The agriculture sector is engaging almost 51% population directly or indirectly and contributing only 17% of GD. However over a certain period of time agriculture production is on the rise after the implementation of Government Schemes such as PM-Fasal Beema Yojana, Krishi Sichai yojana, PM-Krishan yojana, Kisan Credit Card Yojana etc.
Agrarian distress:–
- Small landholding.
- Non-institutional credit
- Debt trap.
- Lack of irrigation facilities.
- Crop failure.
- MSP on limited crops.
- Procurement at a very low price.
- Supply chain inefficiency
- infrastructure lacking,
- Lack of warehouse.
Despite the increment in productivity of farms. The agrarian distress is very served. It may be attributed due to –
- Small land holding – a large portion of the population is having land below 2 hectares.
- marginal, small, women farmers, tenant farmers, agricultural labours are excluded under most of government Scheme, for example; PM KTSAN Scheme
- for farmers having land below 2 hectares.
- The high cost of agricultural input;
- irrigation cost
- high-cost seeds
- Natural calamities \ Disasters: – One of the major reason for farmers suicide forex.–Drought in Maharashtra.
- Non Institutional credit:- Farmers kept under money lenders grip of high-interest rates;
- debt trap
For example- According to NSSO more than 50% small agricultural households are under indebtedness.
- Procurement of crop at MSP price is very low;
- Only limited crop are included.
- Lack of technology – traditional equipment’s.
- Lack of agricultural education –
- High use of fertilizers.
- unaware of the supply chain.
- Lack of infrastructure for storage of farm production.
Way Forward:
- Guarantee access to farmers to institutional credit system at low-interest rates.
- Agriculture land should be consolidated.
- Research and development on agriculture as per India’s requirement.
- Digitalization of the market. For example ENAM.
- More crops should include under MSP.
- Will lead to crop diversification.
- Farmer’s distress relief commission should be established.
Hence, a multi-pronged strategy is the need of the hour to tackle severe agrarian distress and making the dream of farmer’s income double upto 2020 come true.
