Agricultural Strategy and Agricultural Policy

Main Issues

In national priority setting, the following recurring and emerging issues for sustainable agricultural development and POVERTY alleviation must be considered:

Population pressure and demographic transition;
Resource base degradation and water scarcity;
Investment in agriculture, structural adjustment and impact on the poor;
Globalization/”>Globalization-3/”>Globalization and implication on the poor;
Modern science and technology and support to research and technology development; and
Rapid Urbanization and urbanization of poverty, and deceleration in rural poverty reduction.

Vision

The Agriculture Policy document must articulate a clear vision on following few basic parameters of the agricultural sector around which a policy framework must be developed.

Organization of agriculture: A clear long-term vision where inter-sectoral linkages are explicit.
Sustainability and natural resource management: Prescription must lie in the domain of political economy. Otherwise, allocating funds for watershed development, agroforestry, Soil conservation, and so on will not produce desired results.
Institutional change: Policy document must spell out new approaches and new institutions free from the shackles of bureaucratic and self-help framework.
Investment priorities: There is a need to develop a consensus on investment themes, priorities and policies. Policy document must lend strength to the claim for greater investment in rural areas, and also re-examine its programmes in the Light of complementarities.
Risk management

Strategies

Enhancing Yield of Major Commodities

Yield of major crops and Livestock in the region is much lower than that in the rest of the world. Considering that the frontiers of expansion of cultivated area are almost closed in the region, the future increase in food production to meet the continuing high demand must come from increase in yield. There is a need to strengthen adaptive research and technology assessment, refinement and transfer capabilities of the country so that the existing wide technology transfer gaps are bridged. For this, an appropriate Network of extension service needs to be created to stimulate and encourage both top-down and bottom-up flows of information between farmers, extension workers, and research scientists to promote the generation, adoption, and evaluation of location specific farm technologies. Ample scope exists for increasing genetic yield potential of a large number of vegetables, fruits as well as other Food Crops and livestock and Fisheries-2/”>Fisheries products. Besides maintenance breeding, greater effort should be made towards developing hybrid varieties as well as varieties suitable for export purposes. Agronomic and soil researches in the region need to be intensified to address location specific problems as factor productivity Growth is decelerating in major production regimes. Research on coarse grains, pulses and oilseeds must achieve a production breakthrough. Hybrid rice, single cross hybrids of maize and pigeonpea hybrids offer new opportunities. Soybean, sunflower and oil palm will help in meeting future oil demands successfully. Forest cover must be preserved to keep off climatic disturbances and to provide enough of fuel and fodder. Milk, meat and draught capacity of our animals needs to be improved quickly through better management practices.

Integrated nutrient management

Attention should be given to balanced use of nutrients. Phosphorus deficiency is now the most widespread Soil fertility problem in both irrigated and unirrigated areas. Correcting the distortion in relative prices of primary Fertilizers could help correct the imbalances in the use of primary plant nutrients.

Arresting deceleration in total factor productivity

Public investment in Irrigation, Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE-development/”>Infrastructure Development (road, electricity), research and extension and efficient use of water and plant nutrients are the dominant sources of TFP growth.

Bridging Yield Gaps

Vast untapped potential in the yield exists for all crops in most of the states accounting for more than three-fourths of crop area. Emphasis must be given to the states in which current yield levels are below the national Average yield. Bihar, Orissa, Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are the priority states accounting for 66% of rice area which need emphasis on bridging yield gaps to attain target demand and yield growth. For wheat we must focus mainly on Uttar Pradsh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan accounting for 68% of wheat area.

Water for Sustainable Food Security

India will be required to produce more and more from less and less land and water Resources. Alarming rates of ground water depletion and serious environmental and social problems of some of the major irrigation projects on one hand, and the multiple benefits of irrigation water in enhancing production and productivity, food security, Poverty Alleviation, as mentioned earlier, are well known to be further elaborated here: In India, water availability per capita was over 5000 cubic metres (m3 ) per annum in 1950. It now stands at around 2000 m3 and is projected to decline to 1500 m3 by 2025. Further, the quality of available water is deteriorating. Also, there are gross inequalities between basins and geographic regions.

Accent on Diversification of Agriculture and Value Addition

In the face of shrinking Natural Resources and ever increasing demand for larger food and agricultural production arising due to high population and income growths, agricultural intensification is the main course of future growth of agriculture in the region. Research for product diversification should be yet another important area. Besides developing technologies for promoting intensification, the country must give greater attention to the development of technologies that will facilitate agricultural diversification particularly towards intensive production of fruits, vegetables, flowers and other high value crops that are expected to increase income growth and generate effective demand for food.

Accent on Empowering the Small Farmers

Contributions of small holders in securing food for growing population have increased considerably even though they are most insecure and vulnerable group in the Society. The off-farm and non-farm EMPLOYMENT opportunities can play an important role. Against expectation under the liberalized scenario, the non-agricultural employment in rural areas has not improved. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on non-farm employment and appropriate budgetary allocations and rural credit through Banking systems should be in place to promote appropriate rural enterprises. Specific human resource and Skill development programmes to train them will make them better decision-makers and highly productive. Human resource development for increasing productivity of these small holders should get high priority. Thus, knowledge and skill development of rural people both in agriculture and non-agriculture sectors is essential for achieving economic and social goals. A careful balance will therefore need to be maintained between the agricultural and non-agricultural employment and farm and non-farm economy, as the two sectors are closely inter-connected.

Agricultural Strategy and Agricultural Policy

Agricultural strategy and agricultural policy are two closely related fields that deal with the production and distribution of food and other agricultural products. Agricultural economics is the study of the economic aspects of agriculture, such as the costs of production, the prices of agricultural products, and the profitability of farming. Agricultural extension is the process of disseminating agricultural knowledge and technology to farmers. Agricultural land use is the study of how land is used for agricultural purposes. Agricultural research is the study of ways to improve agricultural production and efficiency. Agricultural subsidies are payments made by governments to farmers to support their incomes or to encourage them to produce certain crops. Agricultural trade is the exchange of agricultural products between countries. Food security is the availability of sufficient food for all people at all times. Sustainable Agriculture is a type of agriculture that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Water management in agriculture is the use of Water Resources to maximize agricultural production while minimizing environmental impacts. Land degradation is the loss of the productive capacity of land.

Agricultural strategy and agricultural policy are important because they have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people around the world. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for over 500 million people, and it provides food for over 7 billion people. Agricultural strategy and agricultural policy can affect the prices of agricultural products, the incomes of farmers, and the availability of food. They can also affect the Environment, as agricultural activities can contribute to soil erosion, Water Pollution, and Climate change.

Agricultural strategy and agricultural policy are complex issues that require careful consideration. There is no single “right” approach to agricultural strategy or agricultural policy. The best approach will vary depending on the specific circumstances of each country or region. However, there are some general principles that can be applied to agricultural strategy and agricultural policy. These principles include:

Efficiency: Agricultural policies should be designed to promote efficient production and distribution of agricultural products.
Equity: Agricultural policies should be designed to ensure that the benefits of agricultural production are shared equitably among all members of society.
Sustainability: Agricultural policies should be designed to protect the environment and to ensure the long-term sustainability of agriculture.
Food security: Agricultural policies should be designed to ensure that all people have access to sufficient food.

Agricultural strategy and agricultural policy are important issues that have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people around the world. There is no single “right” approach to agricultural strategy or agricultural policy. The best approach will vary depending on the specific circumstances of each country or region. However, there are some general principles that can be applied to agricultural strategy and agricultural policy. These principles include efficiency, equity, sustainability, and food security.

What is agriculture?

Agriculture is the practice of cultivating Plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. The history of agriculture began thousands of years ago. After gathering wild grains beginning at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers began to plant them around 11,500 years ago. Pigs, sheep and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world.

What are the different types of agriculture?

There are many different types of agriculture, but some of the most common include:

Subsistence agriculture: This type of agriculture is used to meet the basic needs of the farmer and their family. It is often practiced in developing countries where there is little access to markets or other sources of food.
Commercial agriculture: This type of agriculture is used to produce crops or livestock for sale. It is often practiced in developed countries where there is a large market for agricultural products.
Industrial agriculture: This type of agriculture is characterized by the use of large-scale machinery and technology. It is often used to produce crops or livestock on a large scale.
Organic agriculture: This type of agriculture is based on the principles of sustainability and environmental protection. It does not use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
Sustainable agriculture: This type of agriculture is designed to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It often involves practices such as Crop Rotation, cover Cropping, and no-till farming.

What are the benefits of agriculture?

Agriculture provides many benefits, including:

Food: Agriculture is the primary source of food for humans and animals.
Fiber: Agriculture provides fibers such as Cotton, wool, and linen.
Fuel: Agriculture provides biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.
Jobs: Agriculture employs millions of people around the world.
Economic Development: Agriculture is a major driver of economic development in many countries.
Environmental protection: Agriculture can be used to protect the environment by practices such as conservation Tillage and cover cropping.

What are the challenges of agriculture?

Agriculture faces many challenges, including:

Climate Change: Climate change is causing changes in weather patterns, which can make it difficult for farmers to grow crops.
Pests and diseases: Pests and diseases can damage crops and livestock, which can lead to food shortages and economic losses.
Water scarcity: Water scarcity is a major problem in many parts of the world, which can limit the amount of land that can be used for agriculture.
Soil degradation: Soil degradation is a major problem in many parts of the world, which can reduce the productivity of agricultural land.
Overpopulation: Overpopulation is putting a strain on the world’s food supply, which is leading to increased demand for agricultural land.

What is the future of agriculture?

The future of agriculture is uncertain. The challenges facing agriculture, such as climate change, pests and diseases, water scarcity, soil degradation, and overpopulation, are likely to become more severe in the future. This will require farmers to adapt to new technologies and practices in order to continue to produce food.

Question 1

Which of the following is not a goal of agricultural policy?

(A) To increase food production
(B) To reduce poverty
(C) To protect the environment
(D) To increase profits for farmers

Answer (D)

Agricultural policy is a set of government interventions that are designed to influence the production, distribution, and consumption of agricultural products. The goals of agricultural policy can vary from country to country, but they often include increasing food production, reducing poverty, protecting the environment, and increasing profits for farmers.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a price support?

(A) A government subsidy to farmers
(B) A government quota on agricultural imports
(C) A government tax on agricultural exports
(D) A government program to buy up surplus agricultural products

Answer (A)

A price support is a government policy that is designed to keep the price of a product above a certain level. This is often done by providing subsidies to farmers or by imposing tariffs on imports.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a production control?

(A) A government subsidy to farmers
(B) A government quota on agricultural imports
(C) A government tax on agricultural exports
(D) A government program to buy up surplus agricultural products

Answer (B)

A production control is a government policy that is designed to limit the amount of a product that is produced. This is often done by imposing quotas on production or by providing subsidies to farmers to reduce production.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a Marketing order?

(A) A government subsidy to farmers
(B) A government quota on agricultural imports
(C) A government tax on agricultural exports
(D) A government program to regulate the marketing of agricultural products

Answer (D)

A marketing order is a government program that is designed to regulate the marketing of agricultural products. This can include setting prices, establishing quality standards, and regulating the flow of products to market.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a food safety regulation?

(A) A government subsidy to farmers
(B) A government quota on agricultural imports
(C) A government tax on agricultural exports
(D) A government regulation that sets standards for the safety of food products

Answer (D)

A food safety regulation is a government regulation that is designed to ensure the safety of food products. This can include regulations on the use of pesticides, the processing of food, and the labeling of food products.