Strategies and technologies to be promoted to extend Green
Revolution for the states of U.P, Chattisgarh, West Bengal,
Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa.
S. K. Sanyal
Vice-Chancellor
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, PIN - 741252
WEST BENGAL : AN OVERVIEW
Population (2001 census)
Population Density
Nos. of Agricultural Districts
Nos. of Mouza / Village
Geographical Area
Agro-Climatic Zones
Cultivable Area
Net Area Sown
Gross Cropped Area
Area under non-agriculture used
Forest area
Current fallows
Cultivable waste land
Barren and un-culturable land
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
8.78 crore (1st October, 2010) expected
903/ Sq. Km.
18
40782
88752 sq. km.
6 Nos.
8686639 ha
52.94 lakh ha
98.015 lakh ha
17.92 lakh ha
11.73 lakh ha
2.87 lakh ha
0.316 lakh ha
0.211 lakh ha
Permanent posture and other grazing land
Irrigated Area
Total Nos. of Agricultural holdings
Size of average Land Holding
Cropping Intensity
:
:
:
:
:
0.0719 lakh ha
62% of Net Cropped Area
6953922 Nos
0.82 ha / Holding
185%
2
Hill Zone (2.4 to 8 lakh ha)
Terai Zone (2.149 lakh ha)
Old Alluvial Zone (17.537 lakh ha
New Alluvial Zone (15.304 lakh ha)
Red and Laterite Zone (24.842 lakh ha
Coastal and Saline Zone (14.569 lakh ha
AGRO-CLIMATIC ZONES OF WEST BENGAL
Progress of agriculture production in West Bengal (1975-76 to 2009-10)
1975-76
2009-10
Percentage
increase
Production
(lakh ton)
Production
growth index
Production
(lakh ton)
Production
growth index
Rice
68.66
100
148.65
216
116
Food grain
85.91
100
168.26
190
90
Oilseeds
0.78
100
7.13
914
814
Potato
16.15
100
95.00
588
488
Jute
26.86
100
93.26
347
247
Crop
Annual growth rate of rice, food grain and populations in West Bengal
(1970-71 to 2008-09)
Year
Population growth
rate (%)
Production of growth rate (%)
Rice
Food grains
1970-71 to 1980-81
2.11
1.33
0.97
1980-81 to 1990-91
2.23
6.39
5.80
1990-91 to 2000-01
1.71
1.93
2.07
2000-01 to 2008-09
1.78
1.16
1.04
Production and Requirement of Food grains in West Bengal
20000
18000
17214.06
15058.19
Thousand tonnes
16000
16296.79
14000
12000
10000
14354.30
12352.29
9987.53
10305.00
8000.59
8000
8970.00
6000
4000
5741.00
2000
Production
Requirement
0
1967-68
1977-78
1987-88
1997-98
2008-09
Percentage share of area and production of Aus, Aman and
Boro Rice in Total Rice in West Bengal during 2007-08
Production
Aman
62.69
Boro
33.47
Aus
3.84
Source: Agricultural Department, Government of West Bengal
The current status of productivity in the State vis-à-vis National
Level
(Yield rate in kg/ha. Jute – bales/ha)
National level
Crop
State level
Maximum
yield*
Average
yield**
Yield gap
Maximum
yield*
Average
yield**
Yield gap
Rice
3944
2173
1771
3156
2566
590
Wheat
4370
2800
1570
2833
2458
375
Pulses
812
631
181
1054
731
323
Oilseeds
1784
1019
765
1515
914
601
Potato
26102
16617
9485
23860
15922
7938
Jute
(bales/ha)
13.76
11.71
2.05
17.97
13.69
4.28
(* - Based on two years average; ** - Based on three years average (2006-09). # - including mesta)
Present status of productivity gap of Rice in State as well
as National level
Present status of productivity gap of Wheat in State as well
as National level
Present status of productivity gap of Pulses in State as well
as National level
Present status of productivity gap of Oilseeds in State as
well as National level
Present status of productivity gap of Potato in State as well
as National level
Yield (bales/ha)
Present status of productivity gap of Jute in State as well as
National level
o About 12 m ha of rain fed rice in the region are subject to
vagaries of monsoon & occurrence of dry spells.
o
Single crop production enterprise in small holdings (0.15 to
0.30 ha) is not sustainable.
o
Lack of rain water conservation & ground water recharge.
o
Existence of soil acidity problems is about 50 lakh ha in WB,
Jharkhand & Orissa.
o
Widespread deficiency of plant nutrients in soil (N, P, Zn, S &
B).
o
Soil degradation in about 30% area.
o
Natural calamities – drought, flood, cyclone especially in
coastal region.
o
Soil & water pollution with heavy metals (As, Fe & others)
Coverage
12 Districts (Mushidabad,
Maldah, Nadia, North 24
Parganas,
South
24
Parganas,
Bardhaman,
Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata,
Coochbehar, North Dinajpur
and South Dinajpur),
Blocks 11 1
Level of
50-3700 μg/l
contamination
Citation
http://www.soesju.org
/arsenic/wb.html
Arsenic contamination in West Bengal (Source: http:/www.soesju.org)
Arsenic Toxicity Symptoms
• Increased incidence of Lung disease and Hypertension was
found in arsenic exposed people compared to unexposed
people.
• High Arsenic (As) level in Urine & Hair has been observed in
spite of intake of safe water.
• Arsenical symptoms persist despite safe water intake for 5
years or more.
• Significant Arsenic excretion occurs through urine and hair in
these subjects.
• Thus combined effect of high Arsenic in food & water have
additive effect on Biomarkers & human health.
Source: DNGM Research Foundation, 2009
Arsenic content in rice, vegetables and fruits at the study site
(Arsenic affected area)
Crop
Arsenic (mg/kg)
Paddy (Grain)
0.10-0.89
Potato (Tuber)
0.05-1.05
Wheat (Grain)
0.45-1.08
Mustard (Seed)
1.37-1.60
Sesame (Seed)
0.31-1.02
Brinjal (Fruit)
1.50-2.55
Pointed Gourd (Fruit)
1.20-3.65
Kachu (Tuber)
11.6-33.2
Cabbage (Head)
2.50-5.60
Chilli (Fruit)
1.05-3.80
Banana (Fruit)
1.20-4.80
Papaya (Fruit)
1.80-5.60
Low arsenic accumulating rice varieties and landraces suitable for
arsenic contaminated area: IR64, Khitish, Gobindabhog etc.
Arsenic content (mg/kg)
Kharif rice
Genotypes
Boro Rice
Grain
Brown rice
Husk
Grain
Brown rice
Husk
Choli 60
0.120
0.103
0.044
0.281
0.240
0.102
IR 36
0.186
0.165
0.064
0.394
0.346
0.135
IR 64
0.240
0.076
0.184
0.462
0.146
0.354
Palman
0.806
0.205
0.657
1.32
0.336
1.076
Rasi
0.205
0.132
0.127
0.526
0.335
0.321
Satabdi
0.175
0.201
0.023
0.421
0.459
0.052
TN1
0.213
0.211
0.062
0.511
0.505
0.148
Khitish
0.194
0.179
0.068
0.346
0.289
0.121
Promotion of the rice cultivars: IR 64 or Khitish for arsenic
contaminated areas as replacement of Satabdi.
Low arsenic accumulating crops like potato, Pumpkin, Sesame,
Green gram , sunflower can be safely included in cropping sequence to minimize
the arsenic entry into the food-chain.
Crop
Rice
Wheat
Variety
Potato
IR 64, Khitish
UP-262, K-9107
BT-193
Siliguri Lal, Kufri Chandramukhi
Cauliflower
Radish
Pumpkin
Colocasia
White marvel
Chinese Pink
Kali Kumro
BCC-10
Sesame
Introduction of surface irrigation system through installation of largescale water harvesting structures in the contaminated areas.
Recommendations for immediate implementation
Reduced use of ground water as irrigation source:
Use of
pond (surface) water (harvested rain water) has been observed to reduce arsenic
loading in edible parts of different crops like kharif rice (24%), boro rice (20%),
mustard (30%), wheat (31%), potato (30%), as compared to the crops exposed to
irrigation through shallow tube well water (STW).
Increased use of Organic Manure:
Vermicompost, oil cakes
(mustard and castor cakes), FYM, Green manure (Sesbania rostrata) were
observed to reduce soil arsenic availability to standing crops. (Vermicompost
was most efficient in this regard, reduced 55.2% grain Arsenic loading in boro rice
over the control counterparts.)
Inorganics as soil amendments:
ZnSO4, FeSO4, CaSiO3, elevated
levels of phosphate were established as efficient inorganic amendments to reduce
soil arsenic availability to standing crops.
Development Model for the State of West Bengal
Flood control &
Drainage
Irrigation Dev. & rain
water conservation
Soil & Water
Conservation
Reclamation of
saline soil
Land Improvement
and Development
Forest & Social
Forestry Dev.
Crop improvement
Fruits, vegetables
floriculture, spices
Agricultural production
cropping intensity
Zonal Level Priorities
Cattle (milk), Goat/pig
(meat), Poultry/duck (egg) &
Fishery
Overall Development
in Agricultural and
Allied Sectors
Seed production
Silk & Lac culture
Animal production
processing
Biopesticides
industries
State Level Priorities
Agricultural processing
fruits/vegetables
Biofertiliser industry
Arsenic problem
Feed mill
Handicrafts
cane/mat/jute
Agro-based industries
jute/cotton/wood etc.
Agricultural process
coir/bamboo/mat
Areas of prioritization
Agricultural development in the State of West Bengal in future may have the strategy
with following prioritization. While strategy for the next plan will be relatively a
short-term one, that up to 2025 A.D. will be long-term strategy.
The objectives of such agricultural development plan would be as follows:
 Increasing agricultural production and productivity using natural resources as
much as possible without harming the existing agro-ecological balances.
 Genetic improvement of crop varieties with higher yield potentiality, adaptability
under various biotic and abiotic stresses keeping in view the changing climate,
following well planned research and developmental programme suitable for
different agro-ecological situations.
 Employment generation as well as livelihood security of the vast rural population
of the State.
 Generation of viable, low-cost agro-technology suitable for different agroecological situations.
 Capacity building of the farming communities through extensive training and
demonstration programme:
 Institution credit support to the farmers.
 Agro-based processing industries.
Major Strategies:
• To maintain the productivity of major cereals in
irrigated agro-ecosystem, especially in rice.
• Value-addition in rice, pulse etc for better market price
vis-à-vis more earning from the same area of land.
• Promotion of quality seed/planting materials
production for rice, pulse, vegetables and fruits.
• Development of abiotic and biotic stress tolerant variety
for rice, pulse, jute, fruits and vegetables using modern
tools and techniques.
Constraints (BCKV)
 Inadequate infrastructure for adopting modern
tools and techniques due to insufficient fund flow.
 Shortage of manpower, infrastructure and resources
in the Zonal Research Stations for undertaking zone
specific need-based research and extension
programme.
 University has shortage of man-power which is
impeding teaching , research and extension works.
 Lack of fund for translational research, particularly
in the field of variety development.
Emerging areas of research for innovation and customization of
technologies
Development of varieties for principal crops suitable for agro-ecological
zones and capable to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses
Development, validation and training related to seed production
technologies for principal crops across agro-ecological regions
Formulation of site-specific integrated plant nutrient management
system to augment productivity and to sustain soil health and resilience
at the same time
Formulation of IPM modules across agro-ecological regions for ecofriendly management of pest-disease-weed.
Development and administration of appropriate post-harvest
technologies for fruits, vegetables and other commercial crops for value
addition.
Sensitization and motivation of entrepreneurship for linking producercustomer through producer companies developed with stakeholders
Thank you