Surinder Sud: Tackling the current agrarian crisis

FARM VIEW

A mix of new technology, policy backing and the right strategy can help combat the problem.

The current agrarian crisis may be a cause for concern, but there is no reason to give up hope. The country's agriculture can rebound to grow at a healthy rate again, provided the right approach is adopted. Circumstances were much worse when the earlier Green Revolution had come about. A mix of new technology and policy support had done the trick then. The same can do it again. Fortunately, the technology is now available in abundance. What is lacking is only the right strategy and the policy backing.

A concise strategy for accelerating productivity growth in agriculture has been conceived by the noted agriculture expert and former director-general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr R S Paroda. This has recently been submitted to the Planning Commission and has also been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Contrary to the Green Revolution gameplan of concentrating resources (including technology) and efforts in the areas that had possessed the potential for quicker growth, the new recipe mooted by him focuses on areas and sectors of agriculture which, even after decades of the Green Revolution, are not producing to their potential. Vast rainfed areas and other tracts in several states are endowed with good agro-ecological conditions. Yet they are lagging in crop productivity which holds the key for boosting production. Although sectors like livestock, fisheries and horticulture are already growing faster than crop farming, these still have vast untapped potential that can be harnessed to further accelerate overall agricultural growth.

As far as the agriculturally progressive areas "" that are now plagued with yield stagnation "" are concerned, these could do well for themselves by graduating to conservation agricultural practices and precision farming, besides switching over to newer agro-ventures for higher productivity. After all, as pointed out by Paroda in his strategy paper, agriculture has benefited from the introduction of non-traditional crops in several areas in the past. The notable examples being rice in north India, groundnut in Gujarat, soyabean in Madhya Pradesh and maize in Bihar.

To achieve similar results now, Paroda has made some suggestions, such as the introduction of hybrid rice and soyabean in the eastern and north-eastern regions, sunflower in the north as well as fruits and vegetables in several other areas.

Even in the case of wheat "" which is facing supply crunch due to output stagnation ""India can become the world's number one producer by adopting better cultivation practices like zero tillage and raised-bed planting in traditional areas and promoting its cultivation in the eastern and north-eastern regions. India is already producing more wheat than the US from the same area.

A significant output spurt is possible in most other crops as well, by extending their cultivation to more areas. For instance, the area for cultivating groundnut can be expanded in Orissa and West Bengal, as well as rapeseed and mustard in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and other north-eastern states. There is also scope for raising the productivity of soyabean by introducing genetically modified seeds and that of groundnut by introducing integrated pest management techniques.

However, the best way to give a perceptible push to the growth in agricultural GDP can be through horticulture, fisheries and livestock farming. In fact, integrating these ventures with agriculture can provide not only an impetus for growth, but also reduce production and income risks as well as improve the nutrition status of the people. Maharashtra has promoted agri-horticulture with very good results. Inland aquaculture has already made rapid strides, clocking annual growth rates of 3 to 5 per cent. Its share in total fish production has risen to nearly 55 per cent. Farmers in states like Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have taken to inland fisheries to improve their incomes. Those in other states can do the same. The case of the livestock sector is similar, it has also progressed far but still has considerable scope for further growth.

But, to do all of this, we need policy initiatives aimed at boosting investment, especially in expanding supportive infrastructure for the entire chain of agricultural production, from sowing to consumption. Special emphasis will be needed for improving the availability and use-efficiency of inputs, including seeds, fertilisers and farm machinery. Fortunately, the private sector is no longer shy of entering the rural sector. This trend needs to be encouraged by creating a conducive legal and policy environment.