DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN AGRICULTURE IN INDIA

DISASTER				disaster (7) evacuation rescue and relief and (8)
PREPAREDNESS IN AGRICULTURE IN INDIA				rehabilitation and reconstruction.
�				The High Powered Committee of Govt. of India,
� By Dr. Ashok Kumar Panigrahi				defined Disaster Management as “a collective
Definition of Disaster				term encompassing all aspects of planning for and
The National Disaster Management Act 2005				responding to disasters, including both pre and
defines, “Disaster is a catastrophe, mishap,				post disaster activities. It may refer to the
calamity or grave occurrence affecting an area,				management of both the risks and consequences
arising from natural or manmade causes, or by				of disasters”. Clearly the term management
accident or negligence which results in substantial				has emerged as an umbrella term that
loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and				encompasses the entire disaster cycle, including
destruction of, property, or damage to, or				mitigation. This needs careful noting and wide
degradation of, environment, and is of such a				spread awareness because traditionally the term
nature or magnitude as beyond the coping				management was restrictively used to address
capacity of the community of the affected				only post disaster
area”.				DNDR Report on Technology for Disaster
It remains to be seen as how are we going to				Reduction undertaken under IDNDR Programme
interpret an event when terms like catastrophe,				Forum 1999.
mishap, calamity and grave occurrence				Unless the old mindsets get changed, the cause of
co-exist and will naturally be seen as				disaster mitigation will continue to suffer at the
interchangeable. As if to complicate the matters				hands of traditional disaster managers.
further, the definition hangs on the knife edge of				DROUGHT TOLERANT CROP, RICE DIVERSITY
local coping capacity. Suppose there are two				Orissa is endowed with some drought tolerant
identical events at two different locations A and				native rice varieties, a few of which are of high
B, and the local coping capacity at A is higher than				therapeutic impotence also. Drought stress crops
that required to manage the event whereas at B				exhibit inhibition of lateral root development as an
the local coping capacity is much lower. Clearly it				adaptive response to the stress. The drought
would mean that the same event would be				response is mediated by the phyto - hormone
recognized as a disaster at location B but not at				“abscisic acid,” produced in such plants,
location A.?				which prevent lateral root developments.
The United Nations UNDRO Disaster Management				Drought tolerant rice varieties do not exhibit much
Training Manual defines, “Disaster as a serious				tillering and exhibit vertical root development
disruption of the functioning of a society, causing				rather than lateral ones.
widespread human, material, or environmental				PPBSA- NAVDANYA, ORISSA ACCESION AND
losses which exceed the ability of the affected				CONSERVATION OF DROUGHT TOLERANT RICE
society to cope using only its own resources.				VARIETIES
The UNDRO 1987, cited in Hanisch 1996, define				Pandursuan-120 days
disasters in the following way, “A disaster is				Baula-150 days
an event that is concentrated in space and time				Basumati-140 days
and that subject a society to severe danger and				Bedaswarna-145 days
such serious losses of human life or such major				Dasarageti-130 days
material damage that the local social structure				Bhuta-150 days
breaks down and the society is unable to perform				Jhalakseni-140 days
any or some of its key functions.”				Lakshyahira-150 days
The High Powered Committee of the				Mahanadi-150 days
Government of India, in its October 2001 Report				Babaganesh-150 days
defines “Disaster is an occurrence of a				FLOOD TOLERANT CROP, RICE DIVERSITY
severity and magnitude that normally results in				The rice as a crop was brought from the arid
deaths, injuries and property damage that cannot				uplands to the coastal flood plains centuries ago.
be managed through the routine procedures and				The tall indica rice varieties, thus evolved, have,
resources of government. It usually develops				more or less, the ability to survivesubmergence.
suddenly and unexpectedly and requires				Some varieties are able to withstand complete
immediate, coordinated and effective response by				submergence for days together.
multiple government and private sector				The gene named “sub IA” has been
organizations to meet human needs and speedy				identified in these rice varieties. Such genes have
recovery”				beenthere for long in nature. These native rice
The definition of disaster provided by the Centre				varieties are being cultivated in predominantly
for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters				submerged coastal flood plains of Orissa where
(CRED) is relatively simpler. CRED defines, “A				they remain wholly under water for days
disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms				togetheryet survive to hand over a good yield.
local capacity, necessitating a request to national				These are generally longer days duration varieties
or international level for external assistance; an				withability to remain submerged for longer periods
unforeseen and often sudden event that causes				than others.
great damage, destruction and human				PPBSA- NAVDANYA, ORISSA ACCESION AND
suffering.” Then it goes on to add that for a				CONSERVATION OF FLOOD TOLERANT RICE
disaster to be entered into the database, at least				VARIETIES
one of the following criteria must be fulfilled: (1)				Jamainadu -150 days
ten or more people recorded killed (2)100 people				Panirohi -150 days
reported affected (3) declaration of State of				Kalameghi -150 days
Emergency and (4) call for international assistance				Panidubi -150 days
. Clearly the difficulty of the kind faced in the				Rabana -150 days
definition given in the Act does not arise if such a				Seulapuni -150 days
definition is used.				SALT TOLERANT RICE DIVERSITY
Distinguishing Disasters and Crises				Under present estimate 10-35% of the
Natural				world’s agricultural land is salt affected. The
�				mechanism of salt tolerance has been evolved in
* Droughts				the nature slowly over a long period of rice
* Floods				cultivation in mostly the saline affected coastal
* Earthquakes				belt of Orissa (and else where also).Some of
* Land slides				them can tolerate extreme soil salinity conditions,
* Cloud bursts				even can be grown in salt pan land
* Cyclones				Orissa salt tolerant land races have caused
Man Made				agronomic miracle both in Nagapattinam and
* Air, rail and road accidents				Indonesia (post tsunami) where some of them
* Industrial accidents				such as Lunabakada, Bhundi, Kalambank and
* Civil commotions and unrests				Dhalasola, provided as disaster response in the
* Terrorism and terrorist strikes				area have on an average produced 34 to 54
The High Powered Committee set up by the				tillers in the system of rice intensification (SRI)
Govt. of India, in 2001, has identified 31 disasters				method of rice cultivation.
and classified them into the following 5 groups				Predominant salt- tolerance mechanisms operating
-				plants
I. Water and Climate-related Disasters-				1. Restricting the entry of toxic ions at root
- 1. Floods and drainage				level - exclusion
- 2. Cyclones				2. Transporting the toxic ions to stem, leaf sheath
- 3. Tornadoes and hurricanes				or older leaves – plant level compartmentation
- 4. Hail storms				3. Excretion of salt through salt glands, salt hairs
- 5. Cloud bursts				or bladders – secretion
- 6. Heat wave and cold wave				4. Sequestration of the toxic ions to vacuole or
- 7. Snow avalanches				cell wall –cell level compartmentation
- 8. Droughts				Antioxidative enzymes such as catalase (CAT)
- 9. Sea Erosion				with 2 isomeric forms like CAT-1 & 2 and
- 10. Thunder and lightening				peroxidase (POX) with 4 isomeric forms like
II. Geological Disasters				POX-1,2,3 &4 besides guaiacol peroxidase
- 1. Land slides and mud flows				(GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) mediate in
- 2. Earthquakes				salt exclusion, secretion and cell and tissue level
- 3. Dam failures / Dam Bursts				compartmentation activity in all salt tolerant plants
- 4. Mine fires				enabling them to survive in harsh inter tidal zones.
III. Chemical/Industrial/Nuclear				It is supposed that salt tolerant paddy diversity
Disasters				must have some of these.
- 1. Chemical and industrial disasters				It is argued that GM salt tolerant crop varieties
- 2. Nuclear disasters				can not successfully replace natural diversity;
IV. Accident-related Disasters				because the lower portion of such plants turn red
- 1. Forest fires				showing salt stress even after addition of 25%
- 2. Urban fires				gypsum, where as the native varieties show
- 3. Mine flooding and fires				minimum red ness even without any gypsum
- 4. Oil spills				application
- 5. Major building collapses				PPBSA- NAVDANYA, ORISSA COLLECTION AND
- 6. Serial bomb blasts				CONSERVATION, SALT TOLERANT RICE
- 7. Festival related disasters				VARIETIES
- 8. Electrical disasters and fires				Bhundi -135 days
- 9. Air, road and rail accidents				Sankarchin -(Aromatic) 150 days
- 10. Boat capsizing				Lunabakada -150 days
- 11. Village fires				Kalambank -135 days
V. Biological Disasters				Dudheswar -130 days
- 1. Biological disasters and epidemics				Bhaliki -145 days
- 2. Pest attacks				Disaster
- 3. Cattle epidemics				�
- 4. Food poisoning				According to the Indian Act
India supports one-sixth of the world’s				2005, “mitigation means measures aimed at
population on just 2% of its landmass. It suffers				reducing the risk, impact or effects of a disaster
heavily from natural disasters of every shade and				or a threatening disaster situation”. There is
description that hits the poorest of the poor and				the urgent need to ensure that disaster mitigation
which is why the considerations of disaster safety				strategies get enmeshed and integrated with the
deserve prime attention.				very development process.
According to one estimate, nearly 59 % of				State of Balasore Coast at Sartha Estuary after
India’s land area is prone to earthquakes of				the Orissa Super Cyclone, 1999
moderate to high intensity, nearly 12 % is flood				During and after the cyclone, the area became
prone, about 8% is cyclone prone, 2% is landslide				devastated. Consequently, all commercial activities
prone and a long coastline, exceeding 5500 kms is				in the local market place which had one ice
exposed to tsunamis and other sea borne				factory with fish packing facility, few merchant
disasters such as storm surges. Drought,				shops, doctors’ chambers, hotels and
regarded as disaster in slow motion, affect as				restaurants were abandoned by 2006. A fishing
much as 68% of India’s land area. Of the 35				jetty which was under construction was
states and union territories, as many as 27 are				abandoned half way and the built concrete
disaster prone. And if the perceived threats due				structure damaged beyond recovery. The coast
to other disasters such as chemical and terrorist				was damaged to such an extent that it became
attacks are added, every square inch of India is				incommunicable and navigable.
vulnerable, calling for immediate attention and				Navdanya decided to restore the local ecology
sustained effort.				through mangrove rejuvenation. A portion of the
Major Indian Disasters,				available mud flat was put under protection using
1. Droughts				local nets, bamboos and manpower. In 2 years
Approximately 68% of land covering				time about 1,60,000 seeds and seedlings of 16
sub-Himalayan and peninsular India is vulnerable. It				species of mangroves were established in an
affects primarily arid, semi-arid and sub-humid				area of 35 hectares of mud flat at the site
regions, states like Karnataka, Gujarat,				devastated by tidal actions following the cyclone.
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, MP, AP, Bihar,				Some of these newly established plants bore
UP, Haryana, Orissa, WB, J&K, Jharkhand and				fruits after 2 years and the local community
Chhattisgarh. Low rainfall during the last two years				members planted these seeds to gain thick ness.
has caused severe drought conditions in 11 Indian				Expectedly, there was successful eco-restoration
states. An estimated 130 million people –				in the area within 2 years of mangrove
about 15 % of the population - in more than				rejuvenation. Those who had abandoned the area
70,000 villages and 230 urban centers are at risk.				started returning and reclaiming their abandoned
Apart from economic loss due to low agricultural				property. Today the abandoned fishing jetty
production, loss of animal wealth, inadequate				reminds the eco-destruction of the area following
nutrition and primary health care, the impact of				the Orissa super cyclone of 1999.
the drought is likely to retard the development				Some of species of mangroves established in the
process. The most severely affected states are				estuary
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. In				Sl No.
droughts, water bodies including lakes, tanks and				Species Name
wells dry up, causing acute scarcity of water.				Hypocotyle
Consequently, the problem of drinking water gets				1. Gen. Characters
accentuated. For example, as a result of drought				Native Name
of the year 2000 in Gujarat, 25 million people in				No of seeds/ propagules/
9500 villages, four metros, and 79 towns were hit				Hypocotyles/Rhizome
by drinking water scarcity (IRMA – UNICEF,				1.
2000). The animals were the worst affected. In				Kandelia candel
the drought conditions, it is almost impossible to				40 cm long hypocotyles
get fodder and water for them. In the recent				Sinduka
droughts, for example, thousands of cattle				39,100
perished in many states because of the deficiency				2.
of fodder and drinking water				Rhizophora stylosa
All such episodes of severe drought correlate with				Hypocotyls smooth not exceeding 30 cm
El Niño-La Nina Southern Oscillation (ENSO)				Rai
events. El Niño-related droughts have also been				20
implicated in periodic declines in Indian agricultural				3.
output. Nevertheless, ENSO(LaNina) events that				Rhizophora apiculata
have coincided with abnormally high sea surface				Hypocotyls slender
temperatures in the Indian Ocean—in one				50 cm long
instance during 1997 and 1998 by up to 3 °C				Rai
(5 °F)—have resulted in increased oceanic				4,400
evaporation, resulting in unusually wet weather				4.
across India. Such anomalies have occurred during				Rhizophora mucronata
a sustained warm spell that began in the 1990s. A				Hypocotyles slender
contrasting phenomenon is that, instead of the				75 cm long
usual high pressure air mass over the southern				Rai
Indian Ocean, an ENSO-related oceanic low				750
pressure convergence center forms; it then				5.
continually pulls dry air from Central Asia,				Bruguiera gymnorhiza
desiccating India during what should have been the				18-25 cm long ridged
humid summer monsoon season. This reversed air				Bandari
flow causes India's droughts. The extent that an				7,750
ENSO event raises sea surface temperatures in				6.
the central Pacific Ocean influences the degree of				Bruguiera sexangula
drought in India.				Hypocotyles stocky
2. Floods				10 cm long
India is highly flood prone. Of the total of 62				Bandari
major rivers, 18 are flood prone and affect an				1,150
area of 150 Mha. Floods are mainly due to heavy				7.
rainfall as a consequence of depressions in the sea				Bruguiera cylindrica
and tropical cyclones. On an average 60% of the				16 cm long hypocotyles
total damages due to floods in a year are in the				Kaliachua
states of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West				12,850
Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Kharif crops in				8
these states covering about 40% of the total				Ceriops decandra
area is affected. In terms of the monetary value				Sharply ridged 12 cm long hypocotyles
of crop loss, it is 90% of the total damage in				Garani
these states.. The maximum damage recorded				13,500
due to floods in India was about Rs. 654 crore in				9.
1980, while that in 1965, was only of Rs. 11 crore.				Aegiceras corniculatum
The floodwaters do bring about some positive				5-8 cm long hypocotyles
effect. The alluvial soil brought by the floodwaters				Kharsi
is a great boon to agriculture. Besides, in areas like				10,300
the Sabarmati basin, when moderate floods occur,				10.
they are beneficial as they provide the necessary				Xylocarpus granatum
moisture required for raising the crops and help in				4 lobed fruits with dia. 25 cm
suppressing the salt present in the soil.				Sisumar
3. Coastal hazards and sea borne disasters				4,050
Coastal India frequently suffers from damaging				11.
meteorological events such as tropical cyclones,				Sonneratia alba
storm surges, high winds, flooding and coastal				Calyx six lobed, ribbed, petals white,tinged red,
erosion. India has a very long coastal line of 5700				leaves are ovate.
km. This is made of 2700 km of the east coast				Orua
bordering Bay of Bengal and 3000 km of the				550
west coast bordering the Arabian Sea. The Bay				12.
of Bengal and the Arabian Sea together generate				Sonneratia apetala
about 15-16 tropical cyclones annually of which 2-3				Calyx 4 lobed, stigma mushroom shaped
could be very severe. More cyclones occur in the				Kerua
Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea. Cyclone				150
seasons are May and October-November. Months				13.
of May and October are known for severe				Aegialitis rotundifolia
storms. The cyclone surveillance is done by				Hypocotyles 7 cm long, saline tolerance high
INSAT satellite and powerful cyclone detection				Banarua
RADAR installed at Kolkatta, Paradeep,				42,000
Vishkapatnam, Machhilipatnam, Chennai, Karaikal,				14.
Mumbai, Goa, Cochin and Bhuj. These vigils are so				Avicennia alba
satisfactory that no cyclone can escape detection				Seeds conical at top
and it has been possible to issue timely warnings				Kalabani
through cyclone warning centres located at				3,000
Kolkatta, Bhubaneshwar, Visakhapatnam, Chennai,				15.
Mumbai and Ahmedabad.				Avicennia officinalis
Losses due to Disasters				Seeds almond shaped
Losses due to disasters, both direct and indirect,				Dhalabani
elude reliable estimates. According to one World				11,000
Bank estimate, reported direct losses are on the				16.
order of $ 30 billion over the past 35 years. In				Avicennia marina
2005 alone, disasters in India caused direct losses				Seeds squarish to rounded
approaching Rs 87,500 Crore.				Singhalabani
During the period 1994-98, approximately 120				2,000
million people were affected by natural disasters in				17.
one-way or the other and according to one				Excoecaria agallocha
estimate economic losses piled to about Rs.28,000				Exudes white latex on injury fruit 3 lobed
crore. The losses mounted to Rs 47,000 crore				schizocarp
during the period 1998-2003. Authentic count of				Guan
loss of human and cattle life as a whole is not				50
available. International Approach towards Disasters				18.
and disaster				Thespesia populnea
�				Leaves deeply chordate flower of 2 colors, fruits
International approach towards disasters and				multi seeded
disaster reductions are of recent in nature.				Habali
�				8,000
1. International Decade of Natural Disaster				19.
Reduction (1990-2000)				Pongamia pinnata
A big departure from band-aid approach in Natural				Leaves evergreen, ovate, fruits flattened
Disaster Management came from UN General				Karanj
Assembly Resolution 44/236 of 1989 that				6,000
proclaimed the 1990s as the International Decade				20.
for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). The				Phoenix paludosa
Special High Level Council of IDNDR adopted a				Leaves like date palm but not thorny, fruits small,
12-point Action Plan.				stem annular
2. The Earth Summit (3-14 June 1992)				Hental
The next landmark event is The Earth Summit				20* (did not survive)
(3-14 June 1992) that called upon all countries, in				21.
particular those that are disaster prone to				Cynometra iripa
mitigate the negative impact of natural and				Fruits bear a lateral beak
man-made disasters on human settlements,				Singada
national economies and environment. It is here				30*(did not germinate)
that the Culture of Safety prominently emerged				22.
as one of the most cherished targets.				Acanthus ilicifolius
3. Cartagena Declaration (March 1994)				Gregarious shrub up to
The declaration of March 1994 directed disaster				2 m. tall, bluish white flower, leaves spiny
studies, which combine social with technical and				margined
scientific matters and civil society with				Harkanch
government body in order to translate				4,000 (one thousand survived)
technocratic work in to effective policies of				23
disaster prevention and relief.				Porteresia coractata
				Grass like, leaves acicular, margin spinulose serrate
4. Yokohama Mid-term Review of IDNDR (23-27				Dhanidhan
May 1994)				Millions have regenerated in the entire area.
Upon review of progress of IDNDR, emerged the
Yokohama Strategy for Safer World. The main				Effective Response to Disaster
recommendations that emerged were				Effective and swift response requires capacity
(1) Broaden the dialogue related to disaster				to anticipate problems and take judicious decisions
relief, environment and development,				ensuring people’s participation in time. The
(2) Institutionalize the growing culture of				best way is a scientific analysis of the affected
meaningful partnerships between national				site together with the geo-climatic conditions
authorities, regional outfits, NGOs, private firms,				existing at that site. Crop selection has to be
etc., to ensure that prevention, preparedness and				made accordingly.
mitigation measures become an acceptable part				1.Nagapattinam (TN), post Tsunami, 2004. Total
of the development process.				loss of principal crop, paddy. Navdanya, from its
5. Millennium Declaration, September 2000.				seed bank in Balasore transported 100 quintals of
The declaration resolved to intensify cooperation				3 select native salt tolerant varieties and
to protect the vulnerable, save our common				distributed in 3 villages. Crop performance was
environment and reduce the number and effect				exceedingly well although they were of longer day
of both natural and manmade disasters.				duration varieties in the place of their collection.
6. Inter-agency Framework for the International				Thus new paddy diversity was established in
Strategy for Disaster Reduction				Nagapattinam
UN General Assembly and the Economic and social				2.Ersama, post Orissa super cyclone, 1999. Total
Council launched International strategy for Disaster				loss of paddy crop with seeds; Navdanya decided
Reduction (ISDR). An interagency secretariat was				to reestablish both paddy and vegetable crops.
created to serve as focal point within the UN				100 quintals of 14 native salt and flood resistant
system in 2000.				paddy seeds were procured from the Navdanya
7. .World summit on Sustainable Development,				seed banks existing in the coastal district of
2002				Balasore having similar geo-climatic conditions and
The Johannesburg Plan on sustainable				distributed in 3 villages of Gadabishunpur GP
development, paragraph 37, advocates for an				through 3 seed banks established with these
integrated multi-hazard all-inclusive approach to				seeds. In 3 years further, these seeds were
address vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster				spread out to 6 other villages, almost covering
management including prevention, mitigation,				Ersama block. Yields of the new seeds were
preparedness, response and recovery for a safer				excellent because of the distance between the
world in the 21st Century.				place of their collection and the place of their new
8. Bonn Conference on Early Warning, 2003				cultivation, the basis of traditional seed exchange
The conference sought effective early warning				system, now obsolete. Vegetable seeds mostly
systems through strengthening of coordination				family packs each having 10 to 50 gms of 10
and cooperation among all relevant sectors and				vegetable varieties, enough to support a family,
actors in the early warning chain				were also distributed to the affected populace.
9. Mauritius Strategy for Small Island States,				Innovate Disaster Education
January 2005				There should be an open national debate on the
Response capacity. It gave a call for enhanced				dimensions of disaster education and the way it
commitments to reduce the vulnerability of small				should be imparted. Disaster education ought to
island states, as they usually have inadequate				be for all people, men or women, young or old,
10. Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015)				literate or illiterate and it must address their
World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in				specific needs as individuals and groups. Whereas
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan during 18-22 January 2005				India needs a breed of experts and specialists on
threw up a framework for action for the decade				all the diverse aspects of disaster mitigation and
2005-15. The priorities set for the decade include				management for which enough space is to be
enhancement of international and regional				found in our universities and higher institutes of
cooperation, emphasis on an integrated				learning, a much broader framework alone can
multi-hazard approach to risk reduction, recognition				meet the demand for disaster education for all.
of cultural diversity, empowerment of				The greatest challenge before us is to change
communities and local authorities, promotion of				over from the conventional chalk and talk or
the culture of prevention, and recognition that				power-point-disaster-education in piecemeal to the
every disaster is also an opportunity and disaster				education that breeds holistic perception and the
risk reduction is a cross-cutting issue.				culture of disaster safety by selling excitement
				and joy of learning in the live laboratories of
11. United Nations Decade for Education for				Nature and not in the confines of the class
Sustainable Development (2005-15)				rooms.
The declaration aims at disaster risk reduction				Even with adequate concern to quality and scope
through revision of teaching curricula at all levels				of coverage in any given case, the universities
and the use of other formal and informal channels				and institutions must not become factories to
in order to reach youth and children with				deliver graduates and post graduates without
information so necessary as to effectively				assessing the job market. Who is going to employ
prevent and mitigate disasters.				these graduates and post graduates and in what
Definition of Disaster Management				numbers? Thus, the importance of the need of
According to the Indian National Disaster				the hour gains paramount importance. National
Management Act 2005, disaster management				Disaster Management Authority and State
means a continuous and integrated process of				Disaster Management Authorities are in the best
planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing				position to make projections of numbers likely to
measures which are necessary or expedient for				be needed initially and in the long run, as far as
- (1) prevention of danger or threat of any				disaster management and mitigation is concerned..
disaster (2) mitigation or reduction of risk of any				This would bring to fore the wisdom of imparting
disaster or its severity or consequences (3)				disaster education in the current curricula to
capacity building (4) preparedness to deal with any				ensure mobility of these students in the global
disaster (5) prompt response to any threatening				market having learnt the expertise of disaster
disaster situation or disaster (6) assessing				handling and management.
severity or magnitude of effects of any

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DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN AGRICULTURE IN INDIA

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