Empowering ‘Annadatas’ for a Prosperous Nation

25 Dec Empowering ‘Annadatas’ for a Prosperous Nation

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs,” and the topic details related to Empowering ‘Annadatas’ for a Prosperous Nation.

Syllabus mapping:

GS-3: Agriculture: The government of India’s initiatives to promote the farmer’s welfare in India.

For Prelims:

What are the various Government Schemes related to the welfare of the farmers and their key objectives?

For Mains:

Contribution of the farmers to nation-building, challenges faced by Indian agriculture, and ways to make agriculture address these challenges.

Why in the news:

Farmers, revered as the lifeblood of the nation and ‘Annadatas,’ form the foundation of India’s prosperity. Their relentless efforts not only feed the population but also sustain the rural economy and strengthen households across the country. National Farmers’ Day, observed on 23rd December, commemorates their invaluable contribution and coincides with the birth anniversary of Shri Chaudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister. Known for his deep understanding of rural issues and steadfast advocacy for farmers’ welfare.

Role of Farmers in Nation-Building

Employment Generation: Nearly half of India’s population is employed in the agricultural sector, making it a critical source of livelihood and a driver of socio-economic stability.
Economic Contribution: Agriculture contributes significantly to the nation’s economy, with 17.7% of the Gross Value Added (GVA) at current prices in FY 2023-24 coming from this sector.
Extensive Agricultural Land: India has approximately 54.8% of its 328.7 million hectares classified as agricultural land, showcasing the vast scope and importance of farming for the country’s development.
High Cropping Intensity: With a cropping intensity of 155.4% (as per the Land Use Statistics for 2021-22), Indian farmers maximize land use efficiency, ensuring higher productivity and food security.
Food Security: Farmers play a central role in feeding the nation, ensuring food availability for over 1.4 billion people, and contributing to global food supplies.

Rural Development: By fostering agricultural growth, farmers act as catalysts for rural development, improving infrastructure, income levels, and living standards in rural areas.
Sustaining Livelihoods: The agricultural sector supports millions of smallholder and marginal farmers, providing a foundation for their economic and social well-being.
Resilience and Innovation: Through their hard work and adoption of innovative farming practices, farmers contribute to building a resilient agricultural system capable of withstanding climate challenges and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Table: Notable Agricultural Initiatives

Challenges Faced by Farmers

1. Unpredictable Weather: Climate change has led to erratic weather patterns, adversely affecting crop yields. For instance, India’s sugarcane yields have suffered due to droughts and excessive rains, potentially lowering sugar production below consumption levels for the first time in eight years.
2. Limited Market Access: Farmers often struggle to access fair markets due to inadequate infrastructure and exploitation by intermediaries. This limits their ability to obtain fair prices for their produce.
3. Low Income and Debt: A significant number of farmers (86%) are small and marginal, owning less than 2 hectares of land, which limits their income potential.
4. Fragmented Landholdings: The predominance of small and fragmented landholdings reduces productivity and limits the scope for mechanization and large-scale farming.
5. Soil Degradation: Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides, along with intensive farming practices, have led to declining soil fertility, adversely affecting crop yields.
6. Water Scarcity: Dependence on monsoons and inefficient irrigation systems cause water shortages, hampering crop cultivation. Farmers in regions like Marathwada face chronic water shortages, exacerbated by climate change and overuse of groundwater.
7. Post-Harvest Losses: Lack of adequate storage, transportation, and processing facilities results in significant post-harvest losses, reducing farmers’ incomes.
8. Limited Awareness of Modern Techniques: Many farmers lack access to modern agricultural technologies, training, and resources, hindering productivity improvements.
9. Price Volatility: Fluctuations in market prices of crops make it difficult for farmers to plan and earn stable incomes. For example, recent policy changes regarding export restrictions have led to dissatisfaction among farmers, as they had already sold their produce at low prices before the restrictions were lifted.
10. Policy and Subsidy Gaps: Delayed implementation of policies, inadequate subsidies, and bureaucratic hurdles often prevent farmers from reaping the intended benefits of government schemes.

Way Forward for Strengthening Indian Agriculture:

Price support with PM-AASHA: PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan) ensures remunerative prices for farmers by strengthening procurement mechanisms. In 2023-24, over ₹10,000 crore was allocated to enhance market access for farmers, stabilizing incomes and reducing exploitation by intermediaries.
Basic Minimum Income Schemes: Programs like PM-Kisan provide direct income support of ₹6,000 annually to over 11 crore farmers.
Empowering Women Farmers: Providing land ownership and access to financial aid enables women farmers to play a more active role in agriculture.
Formal Credit Access through Priority Sector Lending (PSL): Banks disbursed ₹20.39 lakh crore under PSL for agriculture in FY 2022-23, boosting farmers’ access to formal credit. The Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWRs (2024) ensures post-harvest financing for farmers, reducing dependence on informal lenders.
Weather Prediction via Mission Mausam: Strengthened weather forecasting systems help farmers plan effectively, reducing losses from erratic weather. New satellite data integration under Mission Mausam aims to provide precise weather predictions and agro-advisories.
Promoting Organic and Group Farming: The formation of 10,000 FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) with a ₹6,865 crore budget enhances collective farming and promotes sustainable agriculture. The National Mission on Natural Farming (2024) promotes chemical-free farming practices with an outlay of ₹2,481 crore.
Enhancing Cold Storage and Warehousing Facilities: Current storage capacity is only 70% of the required levels, leading to 20-30% post-harvest losses in perishables. Investments under the Agri-Infrastructure Fund aim to develop 35 million tonnes of storage capacity by 2026.
Focus on Research and Development with Reduced Subsidies: Shifting focus from subsidies to investments in agricultural R&D ensures long-term productivity. Initiatives like the Clean Plant Programme (₹1,765 crore) and Digital Agriculture Mission (₹2,817 crore) enhance innovation and precision farming.

Conclusion

The Government of India’s initiatives reflect a strong commitment to empowering farmers and fostering sustainable agricultural growth. Programs like PM-KISAN, PMFBY, Namo Drone Didi, and Digital Agriculture Mission enhance financial security, productivity, and market access. Achievements in food grain production and transformative schemes like the Clean Plant Programme and National Mission on Natural Farming strengthen the agricultural ecosystem. These efforts ensure farmers, the ‘Annadatas,’ remain integral to India’s development, building a resilient and prosperous future.

Download Plutus IAS Current Affairs (Eng) 25th Dec 2024

Prelims Question:

Q: What is the primary aim of the Clean Plant Programme (CPP):
A) To promote organic farming practices
B) To provide disease-free planting material for horticulture crops
C) To enhance the irrigation infrastructure for agriculture
D) To support rural electrification for agricultural purposes

Answer: B.

Mains Question:

Q: Discuss the recent initiatives taken by the Government of India to improve farmers’ income. Critically analyze whether these initiatives are sufficient to achieve the goal of doubling farmers’ income.

(Answer in 250 words)

Munde Dhananjay Navnath