ICRISAT Annual Report 2001 'Grey to Green Revolution'

Abstract

The 2001 Annual Report, describing ICRISAT's work during 2000, is themed 'Grey to Green Revolution', highlighting how a different approach is being applied to achieve a 'green revolution' in the semi-arid tropics. The term 'grey' reflects global gloom and skepticism about potential progress in these regions - attitudes that ICRISAT believes are unwarranted. Unlike the well-known Green Revolution of the 1960s/70s in irrigated/heavily fertilized wheat and rice, dryland farmers lack access to irrigation and agrochemicals that could eliminate environmental stresses. Instead of homogenizing the environment, the grey-to-green revolution embraces diversity - adapting agriculture to perform better despite variable and uncertain climates and rainfall and the limited investment resources available to the poor. Director General William Dar's overview message explains that