In the article, we are going to look at the challenges and opportunities that Indian agriculture sector is facing. We will cover the topic in 6 parts. In the first part we will look at the stages through which Indian agriculture has progressed with special reference to Green Revolution.
In the 2nd part we will look at the challenges Indian agricultural sector is facing and in the third part we will discuss the various measures and steps that the government has taken and can take to overcome these challenges. Later, we will discuss some of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan led National Mission on Farmers Report.
INDIAN AGRICULTURE - A GAMBLE OF MONSOON
Indian agriculture has been called as a gamble of monsoon. Farmers in India are heavily dependent on rain water. Farms in India are poorly irrigated. There is also enormous regional disparity among regions.
The Indian cropping season is classified into two main reasons based on monsoons.
- Kharif : Kharif cropping season is from July to October during the south west monsoon.
- Rabi : Rabi crops are winter crops. Cropping season is from October to March.
SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Agriculture contributed around 56% of GDP during independence. The contribution of agriculture to Indian GDP has consistently fallen over the years. While this trend has been witnessed in developed nations as well, what makes the India case particularly worrying is the absence of a concomitant fall in the percentage of people employed in the sector. In 2013 agriculture contributed only 13.7% of GDP. The sector employs around 55% of the work force. Seasonal and disguised implement are also prevalent in the sector, harming the already ailing sector. Moreover, stagnation in growth (a meager 3% in the past decade) has added to owes of the sector.
India constitution has categorized agriculture as a “state subject” any impactful action has to come from the state. The center can only act as a friend, philosopher and guide. The central government can only nudge the states to take action. One pertinent example worth mentioning is the sorry state of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC). Despite the center bringing out a model APMC Act, few states have followed suit and taken measures to refarm them.
GREEN REVOLUTION
Under colonial rule, India had suffered from frequent famines due to outdated agricultural practices, primitive technology and regressive British policies. In the 1960s, India adopted novel methods and technology in agriculture to improve agricultural productivity. The use of high yield verity seeds and quality fertilizer and better irrigation witnessed quantum jump is the production. Punjab due to water availability and favorable historical experience was chosen for ushering in the green revolution. Later, other regions also followed suit. India transfarmed itself from a starving nation which was criticized as ‘ship to mouth existence’ to a food exporting nation. The increased production not only put an end to famines in India but helped India attain self-sufficiency and farmers to prosper. Green revolution is also termed as forest saving because it increased the amount of produce from a farming land, in effect making it unnecessary to clear forests to increase production.
CRITICISM OF GREEN REVOLUTION
Green revolution is criticized for increasing regional disparities. M.S.Swaminathan who architected the green revolution has degraded into greed revolution with farmers using exerciser fertilizer and pesticide degrading the soil as well as causing atrophy (eutrophication) of water bodies and harm to the ecology.
In the next article we will discuss about the challenges haunting Indian agriculture.