The country’s agricultural strategy falls short of what is required for a prosperous society.
Key facts
- Acreage in pulses, a main source of protein for the poor, expanded 1.3 times, and output rose 2.3 times
- The acreage and output of coarse cereals — between 1970 and 2014 — grew only 0.7 times and 2.8 times respectively
- Lower growth in crop output compared to the growth in population affects per-capita availability
Need of the hour
- Increase in total production of pulses, oilseeds etc- to match the consumption demand thus reducing both inflation and import of these commodities.
- Identifying of areas more suitable for a particular crop. For e.g. sugarcane production can be shifted to Bihar ,instead of water-scarce Maharashtra
Way ahead and conclusion
- Reduction in seed prices is essential to raise farmer’s income. Self sufficiency in seeds should be the ultimate goal.
- Bringing more land under irrigation. Krishonnati yojana and AIBP is a welcome step.
- Cutting of tax on royalty will lead to more technology transfer.