Why Is There A Need To Pay More Attention To The Agricultural Sector in India?

 

In the Indian economy, agriculture is a very important field. This is because it offers jobs to nearly half of India's population and contributes to 17% of India's GDP. Several improvements have been noticed in the sector since independence. 

India's post-independence focus was on imports of agricultural products. However, the years of drought in 1965 and 1966 prompted the government to concentrate on increasing agricultural production by increasing crop yields per hectare. It is often referred to as a 'green movement' that centered on input changes leading to output change.

In the early part of the 1970s, high yielding varieties, as well as better fertilizers and irrigation facilities and a competent science research institution, culminated in increased wheat yields. Rice was the second crop to experience this sort of transition as the production of wheat increased. 

There was a crucial position for tube wells in the case of rice. Eventually, the revolt extended to the eastern states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha and the Indo-Gangetic plain from the northern states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. However, the advantages were generally limited to one-third of the area being irrigated.

The emphasis changed to oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables after the 1980s, which improved yields and production. During the 1960s and 1970s, the growth of agriculture was slow, hovering about 3-4 percent, but accelerated to 5-6 percent during the 1980s. It also hit 6-7 percent briefly in the early 1990s but deteriorated quickly after that to 1-2 percent in the latter part of the 1990s and after 2000.

In most parts of the country, agriculture's disproportionate dependence on monsoons as rural facilities such as irrigation remains absent. Barely 35% of the gross farmland is irrigated efficiently. To overcome the problems of Indian agriculture, it has to do with knee-jerk policy responses. This has to continue with an appreciation of the country's irrigation needs. At present, Indian farmers always have to rely on the grace of the gods of rain.

For a holistic viewpoint on rural development, recognizing how rivers can be leveraged not just for irrigation but also for the transportation of goods and tourism is important. A comprehensive outlook on river systems and irrigation should also be established for the good of all stakeholders. 

There is also a sense of inhibition in the introduction of technology as the consequences of failure can be disastrous for individual farmers. Even after realizing the advantages of better varieties that spurred the green movement, this comes as a surprise. This is where the research group needs to play an important role in leading and educating the problems and interests of farmers.

Agricultural policy formulation must continue by making the farmer the centrepiece of every policy action. The limited size of the landholdings has declined further with population growth and has contributed to problems leading to farm mechanization. India has a very significant share of 'marginal holdings' below a hectare of land that presents severe mechanization problems. 

This explains why India has 16 per 1,000 hectares of tractors per capita, compared to 19 in the world and 27 in the US. It is obvious from the land keeping trend that 'subsistence' was and still is the form of farming prevalent in India.

As structural changes persist in the Indian economy over the next few years, the share of agriculture is projected to decline. The government should, however, concentrate on some main areas, such as rural infrastructure, better access to credit, and enabling farmers to add value, stimulating the agricultural economy to grow at a better pace than is currently seen.