous agricultural lands.

3.3        Animal Biotechnology

·       To develop/apply methods for enhancing milk yields in cattle.

·       To develop better strains of livestock species using known or new methods of biotechnology (Transgenic cattle).

·       Use biotechnology for developing diagnosis and vaccines for major live stock disease such as foot and mouth disease, rabies, haemorrhage, septicaemia, anthrax, etc.

·       Use of transgenic animals as bio –factories for the production of economically viable nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

·       Establishment of cell lines and sperm banking facilities for maintenance and propagation of superior quality livestock.

·       Use of animals as living models for the study of human disease and evaluation of pharmaceuticals.

3.4        Fisheries

·      Develop better methods for pisci-culture to cultivate commercially viable fish such as catla, rohu, mugur, etc.

·      Scientific methods of cultivation of fresh water and sea water Prawn culture farms for higher yields and better quality, especially useful for exports.

·      Diagnostics for bacterial and viral diseases affecting local edible fishes and prawns.

3.5        Bioprospecting and bioresource mapping

·      Developing of a database documenting economically and ecologically important sports such as the Sundarbans region (mangrove), Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions, plains of Purulia, Birbhum, Bankura and Midnapore.

·      Identification of novel biologically important natural compounds from these unique bioreserves to be used for development of drugs, vaccines, therapeutics, biofertlizers and biocontrol agents.

·      Inventory of ethno-botanical flora and fauna of different areas of West Bengal.

·      Developing agro-forestry database and prediction of natural disasters using remote sensing methods.

·      Developments of genetic markers for plant and animal breeding programmes.

3.6        Environmental protection and ecosphere management

·     Bio-remediation and waste recycling in specific location by new microbial consortia. Some examples:

Biodegradation

                                 i.        Use of microbes viz,, detoxification by mineralizing pollutants to CO₂, H₂O & inorganic salts

                                ii.        Reduction/ removal of hazardous waste/ removal of nitrogenous & phosphorus compounds, heavy metals, etc.

                               iii.        Reclamation and purification of waste water for re-use

                              iv.        Soil & land treatment: In situ & Ex situ methods viz., bioaugmentation and biostimulation

                               v.        Microbial biosensors: Light emitting bacteria in contact with specific pollutant, a US experience on detection of polyhalogenerated aromatic hydrocarbons

                              vi.        Phyto-remediation: Plants, microbes, and combination of both   

·        Development of biofertilizers and bio-sensors for pollution control.

·        Biotechnological interventions for pollution and waste management for specific eco-systems.

·        Development of efficient waste disposal strategies using biotechnological methods.

3.7        Alternative energy resources

·        Identification and development of crops for bioengineering , bio-fuels and bioenergy.

·        Use of extremophiles as a source for bio-energy.

3.8        Biomass Development

·        Use of lingo-cellulose material for development of economically viable animal feed.

·        Conversion of waste materials for the development of biomass.

·        Cultivation of Spirulina as a high value low cost nutrient for rural and tribal areas.

·        Fish feed formulation and development using cheap and locally available material is with the help of biotechnological intervention.

·        Process improvement: Development of novel enzymes active at high temperatures

·        Product innovation: Development of products with less impact on environment viz., biopesticides

·        GM crops: Recombinant DNA technology viz., Golden rice

·        Elite production & multiplication 

·        Biodiversity conservation & gene pool utilization for novel products

3.9       Few other specific biotechnological solutions

·        Reduce more than 30 % phosphate excretion in pigs and chicken by using phytase in feed

·        Indigo production: Use of genetically modified bacterium containing right enzymes 

4   Status of progress and future suggestions

As per 12^th plan recommendations programmes were continued for socio-economic upliftment of target population by sanctioning the projects with the recommendation of Task Force and Biotechnology Based Programme Promotion Committee (BPPC) in different areas of India. R&D institutions, universities, colleges and NGOs were supported in sanctioning and implementation of these projects. More than 25,000 farmers have been benefited through various projects on biotechnological programmes. Few major projects were supported in an integrated manner utilizing the bio-resources available as ‘Biovillage’.

4.1 Future suggestions: value addition to agricultural & allied    field produces

The dwindling growth of agriculture and allied sectors has been a major concern keeping in view of continued decrease of its contribution to the country’s overall GDP. The evidence strongly suggest need for increasing productivity at a rate seemingly very difficult to attain with the help of improved practices at hand. It is, therefore, imperative in this context to exploit value-addition of all agricultural commodities.

Indian agriculture enjoyed the privilege of being the largest industry in India, both in terms of contribution to nation’s GDP as well as manpower involvement, in not-so-distant past; but the indifferent and decrepit outlook towards agriculture as supplier of means for living instead of an effective mean of livelihood is pegging it back and presently, GDP-contribution wise, agriculture has been pushed to 2^nd spot after services sector. It requires therefore a systematic approach on value-addition which could revamp and redeem the argi-economy scenario of the country through large scale rural entrepreneurial development in value-added agriculture.

The indispensability of small agricultural cooperatives in the form of SHGs towards holistic socio-economic development is a well-established fact around which a plan proposed by the author revolves. This is basically a SHG mediated farm-to-fork policy in which each step is facilitated by some public or private agencies. As has been mentioned earlier, there are copious SHGs across the country under aegis of NABARD, ICAR (Krishi Vigyan Kendras, especially), and NGOs which are either active or dormant for want of fund. All these dormant groups and selected active groups can be mobilized in the said plan. Apart from these, more SHGs are to be formed, whenever and wherever necessary, by these agencies towards broad basing of the model.

4.2 Conclusion

The author strongly believes that the future of rural Bengal, which is primarily agriculture based, lies in its prospect for value addition to the produces, and ecology friendly biotechnological interventions remain as the path breaking means on which a systematic master plan needs to be prepared. Further, development of rural industries, i.e. both agro-based and non-farm industries have an important role in development of the sector. Around 80% of Small and Medium (SMEs) industries fall under Rural Industries segment in the State. Thus, the biotechnological interventions will not only boost the economy of the farmers through higher return but also is possibly the largest means of employment generation in the rural sector.