BOOSTING AGRICULTURAL

PRODUCTIVITY

P.BALA KRISHNAN,

G.NISHA,

D.PRICILLA,

R.RAMYA,

P.SASIREKHA

Everything else can wait but not

agriculture • India’s Independence was won in the backdrop

of the great Bengal famine of 1942-43.

• No wonder, our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal

Nehru said early in 1948, everything else can

wait but not agriculture.

• Since the beginning of the first Five Year Plan in

1950, the country has transformed itself from a

‘begging bowl’ image to one which occupies the

first or second position in terms of production

and area in several major crops.

• India accounts for only about 2.4 % of the

world’s geographical area and 4 % of its water

resources, but has to support about 17 % of the

world’s human population and 15 % of the

livestock.

• Agriculture is an important sector of the Indian

economy, accounting for 14% of the nation’s

GDP, about 11% of its exports.

• Gross Domestic Product, agriculture and allied sectors grew at 3.6 per cent during 2011- 12, (released on 31st January 2013) recording an average rate of growth of 3.6 per cent per year during the 11th Plan (2007-12).

• Further, as per the advance estimates released by CSO on 7th February, 2013, agriculture and allied sectors are estimated to grow at 1.8 per cent during 2012-13 as against 3.6 per cent during the last year.

FOOD LOSS : By a recent estimate the total preventable post-harvest losses of food grains at 10 % of the total production or about 20 Mt, which is equivalent to the total food grains produced in Australia annually. In a country where 20% of the population is undernourished, post-harvest losses of 20 Mt annually is a substantial avoidable waste.

The rates of growth of the economy and the agriculture and allied sectors since 2007-08

India’s arable land are moving to real estate plots

21st Century Beef Club

< $1 per

day

$1-2 per

day

$2-10 per

day

>$10 per

day

20% of world’s population

(2/3rds experience hunger

& malnutrition)

27% of world’s population

(Most hunger problems

solved at $2 threshold)

Services

Processed

Products

Livestock

products

Commodities

Dynamics of food demand

Forming consortium Consortium is a partnership between state, non-state actors (private sector) and global scientific research organization

Why consortium?

Both the public and private sector organizations have their own strength and could complement each other’s efforts in taking research from lab to field with new institutional mechanisms as well as enabling policies.

Soil -test based balanced nutrient management, use of improved cultivars, seed treatment, soil and water conservation measures and use of improved machinery. The field of biotechnology and research has to be improved to increase productivity in agriculture.

Implementation

Consortium approach

Increased crop diversification & improved

livelihoods & incomes

Department of

Agriculture

Water shed development department

Private companies &

research institutes

NGOs

Farmers

Water is the main source for irrigation

•Use alternative methods to irrigation such as rain water harvesting and treated waste water. •Enhance water retention in the soil such as residue management, conservation, tillage, bunds, contouring and field leveling. •Formers can be advised to use less water consuming crops. •Inter linking of Ganga and Cauvery is the best plan to tackle water crisis in agriculture as well as water distribution to public

Agriculture is more rely on Water. Due to climate change the water crisis occurs and affects agriculture. Most of the agricultural wells are now dried.

Water crisis

Measures to be taken

Reliability of nutrients through productivity

Availability of nutrients is the significant factor for agricultural productivity.

The increasing productivity can be achieved through soil testing. This testing should be conducted for every farms by the department of agriculture and should suggest the farmers about the suitability of crops based on the soil condition .

Why nutrients?

Necessity of testing?

Organic fertilizer: I am back.

Organic fertilizers can improve productivity. Farmers has to be advised to produce crops using organic fertilizers.

Department of agriculture can frequently check the agricultural land for the usage of organic fertilizers by the farmers. Farmers has to be provided with certificates as organic farmers. The organic vegetable markets will directly get vegetables, grains from that organic farmers. So that the farmers also can sell their products at higher rates.

Organic Fertilizers

Implementation

SRI Technique

• SRI ( System of Rice Intensification) is a cultivation

practice for Rice that is taken up in a different and more

biologically enriched environment for growth.

• Yields are increased by 50 – 100% or more, with a

reduction in plant populations (by 80 – 90%), less water

(by 25-50%), without using new 'improved' varieties (all

varieties respond to the methods) or using chemical

fertilizers (just adding compost to the soil), with usually

lowered costs of production, and thus considerably

increased net economic returns per hectare.

KEY FEATURES OF SRI

• Transplant young seedlings

• Reduce plant population

• Maintain aerated soil conditions

• Provide as much organic matter as possible to the soil

• Actively aerate the soil

• Re-emphasize biology

• Rediscover the potentials of synergy and symbiosis

Critiques of Green Revolution 1. “Social” critique a. The green revolution didn’t fix problems associated with access by the poor.

b. Technology destroys social fabric.

2. “Scientific” critique a. The green revolution escalated uses of technology, especially environmentally

damaging technologies.

b. GR reduced genetic diversity.

References

• Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies, Government of India.

• Central Statistics Office (CSO).

• Department of Agriculture.

• Indian council for Agricultural research.