From uniformity to diversity: reclaiming the richness of India's farming heritage

What have policies geared toward economic liberalisation in common with South Asia's famed Green Revolution in advanced agricultural technology and farm modernisation? Both have eaten away at the diversity of crop and livestock varieties to be found in the region. A report published by the International Institute for Environment and Development highlights the diversity inherent in India's crop plants and livestock breeds. It connects this richness to versatile patterns of farming on the sub- continent and warns of increasing depletion of both under pressure from liberalisation, citing examples from many locations and suggesting agricultural planners take note of policy implications.