Global warming and inflation: Should millet – the poor man's food – make a comeback?
Business
Water-intensive crops amid global warming and alarming food inflation need replacement
LAHORE (Web Desk) – “Bajre Da Sitta”, “Tere Bajre Di Rakhi” and “Nikka Mota Bajra” are just few example of how we still happily remember and even eulogise the nutritious millet (bajra) through our music. There is something nostalgic. But interestingly, it is missing from our cuisine.
However, it wasn’t always the case with the people consuming millet as a staple food – used it in bread (roti). With the passage of time, it was somehow listed as the poor man’s food after the rise of wheat and rice despite having a strong nutritional value. The same is happening with maize but not at the rate and intensity experienced by millet.
It makes the question even more interesting that why millet (bajra) and the lover are connected in according to our song writers and their audience given it has been downgraded as the poor man’s food. Moreover, why those, who haven’t even seen this grain, are ready to sing “Tere Bajre Di Rakhi” in bathroom.
But given that the topic is serious, we must focus on other things like a latest Reuters report which talks about the return of millet in parts of India and Nigeria as global warming has disrupted the weather pattern and is causing erratic rains.
Read more: From India to Lagos, can 'superfood' millet make climate comeback?
Hence, it is most suitable in the arid regions as well as those where the duration of rainy seasons and amount of rain have reduced. Certainly, changing the crop has become need of the hour if we want to ensure food security for the people of Pakistan.
It’s is a no secret that the parts of Pakistan – norther and north-eastern Punjab, Kashmir and upper regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – used to much higher amount of rains both in winters and summers [monsoon season]. But things have changed since 1980s.
Read more: Extreme weather events in Pakistan: WMO says climate change effects rising in Asia
The rice – the most water-intensive crop – belt also falls in the region associated with the monsoon. However, we plant rice in Sindh too due to the availability of irrigation system given the abundance of water.
And we didn’t stop there as sugarcane became a favourite crop thanks to the introduction and rise of sugar industry.
So instead of working on water conservation and focusing on research and innovation, we expanded the list water-intensive crops by increasing their area under cultivation at pace that didn’t take into account the ground realities.
Read more: Inflation and interest rates: El Nino will brew up potent new economic storm
Israel is the best example in this case. A country facing severe water shortage and falling in an arid zone is an exporter of food products while using techniques that require just 10 per cent of the amount of water used in traditional farming. Rough estimates suggest its total annual agriculture exports stand around $2.20 billion – a huge amount as the country’s size too is very small.
But the irrigation system doesn’t cover the entire Pakistan which mostly comprises arid zone, making a strong case for “the return of millet”. If some people in India and Nigeria can think ahead of time, why can’t we repeat the same here.
Read more: Pakistan sees 25pc rise in agri financing but can it ensure food security?
However, the rains becoming erratic and intense with reduced duration of rainy seasons amid the rising temperature means that the flow of water in our rivers is also on a decline. Higher temperatures also mean that the rate of water evaporation is also increasing, adding to the water wastage we already have due to poor crop pattern and management as well as canal system.
All these factors points to one thing. We have to change our crop pattern and introduce crops that consume less water. Millet is one them for being a staple tested nutritious grain. But are our farmers and consumers ready for this change is the questions.
One last point: The record-high inflation and the looming food insecurity threat mean the poor man’s food may be what we actually need.
