Policies and Transformations in Post-Independent India

History of Agriculture in India: Post-independent India was facing agricultural backwardness due to exploitative colonial policies. To counter many ill effects of colonial rule, policymakers implemented various policies like land reforms, promotion of the use of High Yield Variety(HYV) seeds etc. 

Land Reforms and the Pursuit of Equity in Post-Independence Agriculture

• Enhancing Equity in Agriculture through Land Reforms: At the time of independence, the land tenure system was characterized by intermediaries (zamindars, jagirdars etc.).
  • They were merely rent collectors and did not invest in land which led to problems like low productivity in agriculture, deterioration of livelihoods of farmers etc. 
  • To solve this problem,equity in agriculture was implemented through Land reforms. 
• Abolition of Intermediaries: It changed the ownership of landholdings in which intermediaries were abolished.
  • Tillers were made the owners of the land.
  • Ownership of land would incentivise tillers to invest in making improvements if sufficient capital was made available to them
• A Land Ceiling: It fixed the maximum size of land which could be owned by an individual. It was implemented.
  • The purpose of the land ceiling was to reduce the concentration of land in a few hands. 

Land Reforms and Agricultural Growth in the History of Agriculture in India

• Growth in Agriculture:  Some 200 lakh tenants came into direct contact with the government which led to growth in agriculture 
• Land Reform Initiatives: Unlike other states, Kerala and West Bengal, where governments were committed to the policy of land to the tiller, could successfully implement land reforms.This transformative chapter in the history of agriculture in India reflects the positive outcomes of strategic policy interventions aimed at fostering equity and sustainable growth.

Failures of Land Reforms: Pitfalls and Legal Challenges History of  Agriculture in India

• Legal Loopholes: In some areas, zamindars used legal loopholes to continue to own large areas of land. 
• Eviction of Tenants: In some areas, tenants were evicted, but landowners claimed the ownership of land. 
• Evasion Tactics in Land Ceiling Law: 
  • Big landlords delayed the implementation of land ceiling laws by challenging it in courts and used this delay to register their lands in the name of close relatives, thereby escaping from the legislation.

Green Revolution for Agricultural Transformation in India

• The Green Revolution marked a transformative phase in the history of agriculture in India. At the time of independence, 75% of the country’s population was dependent on agriculture.
  • However, the productivity of agriculture was very low due to the use of outdated machinery and over-dependence on unpredictable monsoons.
• Introduction of High-Yielding Variety (HYV) Seeds:
  • This stagnation was broken by the green revolution which aimed at increasing the production of food grains by the use of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, especially for wheat and rice.
• Requirements for HYV Seeds: The use of these seeds needed fertilizers, pesticides and proper irrigation, all in proper proportion.
  • So farmers who could benefit from HYV seeds required reliable irrigation facilities as well as the financial resources to purchase fertiliser and pesticide. 
  • In initial stages (the mid-1960s to mid-1970s), the use of HYV seeds was restricted to more affluent states like Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and it benefitted the wheat-growing regions only.
  • During the second phase (mid-1970s to mid-1980s), it spread to more states and benefitted more variety of crops.
  • Self-sufficiency: Thus, the Green Revolution enabled self-sufficiency in food grains in India.

Exploring Additional Gains from the Green Revolution in the History of Agriculture in India

• Market Engagement of Farmers: A good proportion of the rice and wheat produced during the Green Revolution period (marketed surplus) was sold by the farmers in the market. 
• Decline in Food Grain Prices: This led to a decline in food grain prices relative to other items of consumption. 
• Buffer Stock: Furthermore, the Green Revolution played a pivotal role in establishing buffer stocks, enabling the government to accumulate sufficient food grains for use during periods of food shortage in the history of agriculture in India.

Concerns raised during the Green Revolution in the History of Agriculture in India

• Technology Disparities and Potential Inequalities: Possibility of an increase in the disparities between small and big farmers as only big farmers could afford better technology. 
  • HYV crops were also more prone to attack by pests.
• However, in the history of agriculture in India, the government took steps like low-interest rate loans, and subsidized fertilizers helped small farmers to tackle these issues. 

The Debate Over Subsidies in the History of Agriculture in India

• Generally, subsidies are needed to encourage the use of new technology, because the use of any new technology will be looked upon as being risky by farmers.
• One perspective on subsidies is that once the technology is found profitable, subsidies must be phased out because of its burden on government finances. 
• Another perspective contends that since most farmers in the history of agriculture in India are economically disadvantaged, subsidies are crucial to assist them in acquiring the necessary inputs

Revealing the Paradoxes of the History of Agriculture in India (1950-1990)

• By the late 1960s, we achieved self-sufficiency in food grains, but around 65% of the population heavily depended on the agriculture sector till the 1990s. 
• Economists have highlighted that as a nation becomes prosperous, the contribution of agriculture to GDP and the population working in this sector reduces considerably. 
• However, in India, during the 1950s – 1990s, the proportion of GDP contributed by agriculture declined significantly but not the population. 
• This disparity was because the industrial sector and the service sector did not absorb the people working in the agricultural sector, which was a major policy failure during the History of Agriculture in India (1950-1990).

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