Improving seed varieties: Water scarcity has a critical impact on agricultural productivity and hence, food security
"There is an urgent need to reduce water use in agriculture by developing new technologies that will help secure and enhance yields for farmers. The combination of changes in grower practices, increased availability of drought tolerant seeds, crop protection and crop diversification as well as improved farmer education will increase not only yields but also reduce pressure on natural resources," said Mr Sharad Khurana, business leader, DuPont Pioneer.
DuPont has introduced solutions towards agricultural production that overcome the issue of water shortage, through innovations such as high yielding seeds and crop agronomical practices like crop diversification.
Agriculture is India's largest consumer of water. According to The World Bank, an estimated 114 million Indians will soon face domestic, agricultural, and industrial water shortages. In fact, China and India, with one-third of the world's people, have between them less than 10 percent of the world's fresh water. Water scarcity has a critical impact on agricultural productivity and hence, food security.
Recognizing these challenges, as per DuPont, it is addressing them through a variety of new technologies and innovative agricultural practices. In Andhra Pradesh, DuPont Pioneer seeds has introduced a new type of hybrid corn that requires less water and can thrive within the state's changing climactic conditions. DuPont has also worked with the Punjab government to introduce crop diversification for growing varieties like corn and rice to reduce water usage considerably. In both the states, DuPont said that it took a well-rounded approach of creating awareness, holding crop seminars, distributing seeds, and providing right agronomic services in these states. These efforts have helped farmers to maximize their yields and have sustained income through the year, without draining valuable water resources.
DuPont Pioneer is among the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability, and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere.
