Author: Our Staff Reporter
Publication: The Hindu
Date: December 7, 2004
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/07/stories/2004120715110500.htm
Underscoring the immense knowledge
base of India's farmers, with regard to agricultural practices, climate,
soil and water use, Mangala Rai, Director-General of the Indian Council
of Agriculture Research (ICAR), on Monday called for marrying scientific
tools with ancient wisdom.
Inaugurating an international seminar
on "Agricultural Heritage of India" organised by the Asian Agri-History
Foundation here, Dr. Rai said that historically human culture had developed
on the shoulders of agricultural development. "There is much wisdom hidden
in religious practices, local sayings and farming practices," he said and
added that it was necessary to tweeze it out for use by all.
Work praised
He complimented the foundation for
its work in unearthing old treatises on agriculture and bringing them to
the notice of all. Y.L. Nene, Trustee of the Foundation, informed that
they had already translated, printed and analysed five agriculture manuals
from ancient and medieval India.
"It is not that ancient Indians
knew everything. But we have developed much knowledge about agriculture
and can gain from it even in today's world of biotechnology-driven agriculture,"
said Dr. Nene, who was earlier with ICRISAT.
He gave the example of "kanapa"
(translated as `filthy water'), which has been prescribed as a liquid manure
for fruit trees in many ancient texts. It was produced by boiling animal
waste, flesh and bones.
Record yields
Chemical analysis shows that high
levels of proline amino acid in `Kanapa' enables plants to withstand pests
and extreme weather.
Even in 1884, British scientists
found record rice yields in Salsette Island off Bombay as animal waste
was being dumped there. Records show that rice yield in Salsette touched
4.8 tonnes per hectare from local varieties without the use of any fertilizer.
Compare this to the present day
average rice yield of 1.9 tonnes per hectare, or the "high" yield of 4
tonnes per hectare even in States like Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The foundation has till date recovered,
translated and printed five ancient and medieval texts.
These are the `Krishi-Parashara'
from 400 B.C., the `Kashyapiyakrishisukti' from 700 to 800 A.D., which
deals with agricultural practices of the Krishna-Godavari delta, the `Vrikshayurveda'
of Surapala from 1000 A.D., the `Vishvavallabha' compiled in Rajasthan
during the reign of Maharana Pratap and the `Nuskha Dar Fanni-Falahat'
compiled by Mughal prince Dara Shikoh.
The foundation is currently working
on an agricultural treatise in old Kannada called `Lokapakaran' dated to
1024 A.D. and on a 600 A.D. document called `Varahamihira' from Ujjain.
