Opinion | Policy-Backed Intervention Is Needed to Address Unsettling Agricultural Growth

The current fiscal year (2023–24) is predicted to see 7.6% growth in the nation’s GDP. The growth rate of the agricultural and related sectors has, however, alarmingly dropped below 1%; it is now predicted to be at 0.7%, the lowest level in the previous 10 years. The agricultural industry in India, which sustains 65% of families, is confronted with a number of difficulties, such as dispersed small landholdings, inadequate mechanization, and poor productivity. Additionally, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, there might be a 41 lakh tons drop in food grain output overall during the Kharif and Rabi seasons of 2023–2024 as compared to the previous year.

Agriculture is experiencing a deep-rooted crisis that is the result of a buildup of misery. In the meantime, five major problems are preventing Indian agriculture from growing, and a number of signs point to the industry losing its luster.

First and foremost, there is an income crisis, since farm families’ earnings are either stagnant or declining, which causes an investment crisis on the family farm. The degradation of natural resources, especially soils and water, is the second factor. The third is the worsening human resource shortage as younger farmers go to cities or even abroad in search of better opportunities as they become disenchanted with agriculture as a viable career path. Fourth, the effects of the climate problem are becoming more apparent and are endangering our hard-earned food security. The almost total absence of clarity around a cogent and coordinated policy response to address the many unaddressed issues facing the farm sector is another factor contributing to the fifth crisis.

All of this emphasizes how urgent it is to solve the issues facing the nation’s agricultural areas. Thus, in order to provide farmers with the tools they need to meet these problems, we need a policy-backed reorientation intervention.

TURNING THE FARM LAND AROUND
Due to the tiny size of their landholdings, Indian farmers confront significant challenges. Just 1.08 hectares is the average landholding size in India, which is far less than that of wealthy nations after falling by half during the previous 20 years.

Although smaller landholdings often provide poorer yields, there are strategies to maximize productivity and help farmers earn money on these tiny holdings. One strategy is to group small farms together and generate network effects, which enable farmers to share resources including loans, inputs, knowledge, and well-known goods. Such programs might aid in addressing present problems in agriculture and reorienting it toward employment and revenue.

Additionally, teaching farmers how to use contemporary technology and mechanization in a manner that is appropriate for small landholdings might increase yields and earnings. Farmers may overcome the difficulties of tiny landholdings and succeed more in agriculture by using a comprehensive approach.

RE-APPROACHING TECHNOLOGY
Farmers have always been vulnerable to erratic weather patterns, but this susceptibility has increased dramatically with more frequent climatic shifts. Thus, it is essential to act quickly and decisively in order to improve farm resilience and output. The present percentage of the agricultural budget is a pitiful 0.3 to 0.5 percent; this is significantly less than the United States (2.8 percent), China (2.1 percent), South Korea (4.3 percent), and Israel (4.2 percent). The government must increase expenditure on research and development. The insufficiency of R&D spending impedes science and technology research’s capacity to address various issues that result in agricultural hardship.

Fortunately, linked technologies have the potential to completely transform agriculture in this day and age of advanced technology. The fields of hybrid technology, biotechnology, protected cultivation, precision farming, bioenergy, crop biofortification, remote sensing, information and communication technology, etc. need a rapid acceleration of innovations. A number of new technologies, including sensors, drones, artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), may help farmers adopt precision farming techniques that save resources and anticipate and prepare for unseasonal weather occurrences.

Furthermore, nations that have adopted genetically modified technologies have a substantial cost and production advantage. With thirty percent of cereals still grown using old types, it is obvious that more farmers nationwide need to be introduced to better seed technology. Farm mechanization lowers the cost of cultivation and the physical strain associated with different farm tasks while maximizing production by making effective and timely use of natural resources and other inputs.

Involve the younger generation in agriculture as business owners.
In India, people under the age of fifteen make up around 25% of the population. Reorienting agricultural higher education in light of globalization, food security, diversity, ecosystem sustainability, and agribusiness is thus imperative. A curriculum that is more broadly oriented and includes scientific instruction on cutting-edge technologies like genetic engineering and biotechnology might help students grasp the costs, resources, and labor involved in food production and make farming a desirable career option.

In order to successfully cultivate the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs and get them involved in the industry, students’ practical skills and entrepreneurial aptitude must be given top priority. This is an absolute need for the nation’s social and economic development.

One such program that has been crucial in accomplishing this goal is the Future Agricultural Leaders of India (FALI) project. In less than ten years, FALI has effectively empowered almost 13,000 students and made a name for itself as a distinctive and very influential program that encourages the future generation to pursue careers in agriculture. In order to do this, the curriculum offers interactive learning, field trips, business plan competitions, and exposure to innovative agribusiness and agriculture.

In conclusion, there are a lot of obstacles confronting the Indian agricultural industry. These obstacles may be addressed, however, by a thorough, cooperative strategy that includes all parties, including farmers, legislators, researchers, and the commercial sector. In order to transform the agricultural community into partners rather than just recipients, they must be allowed to actively participate in the creation of policy and in its implementation.