This document discusses strategies for boosting agricultural productivity in India. It notes that agriculture is the largest employer in rural India but growth has stagnated in recent years. Some key challenges facing Indian agriculture are small landholdings, dependence on monsoons, lack of infrastructure and access to markets. The document recommends improving technology training for farmers, expanding irrigation and storage capacity, protecting farmers from losses, and connecting canals to support sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
2. SOME SALIENT FACTS ABOUT
AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO
ďś Agriculture is the largest provider of livelihood in rural India
ďś It contributes 25 percent to Indiaâs GDP
ďś It is still dependent primarily on the monsoons
ďś India ranks second highest worldwide in farm output
ďś India is the largest producer of tea, mangoes, sugarcane, banana,
turmeric, milk, coconut, pulses, ginger, cashe nuts, & black pepper.
ďś India is the second highest producer of wheat, rice, sugar,
vegetables, fruits and groundnut and cotton
ďś India accounts for 10 percent of the worldâs fruit production
ďś The growth in agricultural production has been stagnant for the
past several years.
3. Sector 2001 2003 2011
Agricult
ure
24.7 22.2 17.2
Industry 26.4 26.8 26.4
Service 48.8 51.0 56.4
Year Agricultural and allied
productsâ share in
total exports
2003-04 12.4
2004-05 10.5
2005-06 10.2
Contribution to GDP
over the years
Agricultural exports
share
4. FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURE
ď˘ Small and fragmented landholdings
ď˘ Dependence on the monsoon
ď˘ Lack of international competitiveness of its
produce
ď˘ Inadequate availability of electricity, fertilizers,
irrigation and pesticides
ď˘ Poor access of the farmers to good roads, market
infrastructure, refrigerated transportation of
goods
ď˘ Conversion of agricultural land for residential
and other land use purposes.
5. THE FARMERâS PLIGHT
The farmer is trapped in a vicious cycle of
Low risk taking abilityâ Low investmentâ Low
productivityâ Weak market orientationâ Low
value additionâ Low marginâ Low risk taking
ability
This situation makes the farmer and the Indian
agriculture business globally uncompetitive
despite abundant natural resources.
6. TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE
ď˘ Considered `backwardâ by the proponents of modern
agriculture
ď˘ Dr John Voelcker, studied Indian agriculture practices and
found them scientific
ď˘ It uses the irrigation system through wells.
ď˘ Farmerâs used to fallow their farm to restore itâs fertility.
ď˘ The ploughing and tilling retains the moisture of soil
ď˘ Mixing of soil with clay is done to grow other crops
ď˘ Weeding done by hand
ď˘ Traditional farms are small and farmers depend upon their
own labor
ď˘ Environment friendly
7. MODERN FARMING
ď˘ Reduces soil fertility
ď˘ Artificial fertilizers used
ď˘ Deep ploughing by tractors results in soil erosion and loss
of porosity
ď˘ Extensive use of pesticides
ď˘ Less biodiversity as farms are monoculture, growing the
same crop and crop variety
ď˘ Exotic and hybrid varieties are grown and indigenous plant
existence is threatened
ď˘ The food is contaminated with the chemicals used to
produce it
8. GOVERNMENT POLICY
a) India is developing country and
farmers have not enough to
envestment
b) In india an average farm is
about to 2.3 hectares
c) India uses poor technology
d) Indian farmers suicide due to
hunger and poverity
e) indian farmers struggle a lot due
to lack of facility and irrigation
f) India mostly depends on rain
water for irrigation
g) Indian economy is not so good
and its depend on others
a) USA is an developed country and
farmers are wealthy and rich.
b) In USA an average farm is about
250 hectares
c) USA uses an advanced
technology
d) In USA it is not so.
e) USA farmers have a continuos
system of irrigation.
f) USA has an advance system of
irrigation.
g) USA economy is very good.
In INDIA In other countries
9. STEPS FOR SOWING PROSPERITY IN INDIA
ď˘ Economy should be large & stable.
ď˘ Technical Taining of farmers at regular interval
ď˘ Electrifying & transport facility should be
adequate & easily available
ď˘ Storage capacity of grains should be increased
ď˘ Factory should be setup at bare lands instead of
fertile lands.
ď˘ Muavza should be given to farmers for accidental
loss
ď˘ Award for farmers should be initiated
ď˘ Canals should be interconnected .
ď˘ Organic farmic should be used.
10. AND IN CONCLUSION
ď˘ Change is happening in rural India but it has
still a long way to go
ď˘ Agriculture has benefited from improved farming
techniques but the growth is not equitable
ď˘ Land use is changing in rural areas as farmers
are getting good value for their holdings.The
effort should be to stop the migration to urban
areas
ď˘ The Govt, the planners have to step up efforts to
make a positive and equitable difference in the
lives of the farmersâ and make agriculture occupy
a pride of place in the nationâs economy.