80 Quotes by M. S. Swaminathan

In any case, if I grow hybrid maize or hybrid pearl mallet or any hybrid, I have to sow fresh seed every year. I cannot keep the seed of the same plant. If I keep the seed of the same plant, yield will be much less and there will be a wide variation in the field, like maturity period, quality and so on.

If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.

Agriculture is the backbone of the livelihood security system of nearly 700 million people in the country and we need to build our food security on the foundation of home grown food.

Hybrids have become an important method for improving productivity or yield in many crops including the self-pollinated crop like rice.

Aberrations in monsoon behaviour are not uncommon, having been with us throughout our agricultural history.

Agriculture can trigger job-led economic growth, provided it becomes intellectually satisfying and economically rewarding.

The rain-cum-solar energy centre functioning in Chennai is a source of credible public information on rainwater harvesting and solar energy use. Such centres need to be replicated in all our cities, towns and block headquarters.

One of India's major blessings is the rich store of experience and knowledge available in the rural and tribal areas.

Famines were frequent in colonial India and some estimates indicate that 30 to 40 million died out of starvation in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Bengal during the later half of the 19th century.