2. Contribution of Agriculture to India’s
GDP has plummeted
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• 51.9% in 1950-51
• 30% in 1990.
• 13.7% in 2012.
o Focus shifting from Agrarian Economy to
Industries and service sector. In a normal development of
an economy, this is expected to be normal.
oAlthough contribution to GDP has declined sharply, but
food grain production and productivity has risen:
Production Increased from 230.8 million tonnes in
2007-08 to 255.4 million tonnes in 2013-14 (fourth advance estimates)
Similarly, productivity of food grains has increased from
1,860 kg/hectare in 2007-08 to 2,125 kg/hectare in 2012-13
(fourth advance estimate).
o Also, Gross Capital Formation (GCF) investment in agriculture sector
(at 2004-05 prices) has increased from 69,148 crore in 2004-05
to 1,30,907 crore in 2010-11.
o Moreover, Average Growth Rate is also Positive.
What is the Challenge then?
3. Looking from a different angle
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oGrowth rate for agriculture sector during 11th FYP was 3.5% as opposed to
the overall economic growth rate of 8.2%.Failed to achieved targeted 4%.
o In the same period, farm wages grew at 6.8% while non-farm wages grew
at 16%.
oToday, India’s productivity is only 3.1 ton/hectareVs global average of
4.2 ton/hectare.
Is our land less fertile? Aren’t we capable of more? Lets discuss the issues
and their possible solutions.
4. Problems Faced:
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A. Lack of Labour.
B. Lack of water.
C. Lack ofAwareness amongst the farmers.
D. Shifting of “ex-farmers” with from rural to urban areas.
E. Lack of proper assurance and help from the government.
F. Lack of access of technology to the farmers.Need for better R&D.
G. Lack of storage facilities.
H. Less focus onAgriculture in a growing economy.
I. Bad food grain export Policy.
J. Absence of a Decentralised governing body at block level.
K. No crop production between rotating crops.
L. Bad PDS.
5. BecauseIndia Deserver Better 5
Water is regalia for the farmers:
• Farmers face a persistent water scarcity
problem.They rely massively on rain and
monsoon.
• Water is not easily available for irrigation.
• We talk of BGREI(BringingGreen Revolution
in Eastern India) today. For that, we should
make more canals in the east
like Indira Gandhi Canal in the north-west.
• Water level is decreasing in Punjab
and Haryana because of use of fertilisers.
Lack of Labour:
•As we have seen wages are less in this
work.
• People need an impetus to help farmers
in agriculture.
•One thing is to offer them incentives and
fix wages. Incentives could be putting
their children to school.
•Government takes land by force
for public services like railway etc.
•A farmer with only that land is
forced to go to city and earn.
• Solution:
There should be a provision in
which government gives a
percentage of earning from that
land to you.
Government can also try to give
the same area of land elsewhere.
LandAcquisition by the government:
•Agriculture should be taught from school
Level itself especially in rural schools.
• It will give the rural masses an opportunity to
avail themselves of the benefits of agricultural
sciences which will increase agricultural yields,
and improve the sustainability of
Indian agriculture.
• This will help in recruiting a separate cadre
of agriculture educators.
Agriculture as a subject:Agriculture as a subject:
6. Suno Kisaan, Utho aur Kadam Badhao
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•There is a complete lack of awareness amongst the farmers. ICAR is there
But there should be some provision in which farmers
all over the country are told about things like:
- which seed to use.Can useVermi-Compositing.
(e.g. zinc-enriched varieties of seed started in Bangladesh.These are
capable of fighting diarrhoea and pneumonia).
- which fertiliser and pesticide to spray(encourage organic farming).
- how to make land/soil more fertile.
- machine tools available for usage.
We have example of north-east(Sikkim) where they have switched to organic
Farming.
ICAR can give internship to people from other agricultural research institutes
to go and inspect the land and encourage farmers to do it rightly.They can
also fund them for their fests so that they can organise competitions and
Campaigns.
7. BecauseIndia Deserver Better 7
Crop Rotation andWaste Management:Crop Rotation andWaste Management:
• Growing Rice andWheat in rotation
decreases fertility of land. Need to grow
crops like mint in between.
• Use of waste left after harvesting should be done.
Farmers find burning that thing the easiest but
that also decreases the fertility of land.
Use ofTechnology:Use ofTechnology:
• 30% corruption can be reduced by making things
computerised.
• So, keep record of land of each farmer.This can only
happen taking the system at block level.That will
help in everything else like selling of land, giving on
lease, previous year production stats, fertilisers used,
further improvements etc.
•Give each farmer’s land a tag. Use geo-
stationary satellites for imaging and
possible steps a farmer can take. Data
will be feeded to systems at block level.
• Give them proper subsidy.
• Buy their grains at a genuine and
deserving rate.
• Don‘t lure them that opening mills nearby
their farms will help them.Those mills refuse
to pay the farmers a deserving rate.
ProperAssurance from the government:ProperAssurance from the government:
• It is very unfortunate that
almost 40% of fruits and vegetable
produce of our country gets ruined.
• In one year, govt. spends 484 per quintal
for storage. Better to give them subsidy to
build their own store room.
• Either store them, export them or give
them to athe destitute.
Food Security Bill Passed,Compounds
Needed more than ever.
If we can have proper storage for liquor,
Why not for food grains?
Lack of storage facility:
8. Finally What government should do?
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Body at
Block Level
FCI
ICARICAR
Market
•Computerised Record of each farmer.
•Sufficient storage capacity.Will take care of Labour.
•Water will be supplied at Block level.
•Proper rate negotiation with FCI.
•Common transport and bulk dispatch.
•Can also sell directly to the market.
•Place to do internship and awareness programs, advertisements.
Academic
Institutions
