Re-aligning Agri-Food Policies: Saving Punjab and Haryana from Ecological Disaster

29 July 2024, New Delhi: A recent policy brief by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has highlighted the urgent need for a paradigm shift in the agricultural practices of Punjab and Haryana to avert an impending ecological disaster. Authored by Reena Singh, Purvi Thangaraj, Ritika Juneja, and Ashok Gulati, the report titled “Saving Punjab and Haryana from Ecological Disaster: Re-aligning Agri-Food Policies” emphasizes the critical environmental degradation caused by the current agri-food policies in these states.

Punjab and Haryana, the flagbearers of India’s Green Revolution in the 1970s, have significantly contributed to the country’s food security. Their agricultural success story, however, has come at a high environmental cost. Intensive farming practices, particularly the cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice, have led to severe groundwater depletion, soil nutrient exhaustion, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

The policy brief highlights that the states’ agricultural practices have led to a drastic decline in groundwater levels. Punjab’s annual groundwater extraction is 28 billion cubic meters (bcm), far exceeding its annual recharge of 19 bcm. Similarly, Haryana faces severe groundwater depletion, with an average decline of 11.94 meters below ground level over the past two decades. These figures highlight the unsustainable nature of the current agricultural model.

The report also brings to light the skewed subsidy structure that disproportionately benefits rice cultivation. In 2023-24, combined subsidies for paddy cultivation in Punjab amounted to Rs 38,973 per hectare, further incentivizing farmers to grow rice despite its detrimental environmental impact. The extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides has not only degraded soil health but also posed serious health risks to the local population, including cancer and kidney failure.

Moreover, rice cultivation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice fields, coupled with the burning of crop residues, have positioned Punjab and Haryana as significant emitters of greenhouse gases. The brief notes that Punjab has the highest per hectare emission from rice cultivation in India, with 5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per hectare, followed closely by Haryana.

The authors call for a comprehensive re-alignment of agri-food policies to promote sustainable agricultural practices. They advocate for a more balanced subsidy structure that encourages the cultivation of less water-intensive and more environmentally friendly crops such as pulses, oilseeds, and millets. Additionally, the brief emphasizes the need for improved irrigation practices, crop diversification, and the adoption of advanced agricultural technologies to enhance resource use efficiency.

The ICRIER policy brief calls for immediate and concerted efforts to adopt sustainable farming practices to safeguard the region’s ecological health and ensure long-term agricultural productivity. The future of Punjab and Haryana’s agriculture hinges on the ability to balance food security with environmental sustainability.

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