Unit- II BA –LLB.

Agriculture:

The science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and
the rearing of animals.

Agriculture policy of India-

Is a framework established by the government to boost agricultural production, enhance

productivity, and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

About Agricultural Policy of India

 The Government designs agricultural policies of India to raise agricultural production

and productivity and enhance farmers’ income and living standards within a definite
time frame.
 The Agricultural Policy of India is formulated for the all-round and comprehensive
development of the agricultural sector.
 The Agricultural Policy aims to address key issues such as resource management,
technology adoption, and market access.
 By promoting sustainable practices, improving infrastructure, and supporting
innovation, the Agricultural Policy seeks to create a robust and resilient agricultural
sector that can meet both current and future challenges.

Objectives of Agricultural Policy of India

Some of the essential objectives of agricultural policy of India are as follows:

 Raising the Productivity of Inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilizers,

pesticides, and irrigation projects.
 Raising Value-added per Hectare by improving agricultural productivity in general
and the productivity of small and marginal holdings in particular.
 Protecting the Interests of Poor and Marginal Farmers by abolishing
intermediaries through land reforms and expanding institutional credit support to
poor farmers.
  Modernising the Agricultural Sector involves introducing modern technology into
agricultural operations and applying improved farm inputs like HYV seeds and
fertilisers.
 Checking Environmental Degradation of the natural base of Indian agriculture.
 Promoting Agricultural Research and Training Facilities and disseminating the
benefits of such research among farmers by establishing a close linkage between
research institutions and farmers.

 Removing Bureaucratic Obstacles to enable Farmer’s Cooperative societies and self-

help institutions to work independently.

Major Components of Agricultural Policy of India

The major components of Agricultural Policy of India are:

 Improving Input Productivity – The Agricultural Policy involves enhancing the

efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural inputs such as High-Yielding Variety
(HYV) seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation.
o By optimizing the use of these inputs, the policy aims to increase crop yields
and overall productivity.
 Value Addition and Crop Diversification – Value addition refers to increasing the value
of agricultural products through processing, packaging, and other means, which helps
farmers achieve better prices and higher incomes.
o Crop diversification involves growing a variety of crops rather than relying on
a single crop.
 Supporting Poor and Marginal Farmers – The Agricultural Policy aims to address the
needs of poor and marginal farmers through various measures.
o This includes land reforms to abolish intermediaries, expanding institutional
credit to provide financial support, and providing subsidies or incentives to
make farming more accessible and sustainable for those with limited resources.
 Modernizing Agricultural Practices – Modernizing agricultural practices involves
introducing and adopting advanced technologies and methods in farming.
o The Agricultural Policy includes the use of precision agriculture,
mechanization, and modern irrigation systems.
 Environmental Protection and Soil Health – Ensuring environmental
protection involves implementing practices that prevent soil erosion, water depletion,
and pollution.
o Soil health is maintained through techniques like crop rotation, organic
farming, and the use of cover crops.
o The Agricultural Policy aims to sustain agricultural productivity over the long
term while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
 Agricultural Research and Extension Services – Agricultural research focuses on
developing new technologies, crop varieties, and farming techniques to improve
productivity and sustainability.
 oExtension services involve disseminating this research to farmers
through training programs, advisory services, and demonstration plots.
 Removing Bureaucratic Obstacles – This component of the Agricultural Policy
addresses the need to streamline administrative processes and reduce bureaucratic
hurdles that hinder agricultural progress.
o By simplifying procedures related to land acquisition, subsidy distribution,
and credit access, the Agricultural Policy aims to make it easier for farmers
and agricultural institutions to operate effectively and independently.

National Agricultural Policy Document, 2000

 On 28 July 2000, the Government made a National Agriculture Policy of India public,
aiming for over 4 percent annual growth through efficient use of
resources and technology and increased private investment, while emphasizing price
protection for farmers in the WTO regime.
 The Agricultural Policy aimed at achieving agricultural growth of over 4 percent per
annum by 2005 through a combination of structural, institutional, agronomic,
environmental, economic, and tax reforms.
 The Agricultural Policy formulation was necessitated due to the relatively poor growth of
agriculture during the 1990s.
 The Agricultural Policy Document noted, “Capital inadequacy, lack of infrastructural
support, and demand-side constraints such as controls on movement, storage, and
sale of agricultural products have continued to affect the economic activity of the
agricultural sector.
o Consequently, growth has also tended to slacken during the 1990s.”
 The agricultural sector ensures food security and nutrition for India’s large population
and supplies a significant quantity of raw materials for expanding the industrial
base and creating surplus for exports.
 Thus, a fast and equitable reward system for the farming community and attaining a
faster growth rate of the sector are crucial components of agricultural reforms.

Objectives of National Agricultural Policy (2000)

The objectives of National Agricultural Policy of India (2000) has taken the following important
objectives:

 Attaining a growth rate above 4.0 percent per annum in the agricultural sector.
 Achieving growth based on efficient use of resources while making provisions for
the conservation of soil, water, and biodiversity.
 Attaining growth with equity, ensuring that the impact is widespread across regions and
different classes of farmers.
 Ensuring growth that is demand-driven, catering to the needs of domestic markets and
maximizing benefits from exports of agricultural products amidst challenges
from economic liberalization and globalization.
  Attaining growth that is sustainable technologically, environmentally, and economically.

Agricultural production

Compasses – crop production, live stock production, aquaculture, forestry for food and non food
production.

Indian Agriculture

 India ranks second worldwide in form output.

 Total Geographical area – 328 million hectares.
 Net area sown -142 million hectares.
 Gross cropped area- 190.8 million hectares.
 Major production-
A. Rice
B. Wheat
C. Coarse cereals
D. Pulses
E. Oilseeds
F. Food Grains

Agriculture inputs

Agricultural inputs are essential resources used to enhance crop production and farm efficiency.
They can be broadly categorized into two types: consumable inputs and capital inputs.
Consumable Inputs
These are materials that are directly used up by crops or livestock. Some common examples
include:

 High-quality seeds: Ensures healthy crop growth from the start.

 Fertilizers: Provides essential nutrients to the soil.
 Pesticides and insecticides: Protects crops from pests and diseases.
 Water: Crucial for crop and livestock growth.
 Animal feed: Necessary for livestock nutrition.

Capital Inputs
These are long-term investments that aid in farming operations. Examples include:

 Tractors and plows: Used for soil preparation and planting.

 Irrigation systems: Ensures efficient water use.
 Trellising materials and netting: Supports plant growth and protection.

Agriculture finance
 Agriculture finance involves providing specialized financial services and products tailored to
meet the diverse needs of the agricultural sector. This includes offering capital for agricultural
production, managing risks associated with farming activities, and supporting rural
development1.

Here are some key aspects of agriculture finance:

1. Farm Loans: These are designed to help farmers and ranchers with various needs, such as
purchasing land, equipment, or livestock, and covering operational costs. For example, the
USDA offers various loan programs to support farmers2.
2. Risk Management: This includes insurance products to protect against crop failure, natural
disasters, and market fluctuations. The World Bank emphasizes the importance of agriculture
finance in empowering farmers and developing sustainable food value chains 3.
3. Microfinance: Small loans provided to farmers and agricultural enterprises to help them increase
productivity and manage their financial needs.
4. Investment in Technology: Financing for modern agricultural technologies and practices to
improve efficiency and sustainability.

Agricultural Labour

An agricultural laborer is one who is basically unskilled and unorganized and has little for its
livelihood other than personal labour.

Categories

 Landless labours- working for others.

 Small peasants- with very little land but who elevate much time working for others.
 Farmers – independent.

Characteristics

 Less bargaining power

 Low social status
 Unorganized
 Unskilled and lack of training
 Marginal productivity = 0

Agriculture price

Agriculture price policy in India emerged in the context of food security and price fluctuations
provoked by drought of mid sixties and war with Pakistan.

The policy was framed keeping in view-

  Providing food grains for the public distribution system.
 Ensuring reasonable process for food grains.
 Inducing adoption of the new technology.

Objectives-

 To meet the domestic consumption requirement.

 To provide price stability in the agricultural product.
 To remove price difference between two regions.
 To make available food to consumers in the time of shortage.
 To increase the production and exports of agricultural product.
 To provide raw material to the industries at reasonable price.