PWOnlyIAS Centers
AGRICULTURE |
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INTRODUCTION |
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TARGETS |
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RANKING OF INDIA |
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AGRICULTURE CENSUS
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| TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO CROPPING: |
| Cropping Intensity: | Number of crops cultivated in a piece of land per annum is cropping intensity. |
| Cropping Pattern:
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The cropping pattern depends on a farm and its interactions with farm resources, other farm enterprises, and available technology which determine their makeup. |
| Multiple Cropping: | Growing more than two crops in a piece of land in a year in orderly succession |
| Inter Cropping:
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Growing two or more crops simultaneously with distinct row arrangement on the same field at same time. |
| FARMING SYSTEMS: |
| Wetland Farming:
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Soils flooded or irrigated through lake, pond or canal and land is always in submerged condition. |
| Dry Land Farming:
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The practice of crop production entirely depending upon rainfall and the moisture conserved in the soil. |
| Rain Fed Farming:
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Crop production in areas where rainfall is, more than 750mm (i.e assured rainfall areas). |
| Mixed Farming:
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System of farming on a particular farm which includes crop production, raising livestock, poultry, fisheries, bee keeping etc. |
| INPUTS •Fertiliser • Finance • SeedsDISTRIBUTION •PDS •FCI •Negotiable Warehouse Receipt SALE INCOME SUPPORT AND PENSION ISSUES |
| AGRICULTURE INPUTS |
| Physical Factors | Relief + Climate + Soil |
| Institutional Factors | Land Holding + Land Tenure + Land Reforms |
| Infrastructural Factors | Irrigation + Power + Transport + Credit + Marketing + Insurance + Storage |
| Technological Factors | Seeds + Fertiliser + Insecticide + Farm Machinery |
| Other Factors | Government Policy + Extension Services + Education + Skilling |
Land: Agriculture is a purely land based activity. Size and quality of land has direct bearing on agriculture productivity and farmers’ income. Land ownership also serves as a social value & security against credit.
Land Holding: Average landholding size of household has shrunk marginally to 1.1 hectare in 2015-16 from 1.16 hectare in 2012-13. 86.21% of India’s cultivated farmland is held by small and marginal farmers with less than 2 hectare of land; While those with 10 hectare and more account for just 0.57%.
| LAND REFORMS: |
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Objectives:
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First Generation Land Reforms
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Second Generation Land Reforms (Focused on marketing)
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Ø Floriculture, horticulture, apiculture and cultivation of vegetables and mushrooms under controlled conditions Ø Development and production of seeds and planting material Ø Animal husbandry (including breeding of dogs), fish farming, aquaculture, under controlled conditions Ø Services related to agriculture and its allied sectors
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| IRRIGATION: |
- While India accounts for more than 17% of world population but we have barely 4% of world’s water resources.
- Irrigation water productivity is defined as ratio of the crop output to the irrigation water applied. To produce 1 kg of rice, Indian farmers use 3,000-5,000 litres of water, whereas Chinese farmers manage it within 350 litres of water.
| Minor Irrigation Schemes | Upto 2000 hectares Cultivable Command Areas. |
| Medium Irrigation Schemes | 2000 hectare < Cultivable Command Areas < 10,000 hectares. |
| Major Irrigation Schemes | Cultivable command Areas > 10000 hectares. |
| PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAI YOJANA (2015): |
- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)
- Watershed Development
- Setup water harvesting structures like check dams, Nala bund, farm ponds, tanks etc.
- Encourage traditional water storage systems such as Jal Mandir (Gujarat); Khatri & Kuhl (H.P.); Zabo (Nagaland); Eri & Ooranis (T.N.); Dongs (Assam); Katas & Bandhas (Odisha & M.P.).
- Har Khet ko Pani
- Per Drop more Crop
- FERTIGATION: Mixing water-soluble fertilizers in drip system, where fertilizer is delivered into the root system which reduces wastage of fertilizers.
- MULCHING: It is a simple process of covering the bare soil with straw, wood chips, shredded bark etc. to reduce the water evaporation, soil erosion and weed growth.
| FERTILISER/PLANT NUTRIENTS |
FERTILISER FACTS
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- Ideal Nitrogen: Phosphorus: Potassium (NPK) ratio in soil: 4:2:1, for India it’s 8:3:1.
| UREA | NUTRIENT BASED SUBSIDY (NBS) |
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| NEEM COATED UREA |
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| FINANCE/ CREDIT |
- PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING SECTORS: Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Export Credit, Education, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, etc.
- All scheduled commercial banks and foreign banks (with a sizable presence in India) are required to set aside 40% of their Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANDC) for lending to these sectors.
- Regional rural banks, co-operative banks and small finance banks have to allocate 75% of ANBC (Adjusted Net Bank Credit) to PSL.
- MSP policy
- Institutions: Cooperatives, NABARD, RRB’s,
- Kisan Credit Card scheme
- PM-KISAN
| SEEDS |
- Quality seeds are essential to increase yield; Green Revolution – HYV (High Yielding Varity) Seeds are used.
- SEED VILLAGE: A village wherein trained group of fanners are involved in production of seeds of various crops; cater to the needs of themselves and to the neighbouring villages.
- INDIA’S SEED BANK: India has established its own seed storage facility at Chang Lain Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.
- NOTE: Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the world’s largest seed storage facility situated at Norway.
- Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has finalized the draft Seed Bill 2019, it is under Parliament’s consideration. The Bill aims to regulate the quality of seeds sold and facilitate the production and supply of these seeds to farmers.
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Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) or Seed Replacement Ratio
- Measures how much of the total cropped area was sown with certified seeds in comparison to farm saved seeds.
- Higher the Seed Replacement Ratio, higher is production as well as productivity.
- India suffers from a dismal seed Replacement Ratio.
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SOIL HEALTH CARD
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Ø Macro nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K); Ø Secondary nutrient: Sulphur (S); Micronutrients: Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B); Ø Micronutrients: Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B);
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| DISTRIBUTION |
- It is the Supply of food grains and distribution of essential commodities to the poor through a network of Fair Price Shops (FPS) at subsidised prices.
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PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM:
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| ONE NATION, ONE RATION CARD INITIATIVE: |
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FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA
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Ø At minimum support price (MSP). Ø On an open-ended basis.
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NEGOTIABLE WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS (NWR)
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| AGRICULTURE MARKET |
| AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET COMMITTEES (APMC): |
- Established by the States; Aim: to eliminate the incidence of exploitation of the farmers by the intermediaries; food produce must be brought to the market; sales are made through auction.
- As per APMC Act – the sale/purchase of agricultural commodities is carried out in a specified market area; producer-sellers or traders pay the requisite market fee, user charges, levies and commissions for the commission agents (arhatias); These charges were levied irrespective of whether the sale took place inside APMC premises or outside it; the charges varies widely across states and commodities.
| E-NAM: |
- It was launched in 2016.
- It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for farm produce which aims to create unified national market for agricultural commodities by integrating existing APMC markets.
| MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICES (MSP): |
- Minimum price set by the Government to protect farmers from the price volatility of Agri commodities.
- Recommended by Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (Headed by PM)
- Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the Nodal Agency.
- As per Commission for Agricultural Cost and Prices (CACP)- there are three types of production costs:
| A2: | Actual paid out cost. |
| A2+FL: | Actual paid out cost plus imputed value of family labour. |
| C2: | Comprehensive cost including imputed rent and interest on owned land and capital. |
- CACP considers both (A2+FL) and C2 costs while recommending MSPs.
- However, C2 costs are used by CACP primarily as benchmark reference costs (opportunity costs) to see if the MSPs recommended by them at least cover these costs in some of the major producing States.
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MSP is declared on:
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| COMMISSION FOR AGRICULTURAL COSTS AND PRICES (CACP) |
- The CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, formed in 1965. It is a statutory body.
- It is mandated to recommend Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) to incentivize the cultivators to adopt modern technology, and raise productivity and overall grain production.
- CACP submits separate reports recommending prices for Kharif and Rabi seasons.
- Currently, the Commission comprises a Chairman, Member Secretary, one Member (Official) and two Members (Non-Official).
- The non-official members are representatives of the farming community and usually have an active association with the farming community.
| SUGARCANE PRICING: |
- Price of sugarcane is fixed by the centre/State, while the price of sugar is market determined.
- FAIR AND REMUNERATIVE PRICE (FRP): The minimum price at which rate sugarcane is to be purchased by sugar mills from farmers; fixed by Union government based on recommendations of CACP; Governed by the statutory provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.
- Based on the Rangarajan Committee report of reorganising the sugarcane industry; alternative to MSP in Sugar Industry; Assures margins to farmers, irrespective of whether sugar mills generate a profit or not.
- Besides FRP, some states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP and TN announce a State Advised Price, which is generally higher than the FRP.
| PRICE DEFICIENCY PAYMENT SYSTEM: |
- Price Deficiency Payment System to address the gaps in Minimum Support Price (MSP) based procurement of crops.
- Farmers are proposed to be compensated for the difference between the government announced MSPs for select crops and their actual market prices.
- It will reduce the need for the government to procure food crops, transport and store them and then dispose of them under PDS.
- PM-AASHA also has a component of Price Deficiency Payment scheme.
- Similar state schemes are Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojna (BBY) of Haryana, Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (BBY) by Madhya Pradesh.
| OPERATION GREEN: |
- Outlay of 500 crore; to promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management; a scheme for integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) value chain.
- OBJECTIVES: Enhancing value realization + Price stabilization + Reduction in post-harvest losses + Increase in food processing capacities and value addition + Setting up of a market intelligence network.
| PRICE STABILISATION FUND (2014) |
- PSF is a Central Sector Scheme = 100% funded by Union.
- Nodal → Govt gives Interest free loans given to FCI, NAFED & other central/state agencies to procure pulses and perishable vegetables from local and foreign farmers and sell it to common man at reasonable prices.
- 2014– set up in the agriculture ministry but 2016- shifted to Consumer Affairs Ministry.
| AGRICULTURE EXPORT ZONES(2001) |
- It was established through EXIM policy 1997-2001.
- It was established for the purpose of developing and sourcing the raw materials, their processing, packaging.
| AGRICULTURE AND INCOME SUPPORT |
| PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMMAN NIDHI (PM-KISAN): |
- PM KISAN ia a Central Sector Scheme.
- Income support of Rs 6000 per year in three equal instalments.
- Available to all farmers irrespective of their farm size.
- Direct Benefit Transfer in beneficiary bank account, thus, elimintaing middlemen ans corruption.
- It is the first universal basic income type of scheme targeted towards farmers. The scheme aims to provide income support to farmers for easing their liquidity needs to facilitate timely access to inputs.
- BENEFITS:
- Easing Liquidity Constraints.
- Aids the Modernisation Process.
- Non-Discriminatory in Nature.
- Enabling the Digitisation of Land Records.
- Similar scheme in States:
| SCHEME | AREA | ASSISTANCE |
| Ryat Bandhu | Telangana | 5000 per acre per season (Rabi and Kharif). |
| KALIA scheme (Krishak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) | Odisha | Annual assistance of Rs 12,500 each to farmers. |
| Krishak Bandhu | West Bengal | Rs 5000 to farmers in two instalments. |
| Mukhya Mantri Krishi Aashirwad Yojana | Jharkhand | Rs. 5000 / – per acre per year (up to 5 acres). |
| The Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyaya Yojana | Chhattisgarh | Rupees 13,000 an acre a year is given. |
| PM KISAN MANN DHAN YOJANA: |
- To provide social security to Small and Marginal Farmers in their old age.
- A minimum fixed pension of Rs.3,000/- is provided to the small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion criteria, on attaining the age of 60 years.
- It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme.
- The Central Government also contributes in equal amount to the Pension Fund.
- LIC is the fund manager and responsible for pension pay-out.
- ELIGIBILITY:
- Small and Marginal Farmer (SMF) – a farmer who owns cultivable land upto 2 hectares as per land records of the concerned State/UT.
- Age of 18- 40 years
| PM AASHA-PRADHAN MANTRI ANNADATA AAYSANRAKSHAN ABHIYAAN: |
- The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce.
- Three Components of PM-AASHA:
- Price Support Scheme-physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
- Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)– This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.
- Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)- The selected private agency will be hired to procure the commodity at MSP in the notified markets on behalf of the government.
| COMMITTEES RELATED TO AGRICULTURE |
| National Commission on Farmers/ Swaminathan Committee (2004)
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| Beekeeping Development Committee |
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Shanta Kumar committee (2014)
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Ashok Dalwai committee (2016)
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Ø Placing agricultural marketing in the concurrent list. Ø Greater private participation. Ø Upgrading the existing rural periodical markets as Primary Rural Agricultural Markets for meeting the rural retail market demand.
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| OTHER AGRICULTURE RELATED INSTITUTIONS |
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SMALL FARMER AGRI BUSINESS CONSORTIUM |
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| APEDA |
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FPOs |
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| CONTRACT FARMING |
- Contract farming is based on a pre-harvest agreement between the buyers and producers.
- It is under the Concurrent List under seventh schedule of Indian constitution.
| MODEL CONTRACT FARMING ACT, 2018 |
- This ensures buying of entire pre-agreed quantity and price from the farmers.
- All pre-production, production and post-production services are under its ambit.
- Bars the transfer of ownership of the farmer’s land to sponsor companies.
- Contract farming will remain outside the ambit of the respective Agricultural Produce Marketing Act of the states/UTs.
- Limits of stockholding of agricultural produce will not be applicable on produce purchased under contract farming.
| ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT (1955): |
- No specific definition of essential commodities in The EC Act.
- To regulate the production, supply and distribution of commodities. It declares ‘essential’ in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.
- Central government can add or remove a commodity in the Schedule of the Act.
- The government can also fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of any packaged product that it declares an “essential commodity”.
| AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND: |
- AIF is a Central Sector
- It will provide a medium to long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
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| ORGANIC FARMING |
- India ranks 1st in number of organic farmers and 9th in terms of area under organic farming.
- Sikkim became the first State in the world to become fully organic in 2016.
- The major organic exports from India have been flax seeds, sesame, soybean, tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses.
- There was an increase of nearly 50% in organic exports in 2018-19, touching Rs. 5151 crore.
Government Initiatives to Promote Organic Farming:
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Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD): |
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Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): |
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| National Program for Organic Production (NPOP): |
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| PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME): |
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| ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING (ZBNF) |
- Addressing the United Nations conference on desertification (COP-14), Indian PM told the global community that India is focusing on Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF).ZBNF was also highlighted in budget 2019 in the bid to double farmer’s income by 2022.
- ‘Zero Budget’ means without using any loan, and without spending any money on purchase of inputs (seeds, fertilizers).
- ‘Natural farming’ means farming without chemicals. By using biofertilizers, earthworms, cow dung etc.
- It was originally promoted by agriculturist Subhash Palekar,who developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods that are driven by chemical fertilizers and pesticides and intensive irrigation.
Four Components of ZBNF:
| Jeevamrutha: | It is a mixture of fresh cow dung and aged cow urine (both from India’s indigenous cow breed), jaggery, pulse flour, water and soil; to be applied on farmland. |
| Bijamrita: | It is a concoction of neem leaves & pulp, tobacco and green chilies prepared for insect and pest management, that can be used to treat seeds. |
| Acchadana (Mulching): | It protects topsoil during cultivation and does not destroy it by tilling.
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| Whapasa: | It is the condition where there are both air molecules and water molecules present in the soil. Thereby helping in reducing irrigation requirement. |
| RECENT GOVERNMENT POLICIES |
| Agri Reforms Bill | Pros | Cons |
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The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 |
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| The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 |
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The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 |
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| WTO- MAJOR AGREEMENTS AND CONCEPTS |
- Domestic support: given to the farmers for encouraging agricultural activities- research and development, food security subsidies.
- AOA classifies subsidies in different boxes to regulate the agricultural subsidies through the following mechanisms.
| AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE: |
AoA is aimed to remove trade barriers and to promote transparent market access and integration of global markets. It stands on following three pillars:
| MARKET ACCESS | DOMESTIC SUPPORT | EXPORT COMPETITION |
| Tariffs: Tariffication and Reduction Commitments |
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Green Box
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| Amber Box / Aggregate Measure Of Support (Ams) |
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Blue Box
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| De-Minimis support
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| Special and Differential Treatment Box |
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| Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures |
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| DIFFERENT TYPES OF REVOLUTION |
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Green Revolution |
Was done in two phases:
BRINGING GREEN REVOLUTION IN EASTERN INDIA:
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Blue Revolution- Fisheries |
BUDGET 2020-
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White Revolution- Milk |
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| ANIMAL HUSBANDRY |
- DPSP- Article 48– requires the State to organise animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines, preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and other cattle.
- BUDGET 2020- To eliminate following disease by 2025:
- Cattle: Foot and Mouth disease, Brucellosis,
- Sheep and goat: Peste Des Petits Ruminants(PPR)
- Use MGNREGA workers to develop fodder farms.
| RELATED SCHEMES: |
| Pashudhan Sanjivani |
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| e-Pashudhan Haat portal |
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Rashtriya Gokul |
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| National Kamdhenu breeding centre |
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| Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog 2019 |
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