Indian
Year Book
(2022-23)
Chapter – 16. Agriculture
About 54.6 per cent of the population in India is engaged in agriculture and allied activities (Census 2011) and it contributed 17.8 per cent to the country’s Gross Value Added for the year 2019-20 (at current prices). Steps have been taken to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis through the soil health card scheme, to provide improved access to irrigation and enhanced water effi ciency through Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), to support organic farming through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), and to implement schemes to boost the income of farmers. Further, to mitigate risk in agriculture sector, a new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched for implementation from Kharif 2016.
Ministry of Cooperation
Ø In a historic move, a separate ‘Ministry of Cooperation’ was created in 2020 for realising the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi (From Cooperation to Prosperity). This Ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country. It will help deepen co-operatives as a true people based movement reaching upto the grassroots.
Production
Ø As per the 4th Advance Estimates of production of foodgrains released by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the total production of foodgrains was 296.7 million tonne in 2019-20, higher as compared to the production of 285.2 million tonne in 2018-19.
National Policy for
Farmers
Ø Government of India approved the National Policy for Farmers (NPF) in 2007. The policy aims to improve economic viability of farming and to increase net income of farmers. Many of the provisions of the NPF are being operationalised through various schemes and programmes which are being implemented by different central government departments and ministries.
Major Programmes
Ø Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): The major objective of PMKSY is to: achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the fi eld level; expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use effi ciency to reduce wastage of water; enhance the adoption of precision irrigation and other water saving technologies (Per drop, More crop); and promote sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
Ø Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: This scheme is being implemented in various states/union territories of the country from Kharif 2016. Under PMFBY, a uniform maximum premium of only 2 percent of the sum insured is paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5 per cent for all Rabi crops. In case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the maximum premium to be paid by farmers is upto 5 per cent. The premium rates to be paid by farmers are very low and the balance of actuarial premium is being borne by the Government, to be shared equally by the state and central government (except in North Eastern States where the subsidy sharing pattern between central and state government is 90:10) to provide fully insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities.
Ø Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme: The Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme aims to mitigate the hardship of the insured farmers against the likelihood of fi nancial loss on account of anticipated crop loss resulting from adverse weather conditions relating to rainfall, temprature, wind, humidity, etc. The scheme uses weather parameters as “proxy” for crop yields in compensating the cultivators for deemed crop losses.
Commission for
Agricultural Costs and Prices
Ø Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), set up with a view to evolve a balanced and integrated price structure, is mandated to advice on the price policy (MSP) of 23 crops.
Indian Council of
Agricultural Research
Ø The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for coordinating agricultural education and research in India.
Ø It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president. It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.
Ø ICAR has played a pivotal role in making agriculture sustainable through use of eco-friendly management and innovative technologies which helped the country to achieve the production of food grains four times, horticultural crops six times, fi sh nine times and eggs twenty-seven times than it was in 1951.
Genetic Resources
Ø Major explorations were undertaken and 1,532 germplasm accessions were collected, comprising 1,095 of cultivated plants and 437 wild accessions. The explorations were undertaken two each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and one each in Andaman.
Crop Improvement
Ø Major emphasis was given to develop new varieties/hybrids tolerant to various biotic and abiotic stresses with enhanced quality.
Ø About 28 high-yielding varieties of oil seeds, 32 of pulses, 24 of commercial crops (cotton, sugarcane and jute) and eight of forage crops were released for cultivation in different agro-ecologies.
Agroecology
Ø It is an applied science that studies ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Bringing ecological principles to bear can suggest new management approaches in agroecosystems. The term is often used imprecisely, as the term can be used as a science, a movement, or an agricultural practice.
Ø Agroecologists study a variety of agroecosystems. The fi eld of agroecology is not associated with any one particular method of farming, whether it be organic, regenerative, integrated, or conventional, intensive or extensive, although some use the name specifi cally for alternative agriculture.
Forage crops
Ø Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term forage has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used more loosely to include similar plants cut for fodder and carried to the animals, especially as hay or silage.
Ø While the term forage has a broad defi nition, the term forage crop is used to defi ne crops, annual or biennial, which are grown to be utilized by grazing or harvesting as a whole crop.
Crop Management
Ø Enhancing crop yield per unit water use through improved agro-techniques involving sprinklers in summer greengram indicated higher stability in Samrat over IPM 205-7. Sprinkler irrigation resulted in less water use (26.3 per cent) with higher water productivity (43.2 per cent) and net return (28.4 per cent) over fl ood irrigation.
Livestock
Ø Improvement of indigenous cattle breeds through selection project was conceptualised for the genetic improvement of Gir, Kankrej and Sahiwal cattle in their home tracts. All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on goat improvement covered 13 tribal villages and contributed for a better livelihood security for tribal people as goats are major source of income to poor people in tribal areas and north-eastern hill region.
Livestock Production
Ø According to estimates of the Central Statistics Offi ce (CSO), Gross Value Added (GVA) of livestock sector was about 9,62,682 crore at current prices during 2019-20 which is about 28.36 per cent of the gross value added from agricultural and allied sector. At constant prices, the Gross Value Added from livestock was 5, 77,720 crore, which was about 29.35 per cent of the gross value added from total agriculture and allied sector.
Milk Production
Ø Milk production in the country has increased from 146.3 million tonnes (2014 15) to 198.40 million tonnes (2019-20). Annual growth rate of milk production during 2019-20 was 5.68 per cent. The per capita availability of milk was around 406 grams per day in 2019-20.
Egg Production
Ø India ranks third in egg production in the world. Poultry production in India has taken a quantum leap in the last four decades, emerging from an unscientifi c farming practice to commercial production system with state-of-the-art technological interventions.
Ø Egg production in the country has increased from 78.48 billion (2014-15) to 114.38 billion (2019-20). Annual growth rate of egg production was 4.99 per cent during 2014-signifi cant improvement in the egg production with the growth registered as 10.2 per cent in 2019-20.
Meat Production
Ø India ranks 5th in meat production in the world. Meat production in the country has increased from 6.7 million tonnes (2014-15) to 8.6 million tonnes (2019-20). Annual growth rate of meat production during 2019-20 was 5.98 per cent.
Fish Production
Ø The country has vast potential for fi sheries in view of long coastline of about 8,118 km apart from the inland water resources.
Special Livestock Sector
Package
Ø The government approved implementation of a Special Livestock Sector Package consisting of several activities by revising and realigning various components of existing schemes in order to have focussed development of animal husbandry and dairying across the country for next 5 years starting from 2021 -22.
Development Programmes
Ø Rashtriya Gokul Mission: The focus of the scheme is for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds and to undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds so as to improve their generic makeup and increase the stock.
Ø National Programme for Dairy Development: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing “National Programme for Dairy Development” (NPDD) across the country since 2014 with an objective of creating/strengthening of infrastructure for production of quality milk, procurement, processing and marketing of milk and milk products by the State Implementing Agency (SIA).
Ø National Livestock Mission: National Livestock Mission (NLM) scheme has been restructured from 2021 22 to 2025-26, The focus of the scheme is on entrepreneurship development and breed improvement in poultry, sheep, goat and piggery including feed and fodder development. The scheme is implemented with the following three sub-missions:
Livestock Census and
Integrated Sample Survey
Ø Livestock Census: The fi rst livestock census was conducted during 1919-1920 and since then it is being conducted quinquenially by all states/UTs in India. It is the only source which gives disaggregated information on various species of animals and poultry birds. The main objective of the census is to provide information on livestock population, species-wise and breed-wise, along with age, sexcomposition, etc., in rural and urban areas.
Ø Integrated Sample Survey: The scheme is implemented throughout the country to bring out estimates of livestock products such as milk, egg, meat and wool at national, state and district levels. Under the scheme, the estimates are to be brought out annually which is used for policy and planning purposes.
Livestock Health and
Disease Control
Ø A centrally sponsored scheme Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH&DC) Scheme is being implemented to supplement the efforts of the state/ UT governments towards prevention, control and containment of animal diseases of economic and zoonotic importance, by vaccination.
Ø Now the scheme has been restructured from 2021-22 to 2025-26. It will be implemented with the aim of reducing risk to animal health by prophylactic vaccination against diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building of veterinary services, disease surveillance, and strengthening veterinary infrastructure.
Ø National Animal Disease Control Programme: An ambitious scheme “National Animal Disease Control Programme” (NADCP) for control of Foot & Mouth Disease and brucellosis has been approved. This will be done by vaccinating 100 per cent cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population for FMD and 100 per cent bovine female calves of 4-8 months of age for brucellosis. This scheme provides 100 per cent fi nancial assistance.
Infrastructure Development
Fund
Ø Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund: As part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package, the Department has launched Animal Husbandry infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF).
Ø AHIDF facilitates for incentivisation of investments in establishment of infrastructure for dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure, and establishment of animal feed plants by the Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO), individual entrepreneurs, MSMEs, Section 8 companies and private companies.
Farmer Producer
Organization (FPO)
Ø A Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) is a type of Producer Organisation (PO) where farmers are its members. The PO is an organisation of any produce, such as non-farm products, agricultural, artisan products, etc., by producers. The Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) provides support for FPOs promotion.
Ø The aggregation of marginal, small and landless farmers as FPOs has helped increase market linkages to improve farmers’ income and economic strength. It provides end-to-end services and support to the small farmers and covers marketing, technical services, processing, marketing and other aspects of cultivation inputs.
Ø Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund: Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) scheme was initiated by the Department during 2017-18. The scheme envisages providing loan assistance to State Dairy Federations, District Milk Unions, Milk Producers Companies, Multi State Cooperatives and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) subsidiaries across the country who are termed as Eligible End Borrowers (EEBs).
Ø Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations: A scheme named “Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations engaged in dairy activities” (SDC&FPO) was launched during 2017-18. It is being implemented by National Dairy Development Board.
Fisheries
Ø The Department of Fisheries is one of the two Departments under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
Ø India is the third largest fi sh producing and second largest aquaculture nation in the world after china. The Blue Revolution in India demonstrated importance of fi sheries and aquaculture sector. The sector is considered as a sunrise sector with varied resources and potential, engaging several people at the primary level and many more along the value chain.
Ø In the recent past, Indian fi sheries has witnessed a paradigm shift from marine dominated fi sheries to inland fi sheries, with the latter emerging as a major contributor of fi sh production from 36 per cent in the mid-1980 to 70 per cent in the recent past. Within inland fi sheries, a shift from capture to culturebased fi sheries has paved the way for sustained blue economy.
Blue Revolution
Ø Blue Revolution, the Neel Kranti Mission has the vision to achieve economic prosperity of the country and the fi shers and fi sh farmers as well as contribute towards food and nutritional security through full potential utilization of water resources for fi sheries development in a sustainable manner, keeping in view the bio-security and environmental concerns.
Pradhan Mantri Matasya
Sampada :
Ø The scheme intends to address critical gaps in fi sh production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure and management, modernisation and strengthening of value chain, traceabliIity, establishing a robust fi sheries management framework and fi sher’s welfare.
Ø The objectives of PMMSY are harnessing of fi sheries potential in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner; enhancing of fi sh production and productivity through expansion, intensifi cation, diversifi cation and productive utilisation of land and water; modernising and strengthening of value chain; post-harvest management and quality improvement; doubling fi shers and fi sh farmers’ incomes and generation of employment; enhancing contribution to Agriculture GVA and exports; social, physical and economic security for fi shers and fi sh farmers; and robust fi sheries management and regulatory framework.
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