Prabhu L. Pingali

Green Revolution: Impacts, limits, and the path ahead

A detailed retrospective of the Green Revolution, its achievement and limits in terms of agricultural productivity improvement, and its broader impact at social, environmental, and economic levels is provided. Lessons learned and the strategic insights are reviewed as the world is preparing a “redux” version of the Green Revolution with more integrative environmental and social impact combined with agricultural and economic development. Core policy directions for Green Revolution 2.0 that enhance the spread and sustainable adoption of productivity enhancing technologies are specified.

Agricultural commercialization and diversification: processes and policies

Abstract Agricultural commercialization and diversification involve the gradual replacement of integrated farming systems by specialized enterprises for crop, livestock, poultry and aquaculture products. Changes in product mix and input uses are determined largely by the market forces during this transition. Commercialization of agricultural production is an endogenous process and is accompanied by economic growth, urbanization and withdrawal of labor from the agricultural sector. This paper provides a selective overview and synthesis of the issues involved in the commercialization and diversification process of agriculture, drawing in significant part from the papers in this volume. Based on an assessment of the process observed in selected countries, we show that the commercialization process should not be expected to be a frictionless process, and significant equity and environmental consequences may occur, at least in the short to medium term, particularly when inappropriate policies are followed. However, we highlight that appropriate government policies including investment in rural infrastructure and crop improvement research and extension, establishment of secure rights to land and water, and development and liberalization of capital markets, can help alleviate many of the possible adverse transitional consequences.

Pesticides, productivity, and farmer health: A Philippine case study

Production data from a farm-level survey were integrated with health data collected from the same population of farmers to measure the impacts of pesticide use on farmer health and the impacts of farmer health on productivity in two rice-producing regions of the Philippines. The relationships were then used in a simulation analysis to investigate the health and productivity tradeoffs implied by a policy to restrict pesticide use. Results show that pesticide use has a negative effect on farmer health, that farmer health has a positive effect on productivity, and that there are likely to be social gains from a reduction in insecticide use in Philippine rice production. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings for pesticide policy in developing countries and for allocation of resources in agricultural research.

Impact of pesticides on farmer health and the rice environment

1. Impact of Pesticides on Farmer Health and the Rice Environment: an Overview of Results from a Multidisciplinary Study in the Philippines P.L. Pingali. 2. Measurement and Evaluation of the Impact of Agricultural Chemical Use: a Framework for Analysis J.M. Antle, S. Capalbo. 3. Farmer Perceptions, Knowledge and Pesticide Use H. Warburton, F.G. Palis, P.L. Pingali. 4. Misuse of Pesticides among Rice Farmers in Leyte, Philippines K.L. Heong, M.M. Esacalada, A.A. Lazaro. 5. Behavior of Pesticides in Rice-Based Ecosystems: a Review P.A. Roger, S.I. Bhuiyan. 6. Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Rice Production A.W. Tejada, L.M. Varca, S.M.F. Calumpang, P.P. Ocampo, M.J.B. Medina, C.M. Bajet, E.B. Paningbatan, J.R. Medina, V.P. Justo, C.dL. Habito, M.R. Martinez, E.D. Magallona. 7. Impact of Pesticides on Ricefield Vertebrates on the Quality of Freshwater Resources S.I. Bhuiyan, A.A. Castaneda. 8. Impact of Pesticides on Ricefield Vertebrates with Emphasis on Fish A.G. Cagauan. 9. Impact of Pesticides on Non-Target Aquatic Invertebrates in Wetland Ricefields: a Review I.C. Simpson, P.A. Roger. 10. Impact of Pesticides on Wetland Ricefield Microflora: a Review P.A. Roger. 11. Experimental Assessment of Pesticide Impact on Soil and Water Fauna and Microflora in Wetland Ricefields of the Philippines P.A. Roger, I.C. Simpson, R. Oficial, S. Ardales, R. Jimenez, A.G. Cagauan. 12. Impact of Long Term Pesticide Exposure on Farmer Health -- a Medical and Economic Analysis in the Philippines P.L. Pingali, C.B. Marquez, F.P. Palis, A.C. Rola.13. Pesticides, Productivity and Farmer Health: a Philippine Case Study J.M. Antle, P.L. Pingali. 14. Public Regulatory Roles in Developing Markets: the Case of Pesticides P.L. Pingali, A.C. Rola. Annexes: I. Annotated Bibliography on the Fate of Pesticides in Ricefields and Ricefield Soils P.A. Roger. II. Annotated Bibliography on Pesticide Residues Detected in Fish and Other Vertebrates in Rice-Based Ecosystems R.D. Valmonte-Gerpacio. III. Annotated Bibliography on the Effects of Pesticides in Aquatic Invertebrates in Ricefields I.C. Simpson. IV. Annotated Bibliography on the Effects of Pesticides on Phototrophic Microorganisms of Ricefields P.A. Roger. V. Annotated Bibliography on the Effects of Pesticides on Non-Phototrophic Microorganisms of Ricefields P.A. Roger. VI. Annotated Bibliography on the Effects of Pesticides on Human Health in Rice-Growing Areas R.D. Valmonte-Gerpacio. Index.

From Subsistence to Commercial Production Systems: The Transformation of Asian Agriculture

Economic growth, urbanization and the withdrawal of labor from the agricultural sector lead to the increasing commercialization of agricultural systems. Subsistence-oriented monoculture food production systems give way to a diversified market-oriented production system. Agricultural commercialization means more than the marketing of agricultural output. It means that product choice and input use decisions are based on the principles of profit maximization. Commercial reorientation of agricultural production occurs for the primary staple cereals as well as for the so-called high value cash crops. On the demand side, the process of agricultural commercialization is triggered rapid income growth and the consequent diversification in food demand patterns. A slowdown in income-induced demand for rice and for coarse

Pesticides and Philippine Rice Farmer Health: A Medical and Economic Analysis

based on speculative and anecdotal paradigms. This paper reports on a unique study in which economists and a medical doctor teamed up to assess the impact of prolonged pesticide use on farmer health. The specific objectives of this study were to identify the types of health impairments that may be attributed to long-term pesticide use and to quantify the magnitude of the impairments relative to the level of pesticide use. Detailed medical examinations found

Changing locus of agricultural research: will the poor benefit from biotechnology and privatization trends?

Over the past decade the locus of agricultural research and development has shifted dramatically from the public to the private multinational sector. Three interrelated forces are transforming the system for supplying improved agricultural technologies to the world’s farmers. The first is the strengthened and evolving environment for protecting intellectual property in plant innovations. The second is the rapid pace of discovery and growth in importance of molecular biology and genetic engineering. Finally, agricultural input and output trade is becoming more open in nearly all countries. These developments have created a powerful new set of incentives for private research investment, altering the structure of the public/private agricultural research endeavor, particularly with respect to crop improvement.

Why global scenarios need ecology

Human well-being depends on ecosystem services such as food and clean water. Yet ecosystems and the services they provide are changing, often in ways we cannot anticipate. How can we cope with surprises and uncertainties when we cannot predict them? One approach is to make decisions that are robust to a number of different futures. Those interested in global environmental issues have used scenarios – sets of stories about the future – to help discuss those issues and to identify policy alternatives. To date, most global environmental scenarios have treated ecological dynamics as the product of large-scale anthropogenic drivers and have not considered ecological feedbacks to these drivers. Global scenarios could benefit from the input of ecologists, as this would lead to the incorporation of more realistic ecosystem dynamics. Similarly, ecology could benefit from involvement in scenario planning. Unlike many technical models, scenarios, easily understood as stories, can be used for communication and outreach, to build public appreciation of ecological science and the ecological dilemmas we face.

Nature: the many benefits of ecosystem services.

Back to nature?In aCommentary in Nature last month, Douglas J. McCauley argued that with little evidence to show that market-based conservation works, the time was ripe for a return to the protection of nature for natures sake. Predictably this has provoked comment, and in Correspondence this week, the issues are aired.

Environmental consequences of agricultural commercialization in Asia

Agroindustrialization and agricultural commercialization are both consequences of economic growth and urbanization. Commercialization of agricultural systems leads to greater market orientation; progressive substitution out of non-traded inputs for purchased inputs; and the decline of integrated farming systems. Agricultural commercialization can have both negative and positive impacts on the natural resource base. Higher opportunity cost of labor increases farmer reliance on herbicides for weed control, primarily for the staple crops. The use of insecticides and fungicides could also rise, especially for high value fruit and vegetable crops. Increased use of agricultural chemicals could lead to higher environmental and human health risks. On the other hand, global integration and the consequent rationalization of agricultural policies could have significant environmental benefits, especially in terms of a reduced rate of salinity build up and ground water depletion in irrigated environments. The extent to which positive environmental effects manifest themselves depends on both macroeconomic and microeconomic policy reforms.