Protein Revolution in India

Protein is a staple part of our diets, a fact that most people take for granted. But in the past few years, India has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of people turning to protein supplements. The idea of eating protein has been glamorised, especially for athletes and those who work out. In the past few decades, people have started to learn more about the right amount of protein required for the body. This has resulted in the protein revolution.

Protein Revolution in India

The protein revolution is also described by the government as the second technology-driven green revolution that aims at higher productivity. Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley together started this revolution in the period of 2014-to 2020. The term “protein revolution” was coined by Narendra Modi. Hence, he is considered as the Father of Protein Revolution in India. Both Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley motivated the farmers to increase their land productivity and foodgrain products by using scientific methods of farming.  This will also reduce the imports of lentils by making one-fifth of their land cultivation friendly for lentils or pulses. The centre is also willing to provide extra investments for pulse cultivation.

Some important point about the protein revolution are: 

1. The protein revolution led to the growth of the farming sector by a total of 4%. Under this revolution, the government provides farmers funds of ₹500 crores as Price Stabilisation Funds so that the farmers do not face volatility. 
2. The government lowered the rate of interest on the short-term crop loans by 3% so that the farmers can stay out of a debt trap. They also financed 500 landless farmers and provided them with soil health cards, laboratories for mobile soil testing, and agri-tech funds.
3. The government has also launched a Kisan TV channel that provides information to farmers about various efficient farming techniques and methods of conservation of water and gives them in-depth knowledge of the agricultural sector that is practical and theoretical. 
4. The provided funds have been raised to ₹5000 crores to enhance the capacity of warehouses. The provided agri-tech fund will be used in the following ways: 
   • It will be used to make farming more competitive and profitable.
   • It will be used as investments in public and private setups or startups.
   • It will be used for the modernisation of the infrastructure of existing businesses related to agriculture.
   • It will be used for the advancement of agricultural technology and machinery.
5. Under this revolution, the making of drug and food labs and a scheme that controls malnutrition will be assisted financially to strengthen the food regulatory and drug regulatory systems of the states. Therefore, new drug testing laboratories have been established, including 31 existing laboratories.
6. The problem of malnutrition is focused on in this revolution. Arun Jaitley has said that it is important to make a mission mode scheme to take control of the increasing malnutrition situation. He has mentioned that the scheme will have a detailed strategy explaining methods, cost, and periods and will get published in the next six months.
7. In addition, in this era of the protein revolution, the government will focus on improving affordable healthcare to deal with health issues and has promised to provide hospitals with better technology and machinery to improve the health facilities of the country. A set up of 15 modern rural health research centres concerned with the health of local rural residents is planned.
8. State governments and Central governments worked closely for the setting up of a National Common Market. This will help in amending the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act and, hence, establishing private sectors.
9. Farmers’s markets shall be developed in the state by the state government to help farmers sell their products without any middlemen.
10. Arun Jaitley also stressed the development of agricultural research centres, laboratories, or universities that will focus on testing the health of the soils of various regions to provide farmers the suitable amounts of seeds, water, fertilisers, etc. These institutions would provide a soil health card to the farmers to make them aware of the deficiencies, fertiliser requirements, and the type of crop that would suit their land. This would also help in job generation in different regions.

Conclusion

The protein revolution is a term used to describe the dramatic increase in the availability and consumption of protein in the Indian diet. Most of the protein consumed in India is of animal origin, with pulses, fish, and dairy products making up a significant portion of the protein intake. As a result, Indians have one of the highest protein intakes in the world, with the Indian average protein consumption estimated at around 146 g per day. This high level of protein intake has been shown to have several benefits, including improved muscle mass and strength, reduced risk of chronic disease, and enhanced satiety. In the last year, the Indian protein market has seen the entry of global and local protein companies that are investing heavily in the Indian protein market. This has been accompanied by a spike in demand for protein-based products and services, which are growing at a rapid rate.