Perspectives on Indian Agricultural Development
Contents: Preface. 1. New economic policy and Indian agricultural sector--a review. 2. Importance of organic farming and bio-fertilizers. 3. Recent advances in agro-processing sector--some issues. 4. Productivity of Indian agriculture--in major crops regression. 5. Farmers clubs--a promotional and social engineering programme. 6. Economics of food (mango) processing units. 7. Agro-processing industries: status and potential. 8. Agriculture marketing infrastructure. 9. Agriculture strategy for eleventh plan: some critical issues. 10. Corporate partnership for agricultural development. 11. Agricultural extension: a critical review of different models. 12, Resource management and land use planning of agricultural extension. 13. The farming system approach: a participatory in nature. 14. Dry land and rainfed farming. 15. Dryland agriculture technologies: risk aversion and strategies for farmers. 16. Adoption and diffusion of new farm technologies. 17. Water vision: a management paradigm. 18. Improved rural storage technology. 19. Grapes cultivation. 20. Farm sector and export arguments. 21. Food security and sustainable agriculture. 22. Accelerated development of the north east. 23. Development of tribal regions through natural resource management. 24. NREGA not a relief programme for unemployed person but a development programme equally. 25. Indian agriculture and rural development: challenges and prospects.
"Agriculture, the largest private enterprise in India has been and will continue to be the lifeline of the Indian economy at least in the foreseeable future. It is a matter of concern therefore that the share of agriculture in the country\'s economy has been decreasing over the years. At present it is about 17% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 209-10. However this sector continues to sustain the livelihood of about two-thirds of the population, provides direct employment to about 234 million people (cultivators and agricultural labourers) and forms the backbone of the agro-based industry. The tenth five year plan targeted real GDP growth in the agriculture sector at 4% per annum so as to reverse the deceleration in agricultural growth. The actual growth rate in the first four years of the 10th plan, however, averaged on per annum, reflecting he need for increasing investment and provision of infrastructure in rural areas.
"Everything else may wait but not agriculture"--these words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the nation\'s first Prime Minister, bear ample testimony to the concerns of the national leadership towards strengthening agriculture. If the challenge was to offset food shortages during the 1950s and 1960s, the emphasis is presently shifting to sustainability of agricultural production base and income levels and quality and marketing of the produce. There have been several initiatives by the government to create an environment conducive to the growth of this sector. To name a few, constitution of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for extending loans to state governments for rural infrastructure projects, launching of cold storage schemes for creation/expansion of additional storage capacity of 20 lakh tonnes, agri marketing and infrastructure with subsidy support, evolving the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme for making agriculture credit flexible and quicker, Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana, Self Help groups, watershed development programmes, establishment of bio technology parks for medicinal plants and marine products, etc. Besides, food processing has been given the status of priority sector investment for banks. The government of India has also announced a special farm credit package aimed at doubling agricultural credit in three years by March 2007. " (jacket)
