The Government must establish research & development and innovation centres at the village level, which can be instrumental in evolving solutions for the actual problems being faced on day-to-day basis by the farming community
The agriculture sector today faces multiple problems, thanks to insufficient rainfall, falling crop productivity and failures coupled with low profitability. Climate change, air pollution, frequent droughts and other adversities have brought the farmers to their knees, contributing to the rising incidences of suicides.
The National Crime Records Bureau presents a very grim picture. At least 2,70,940 Indian farmers have taken their lives since 1995. This occurred at an annual average of 14,462 in six years, from 1995 to 2000 and at a yearly average of 16,743 in 11 years between 2001 and 2011. Being one of the mainstay sectors of the Indian economy this state of affairs is deplorable and the scenario may worsen unless the Modi Government takes concrete measures to control the downward slide the sector has got into. However, the recent address given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a gathering of scientists and policymakers on the occasion of the 86th foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, showcased the vision of the Government for the agriculture sector.
Mr Modi urged the agricultural scientists and policymakers to adopt a farmer-centric approach to ensure an easier and stress free life for the cultivator, this in turn would improve the sector as a whole. But probably the most important aspect the Prime Minister mentioned was the need to ensure productive optimisation of small land holdings. This could very well be the turnaround mantra that can be adopted by the Government to script the success story of the Indian agriculture sector.
Small land holdings usually of the size of five acres and below dominate the agriculture scenario in India and the farmers cultivating these tracts of land are unable to reach the optimum productivity of their holdings. This is pretty much the case across all developing countries as well. In fact, three quarters of the farmers in developing countries cultivate in holdings that are less than five acres. Though the farmers have benefitted from high yielding seeds and fertiliser combined with access to irrigation the harvest of the micro-farmers has failed to keep up.
The productivity of these small farmers is the key to a prosperous agricultural sector besides a practical and sustainable solution to the growing problem of food security. To enable the achievement of this the Government must recognise the importance of micro-farmers and the challenges faced by them.
The Government must provide robust credit facilities, reliable and affordable irrigation technology, water security to drought proof the agricultural sector in order to respond to these challenges. India still is on the backfoot when it comes to effective irrigation technologies. This has a telling impact during the oppressive summer months and reduces the productivity of small farmers even more. Globally, over the past 30 years, irrigated acreage has increased to 250 million hectares. Irrigated farmland now produces 40 per cent of the world’s food supply on 17 per cent of its arable land, and this proportion is steadily increasing. India has a lot of catching up to do in this aspect.
The Government must establish research & development and innovation centres at the village level, which can be instrumental in evolving solutions for the actual problems being faced on day-to-day basis by the farming community. Excessive pollution of all forms has taken a toll on the soil and its nutrient levels. These centres with the help of their diverse technical expertise can help rejuvenate soils and create watersheds which are critical to the productivity and profitability of agricultural systems, as well as to rural communities and wildlife.
These research & development and innovation centres can assist farmers and create a high-performance agricultural ecosystem that can produce food, return profits, and conserve and enhance natural resources. A growing population, increased demand for agriculturally-based fuel and other products amid a changing climate, increasing water scarcity, and loss of agriculturally productive lands to development will only increase pressure on natural resources in coming decades.
In order to secure future of agricultural productivity and adapt to changing scenarios, the nation needs to conserve and enhance soil, water supplies, and other natural resources.
The Government must also develop a framework of integrated national agricultural policy that seeks to mitigate impact of environmental degradation on agriculture sector at the same time increasing its productivity. The policy must focus on providing support and incentives to ensure all producers adopt basic soil and water conservation practices to address natural resource concerns in their areas.
Other priority areas of the policy must include utilisation of technology to reduce adverse human and environmental health and safety impacts of agricultural inputs and practices and moving towards a ‘whole farm approach’ in which productivity, environmental, and social concerns are addressed in a holistic and integrated manner.
