Jharkhand : Department of Agriculture & Sugarcane

Development
Agriculture Scenario

Jharkhand was formed in November 2000 after figuring 79 lakh hectares ecological area from Bihar state for
enhanced execution and planning of expansion activities of an economically different zone.

Agriculture is the chief stay for 80 percent of rural population of Jharkhand. Agriculture is their source of
employment and main income engendering activity. The agricultural economy of Jharkhand is differentiated by
reliance on low investment, nature, low productivity, mono cropping with paddy as the overriding crop.

The cultivable land resource of the state has good potential for higher production of horticulture and forest products.
The forest offers adequate biomass to feed its soiling. However, Soil erosion and crash to reprocess the biomass is
diminishing the fertility of the soil. Therefore, a judicious oil, land and water management is necessary that can perk
up agriculture efficiency.

Objectives

Jharkhand is gifted with rich and vast natural resources primarily those of forest and minerals, 80% of its population
inhabiting in 32620 villages and rely principally on agriculture and associated activities for their source of revenue.

In agricultural segment there is extent for fetching supplementary area under cultivation in the course of horizontal
and vertical expansions, escalating area under irrigation, mounting production and productivity of food crops
through finest use of inputs like fertilizers, seeds, agricultural tools, implements, pesticides etc.

Strategy

One of the most significant components for comprehension of the vision for agriculture sector will be utilizing the full
irrigation prospective of the State. This will comprise conclusion of ongoing chief irrigation projects and overhaul of
the older method and support of customary irrigation system like tanks, check dams, ponds etc. Through these, an
added irrigation prospective of 9.81 lakh hectares will be formed.

The other major components of agricultural approach will be:

Shifting from customary mono - cropping to manifold cropping, diversified agriculture and horticulture

Integrated and organic scientific farming

Enhanced administration of natural resources for sustainable agriculture

Post - harvest processing and management