Context: Hybrid seeds in agriculture are gaining popularity, posing concerns about market monopolization by multinational firms while altering crop diversity and traditional farming practices. Production of hybrid seed depends on plant, pollinator and environmental factors, which influence it individually or in interactive ways.

Key Points:

Hybrid Seed Surge:

Farmers historically yielding 10 tonnes of rice from 1.5 hectares saw a drastic drop to 1.9 tonnes in 2022 due to a Fiji virus infection, emphasizing the vulnerability of traditional seeds.

Hybrid seeds, offering quicker harvests and shorter crop cycles, have been increasingly favored by farmers in India.

Seed Varieties:

Farmers cultivate and reuse traditional seeds over generations, while agricultural universities develop open-pollinated variety seeds, both of which are gradually facing overshadowing by hybrid variants.

Farmers harvest traditional seeds for consecutive seasons, ensuring crop suitability to local climates.

Historical Evolution:

The introduction of hybrid seeds in agriculture in India linked to the Green Revolution in the 1960s, promoting HYVs via the National Seed Corporation.

Transitioning from public sector dominance in seed distribution to private players entering the hybrid seed market in the 1980s has led to concerns about crop diversity preservation.

Concerns and Findings:

Reports highlight the expanding influence of private companies in India’s seed market, with projections indicating exponential growth and a market value of $9.1 billion by 2024.

Challenges arise with hybrid seeds being sensitive to climate conditions and rainfall, demanding precise environmental factors for optimal growth.

The surge in hybrid seed demand escalates prices without government-supported seed banks, potentially threatening crop diversity and traditional seed varieties.

Issues with Hybrids:

Dependency on specific climatic conditions for hybrid seeds poses risks;

• they require rainfall within a specific timeframe after sowing
• making them susceptible to unpredictable weather changes
• Rising seed prices during high demand
• lack of government-backed seed banks
• aggressive marketing by multinational firms could undermine traditional farming practices and crop diversity.

Legislative changes favor seed breeders, shifting seed ownership from community to individual, potentially favoring commercial seed developers.

Conclusion

The growing dominance of hybrid seeds raises concerns. For instance about crop diversity loss, traditional farming practices, and potential market monopolization by multinational firms. The sustainability and diversity of India’s agriculture landscape necessitate a careful balance between modern seeds and preserving traditional crop varieties.

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