Agriculture needs a booster dose

The cure for the farm sector's ills lies primarily in making agriculture remunerative

Why are farmers discontented and uneasy? The reason, simply put, is the erosion of profitability in agriculture. Income from crop farming is insufficient for the livelihood of an average farm family. It needs to be supplemented with earnings from other sources, notably wage employment and agriculture’s allied activities. Most farmers need also to borrow to meet household expenses. Indebtedness is growing at a menacing pace.

The “Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households” survey, carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation in 2018-19, bears this out. The report of this survey was released in September this year. It clearly indicates an average