“Even Dr. Swaminathan Would Sound the Alarm Today”: Former VC Warns on Chemical Overuse in Farming

Unchecked use of herbicides in summer moong threatens soil health, food safety, and India’s sustainable farming future

09 April 2025, New Delhi: India’s Green Revolution enabled the country to achieve self-sufficiency in food grain production and triggered a transformation in farming practices. With improved access to micro-irrigation, uninterrupted power supply, and institutional credit, farmers have increasingly adopted high-value horticultural crops, leading to significant income growth. However, this progress has brought forth new challenges that now demand urgent attention—particularly in the cultivation of summer moong (green gram).

Dr. Vijay Singh Tomar, Former Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (Jabalpur) and Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (Gwalior), has raised a red flag on the rising environmental and health risks associated with summer moong cultivation, especially due to herbicide misuse.

Traditionally cultivated during the monsoon (kharif) season under rainfed conditions, moong not only supported soil health due to its nitrogen-fixing capacity but also required minimal external inputs. However, over the past decade, moong acreage has more than tripled, and the shift to summer cultivation is now leading to severe groundwater depletion and an unsustainable increase in electricity use for irrigation.

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To accelerate sowing, many farmers burn crop residues—leading to air pollution—and to hasten harvesting, they are using herbicides such as Paraquat and Glyphosate. These chemicals pose serious threats to human health and the environment, and leave harmful residues in the food chain. Dr. Tomar warned that such practices are increasing the incidence of chronic illnesses and food safety concerns.

Another pressing issue is the decline in soil fertility. The repeated and uncontrolled use of herbicides is destroying beneficial soil microbes, undermining long-term productivity and ecosystem balance. Summer moong also demands 3–4 irrigations per crop cycle, further lowering groundwater levels in already water-stressed areas.

Dr. Tomar emphasized the importance of returning to eco-friendly, low-input farming practices. Farmers are being encouraged to allow natural ripening of summer moong and to minimize or completely avoid the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides.

He further mentioned, “If Dr. M.S. Swaminathan were alive today, he would acknowledge the significant gains of the Green Revolution—but also agree that the unregulated use of fertilizers and crop protection chemicals is now creating new threats to health and sustainability.”

Also Read: Farming Against the Elements: How APAC Growers Are Turning to Biostimulants in an Era of Climate Stress

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