Land and Agricultural Reforms;

And Agricultural Policy in India

Questions to be answered
 What is Agricultural Policy?
 How to define Agricultural Policy?
 How Agricultural Policy is defined in India?
 What are the objectives of agricultural Policy?
 What is the importance of Agricultural Policy?
 Do the Agricultural Policy have any role in the Economic welfare As provided U/A 38
and 39?
 Do the Agricultural Policy have any role to achieve Economic Justice as enshrined In
the Preamble?
 How Agricultural Policy relates to DPSP?
 So far now since Independence How many Agricultural policies India has formulated
and What are the outcomes of these policies?
 Do these policies have achieved the goals?
 What has been done or steps adopted to achieve the Goals enshrined In the Preamble?
 Whether the actions performed are just, fair, reasonable in the eyes of ECONOMICS
and LAW?
 Problems of the Indian
Agriculture Sector
 1.) Productivity Levels  9.) Land Ownership
are very low  10.) Sub-Division and
 2.)Inadequate Fragmentation of Hold­ing
irrigation facility  11.) Land Tenure
 3.)
Competitiveness of  12.) Conditions of
Farmers Agricultural Labourers
 4.)Lack of crop  13.) Other Problems:
insurance mechanism
 There are various other
to Farmers
problems of Indian
 5.) Farmer’s suicide agriculture. These are
 6.
More spending on related to:
Subsidy  (i) The systems and
Problems in the Indian Agriculture Sector
 1.) Productivity Levels are very low- The productivity levels
primarily determine the income of the farmers. However, the per
unit area productivity of Indian agriculture is much lower than
other major crop producing countries.
 2.) Inadequate irrigation facility- Out of the gross sown area of
192 million ha, rain fed agriculture contributes to 60 per cent of
the gross cropped area and 45 per cent of the total agricultural
output.
 3.) Competitiveness of Farmers- It is imperative to raise the
agricultural competitiveness of farmers with small land holdings.
Productivity improvement to increase the marketable surplus
must be linked to assured and remunerative marketing
opportunities.
 4.) Lack of crop insurance mechanism to Farmers – Despite
having approximately 60 per cent of the gross cropped area rain
fed, agricultural insurance mechanism in India is very weak. In
 5.)
Farmer’s suicide - In the last few years, a large
number of farmers have committed suicide. Cases of
suicides have been reported from states such as
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.
 6.)More spending on Subsidy- If we add the
allocations of the five concerned ministries
(agriculture, chemical and fertilizers, consumer affairs,
food and public distribution, food processing
industries, and water resources) for FY16, it is roughly
Rs 2.3 lakh crore. The problem is that more than 85
per cent of this budgeted allocation is directed
towards food and fertilizer subsidies.
 7.) Instability:
 Agriculture in India is largely depends on
monsoon. As a result, production of food-
grains fluctuates year after year. A year
of abun­dant output of cereals is often
followed by a year of acute shortage.
This, in its turn, leads to price income and
employment fluctuations.
8.) Cropping Pattern:
The crops that are grown in India are
divided into two broad catego­ries: food
 In recent years there has occurred a fall in agricultural
production mainly due to fall in the output of non-food
articles. Moreover rabi pro­duction has become as
important as kharif pro­duction in the late 1990s. In
1999-2000, for exam­ple, of the total grain production of
209 mn. Tonnes, rabi accounted for 104 mn. Tonnes.
This indicates a structural change in agricultural
production.
  9.) Land Ownership:
 Although the owner­ship of agricultural land in India is
fairly widely distributed, there is some degree of
concentration of land holding. Inequality in land
distribution is also due to the fact that there are
frequent changes in land ownership in India. It is
 Moreover,most holdings are small and uneco­nomic. So
the advantages of large-scale farming cannot be
derived and cost per unit with ‘uneco­nomic’ holdings is
high, output per hectare is hec­tare is low. As a result
peasants cannot generate sufficient marketable
surplus. So they are not only poor but are often in
debt.
  10.) Sub-Division and Fragmentation of Hold­ing:
 Due to the growth of population and break­down of the
joint family system, there has occurred continuous sub-
division of agricultural land into smaller and smaller
plots. At times small farmers are forced to sell a
portion of their land to repay their debt. This creates
further sub-division of land.
 Sub-division, in its turn, leads to fragmenta­tion of
 11.) Land Tenure:
 The land tenure system of India is also far from perfect.
In the pre-independence period, most tenants suffered
from insecurity of tenancy. They could be evicted any
time. How­ever, various steps have been taken after
Independ­ence to provide security of tenancy.
 12.) Conditions of Agricultural Labourers:
 The conditions of most agricultural labourers in India
are far from satisfactory. There is also the problem of
surplus labour or disguised unemploy­ment. This pushes
the wage rates below the sub­sistence levels.
 13.) Other Problems:
 There are various other problems of Indian agriculture.
These are related to:
 Agriculture and Rural Economy under budget 2018-19
 The government is committed towards doubling the farmers’ income by 2022.
 A total of Rs 14.34 lakh crore (US$ 225.43 billion) will be spent for creation of
livelihood and infrastructure in rural areas.
 Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all announced kharif crops will be at least one
and half times of their production cost, similar to the majority of rabi crops.
 Institutional credit to the agriculture sector is targeted at Rs 11 lakh crore (US$
172.93 billion) for 2018-19, compared to Rs 10 lakh crore (US$ 157.2 billion) for
2017-18.
 A Fisheries and Aqua culture Infrastructure Development Fund (FAIDF) and an
animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) will be started with a
total corpus of Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 1.57 billion).
 An Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund will be started with a corpus of Rs 2,000 crore
(US$ 314.41 million).
 A restructured National Bamboo Mission will be launched with a total outlay of Rs
1,290 crore (US$ 202.79 million).
 Allocation for the National Rural Livelihood Mission is increased to Rs 5,750 crore
(US$ 903.93 million) for 2018-19.
Land
Reforms
Land Reforms:
Land reform constitutes the most important package of measures to
improve the economic con­dition of agricultural tenants.
It aims at the redis­tribution of land-ownership in favor of the culti­vating
class (so as to make them feel themselves a part of the rural life),
regulation and rationalization of rent, improving the size of farms and pro­
viding security of tenure in order to transfer in traditional agriculture and
raise cultivators to new heights.
Land reform also helps landless agricul­tural tenants.
Two main objectives of land reform are:
(i) to change the agrarian structure in a way as not to obstruct but
promote the growth of agriculture; and
(ii) to replace the old land system by a new one, free from the exploitative
features which characterized the former.
 Laws and policy related to
Land
AbolitionReforms
of intermediaries (rent collectors under the pre-
Independence land revenue system); e.g.. Zamindari
Abolition and land reforms Act
 Tenancy regulation (to improve the contractual terms
including security of tenure); e.g.. Rent Control Act
A ceiling on landholdings (to redistributing surplus land to
the landless); e.g. Land Ceiling Act
 Attempts to consolidate disparate landholdings; e.g..
Consolidation Act
Etc.
development of agricul­ture.

In the ultimate analysis, agricultural devel­opment and rise in productivity

depends upon two factors technological and institutional.
Among the technological factors are the use of agricul­tural inputs and methods
such as improved seeds, fertilizers, improved ploughs, tractors, harvesters,
irrigation, etc., which help to raise productivity, even if no land reforms are
introduced.

Institu­tional hindrances act as disincentives to the farm­ers to increase

production, weaken their capacity to save and invest in
agriculture as also to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Hence there is the need for
institutional reforms.

Land reform, especially the establishment of peasant proprietorship, is the most

important aspect of institutional reform in Indian agriculture.
Ending the exploitation of the poor by the rich, narrowing economic
inequality and, ulti­mately, moving towards egalitarian set-up are among the
chief aims of these principles.

The re­habilitation of agriculture is also one aspect of Directive

Different Measures:
Various land reform measures have been adopted in India during the plan period.
These can be classified as follows:
1. Removal of intermediaries between the State and cultivators
2. Providing security of tenure and owner­ship to the tenants
3. Rationalization of the rent structure
4. Fixation of ceiling on land-holdings and the redistribution of
surplus land among landless cultivators; and
5. Consolidation of holdings to transform agriculture into a
profitable activity
1. Abolition of Intermediaries:
The abolition of intermediaries started in In­dia in 1948 with the enactment of legislation in the then
Madras (Chennai). Since agriculture is a State subject, no Central legislation could be en­acted.
Different States have passed different laws from time to time depending on their political en­
vironments and the demands of the situation.
Legislation was passed in almost all States except in Assam, Gujarat, Chennai and Maharashtra.
West Bengal is perhaps the only State affected by the adverse effects of absentee landlordism and
was able to enact legislation for abolition of interme­diaries in 1954-55.
Critics, however, comment that while the basic objective of land reform was to abolish in­
termediaries between the tiller and the State, in reality, the legislative enactments equated
inter­mediaries with zamindars and, consequently, the legislation left a class of rent-
receivers and absen­tee landlords virtually untouched. The truth is that the Governments at
the Centre and in the States began to give thought to curtailing the power of non-zamindari
rentier class only at a subsequent “stage of their agrarian policy.

Up to 1972, when the old ceiling laws were in force, only about 23 lakh acres were declared
surplus in India, out of which only about 13 lakh acres were redistributed. It is surprising to
note that in four major states, viz., Rajasthan, Karnataka, Orissa and Bihar, no land was
declared surplus. So the ceiling legislation could be imposed in those States.

Up to 1992, 75% of the land involved in liti­gation before the Revenue Courts should have
been freed and distributed. But the progress of the dis­tribution of surplus land was very
slow and tardy. In fact, between March 1985 and June 1992—a span of more than 7 years—
only 7.11 lakh acres could be distributed additionally.

According to National Sample Survey (26th Round, 1971-72), the surplus land should have
been 30 million acres and not just 4 million acres, as had officially been declared. The
perfunctory manner in which land reform has been dealt with since 1977 makes it quite
clear that the basic ap­proach to acquiring surplus land, plugging loop­holes in tenancy
cultivation, reducing rent, prepa­ration of land records, and redistribution of land among the
2. Tenancy Legislation:

 Measures (2) and (3) fall under the broad measure of tenancy reforms.

 Tenancy legislation has by now been passed in every State to remove the difficulties of tenants, both
tenants-at-will and sub-tenants.

 The living conditions of them are deplorable in so far as they are subject to ruthless exploitation,
frequent enhancement of rent, evic­tion at will, extractions of other kinds and the cruel system of
begar.

According to one estimate, about 20% of agricultural land are under the system of such non-occupancy
tenancy. The National Sam­ple Survey (98th round) puts the figure in differ­ent states as varying
between 11% and 26%.

Tenancy legislations have taken three main forms:

(1) Regulation of rent,

(2) Providing secu­rity of tenure and
(3) Conferring rights of owner­ship for tenants
 The maximum rates of rent that can be charged have come to be fixed or regulated by such legislations. Before
1951, as much as 50% or more (even 70 to 80% in some cases) of the output was to be paid as rent. Besides, most
cultivators had also to render some free services to the land­owners.

 The Planning Commission recommended (during the First and Second Five Year Plans) that land rents should
not exceed one-fourth or one- fifth of the gross produce of the land. In the light of this guideline, all the States
have enacted laws for fixation of rent payable by cultivating tenants.

 Large inter-State variations exist in the fixation of land rent rates which are different in different places even
within the States. While in Orissa and Bihar the rate has been fixed at one- fourth of the gross produce, in
Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Kerala the maximum rate is one- sixth of the gross produce. In States like Jammu
and Kashmir, Punjab, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu the rates are much too high. Thus, we see a lack of
uniformity in the fixing of rents of land. The rate normally varies between 20 to 25% of the gross produce of land.

 Tenancy legislations have made it clear that in no case the tenants can be evicted except only in the situation
where the landlords themselves want to resume cultivation. Tenancy legislations have made it obligatory to leave
a minimum area for the tenant. The overall purpose is to confer upon the tenants-at-will the right of permanent
occupancy so that they might be enthused in land and agricultural improvement.

 Of all the measures to reform the tenancy sys­tem, the most important step is the rights of owner­ship for tenants.
Legislations have been, enacted in most of the States to this end. Clear-cut direc­tives were also given to all States
to pass laws in this regard in 1973. But laws are different regard­ing the manner of acquiring ownership rights, the
amount of compensation to be paid to landlords, etc., in different States
3. Ceiling on Land-Holding:

Almost all States have enacted necessary legislations for redistribution of surplus land after
determining the ceiling on land holdings. The permissible size of holding varies according to the
quality of land. The ceiling legislations were revised on the basis of guidelines formulated in 1972.

Lands are usually divided into different cat­egories on the basis of irrigation, nature of soil, etc.
However, a few categories of farms—viz., plan­tations, orchards and sugarcane farms operated by sugar
factories—are exempted from the ceiling.

Farmers who have excess land over the ceil­ing fixed will have to surrender the surplus amount to the
State against due compensation. The sur­plus land will be vested in the State and will be distributed
among the landless labourers and small and marginal farmers with uneconomic holdings.

Operation Barga:
Operation barga implies the right of the cul­tivator, i.e., the bargadar, to cultivate land which the
belongs to the owner, i.e., the jotedar. Under ‘operation barga’, share-croppers or bargadars get legal
sanction from the jotedar regarding their rights on land. Under the scheme, the names of the
bargadars, quantum of crops produced, ‘numbers’ of different plots of land, etc. are given in the form
of a receipt to the bargadar by the jotedar. In this way, eviction of tenants from land is stopped.
An Overall Assessment:
Radical transformation of land relations has been
recognized as a key to India’s economic de­velopment
since 1930s.

 The right to implement the land reform policies is

vested in the State Governments.

This had the effect of bringing a vast amount of

cultivable waste land and forest land under State
proprietorship.
 The programme of land reform—in terms of the
twin objectives of growth and social justice—
may be said to have been formulated in the
right direction.
 And land reform measures were con­ceived boldly but
were implemented badly.
 The basic defect of the Indian land reform policy has
been the low pace at which the whole programme
moved.
 Consequently, even after the removal of
intermediaries, cultivators have not become own­ers
The various legislative measures introduced to
this end did not produce any real benefit to the
small and marginal farmers.
The landlords, the jagirdars and other vested
interests got sufficient time to devise ingenious
methods to dodge legis­lative measures.
In most of the States, for example, landlords
have avoided the law of ceiling on land- holding
by keeping their land in fictitious names.
 The Sixth Plan (1980-85), deploring the slow progress of
the land reform laws, notes that “the will to implement
this policy has been badly lack­ing all along.”
  As a result, extent of rural poverty was not reduced at all.
 The growing rural distress has been converting the poorer
cultivators into agricultural labourers.
 The number of agricultural labourers was 31 million in
1964-65 but increased to 73.7 million in 1991.
 The rise in such labour force has been mainly in States
like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra, U.P. and West Bengal.
 There are also inter-State differences in land reforms
in regard to fixing the ceiling on holding, the
maximum rate of rent on land, etc.

 Some States have not given the tillers the optional

rights to purchase the land they cultivate.

 There are also no legislative provisions in some States

like U.P., Orissa, Karnataka to prevent mala fide
transfers of land (which acts against the policy of
distributing land among the landless labourers).

 There are also the problems of tenants in invoking the

 Again, in spite of the laws passed since 1950s, about 22%
of land-holders still continue to own about 76% of the land.
 About 22% own no land at all.
 Another 25% own fragments of land or less than one acre.
 In brief, about 61% either own no land, or own economic
or marginal holdings of one hectare or less.
 All of them together own less than 8% of the total area.
 This reveals a great in­equality, despite passing of
Ceiling Acts.
 Withthe introduction of HYV technology to step up
production and solving rural poverty in the late
1960s, the importance of land reform meas­ures have
removed the vestiges of feudalism.
 And the policy of encouraging capitalism in agricul­
ture got strength in the name of green revolution.
The highly profitable new technology has spread in
India and the Government is actively promot­ing
capitalism in agriculture.
But feudal type of exploitation still prevails in the
country.
The grow­ing conflict between landowning classes
and poor, backward peasants and cultivators in
different States—mainly Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh—is an indication of such exploitation.
Green Revolution
 GREEN REVOLUTION during the mid-sixties was the outcome of
NEW AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY.

 The new agricultural technique was introduced as a package

programme to include HYV seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.

 This new technology laid emphasis on the adoption of the whole

package simultaneously.

 To increase agricultural production and productivity, the

Government of India invited a team of experts sponsored by the
Ford Foundation.
 The team submitted its report entitled India’s Food Crisis and
 On the basis of the recommendation of this team
Government introduced Intensive Area Development
Programme (lADP) in 1960 in seven selected districts.
 The seven selected districts were West Godavari (AP),
Shahabad (Bihar), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Thanjavaur (T.N.),
Ludhiana (Punjab), Aligarh in U.P. and Pali (Rajasthan). As a
result of high-yielding varieties of wheat the production of
wheat rose to high level of 5000 to 6000 kg.
 These seeds required proper irrigation facilities and
extensive use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides.

 This new ‘agriculture strategy’ was put into practice for

the first time in India in the Kharif season of 1966 and was
termed HIGH-YIELDING VARIETIEIS PROGRAMME (HYVP). This
Package Programme:

The new technology adopted in the Indian agriculture during mid-1960s

consists of several ingredients like HYV seeds, chemical, fertilizers,
pesticides, irrigation and improved machines and tools like tractors, pump
sets etc. All these things are together termed as, package programme.

If any one of these elements are missing there will be no significant

remarkable impact on productivity per hectare of land. In this case, we
cannot then call it Green Revolution or the New Agricultural technology.
Thus, in other words this new technology is known as Package Programme,
i.e., it insists the adoption of total package.

The new technology was tried out in 1960 – 61 as a pilot project in seven
selected districts of India and this programme was named Intensive Area
Development Programme extended to other districts on an experimental
basis and was called Intensive Agriculture Areas Programme (lAAP).
The Government took several steps to improve irrigation facilities in rural areas. The number of tractors used for cultivation increased
from 0.3 lakh in 1960-61 to about 20 lakhs in 1999-2000. The gross irrigated area was 22.56 million in 1950-51 and went up to 94.7 million
hectares in 1999-2000. All these efforts of the Government led to a rapid improvement in productivity of different crops as shown

The following in table:

This Table shows that except pulses, average yield (mostly rice and wheat) per hectare has improved significantly due to new technology.
The important achievements of the package programme
are:

(i) Increase in the total production of crops.

(ii) Increase in food crops per hectare.

(iii) Increase in use of chemical fertilizers

(iv) Increase in use of HYV seeds,

(v) Increase in use of power tillers and tractors,

(vi) Expansion of irrigational facility.

Impact or the Effects of Green Revolution:

(i)Increase in Production and Productivity

(ii)Scientific Cultivation

(iii) Change in Cropping Pattern

(iv) Development of Industries

(vi) Change in Attitudes

 Limitations of the Green Revolution:
 Inspite of several achievements, the green
revolution has several defects:
 (i)
More inequality among farmers (Inter-
personal inequalities)
 (ii) Regional inequality
 (iii) The Question of Labour Absorption
 (iv) Undesirable Social Consequences
 (v) Health Hazards
 (vi) Change in Attitudes
Limitations of the Green Revolution:
In spite of several achievements, the green revolution has several
defects:

(i) More inequality among farmers (Inter-personal inequalities):

The new technology requires a huge amount of investment which can be
only, afforded by the big farmers. Hence, these farmers are getting the
absolute benefits of the green revolution and became comparatively more
rich than other farmers. This increases inequality in rural India

(ii) Regional inequality:

Benefits of the new technology remained concentrated in wheat growing
area since green revolution remained limited to wheat for a number of
years. These were the regions of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar
Pradesh. On account of the above reasons new agricultural strategy has led
to an increase in regional inequalities.

(iii) The Question of Labour Absorption:

(iv) Undesirable Social Consequences:
Some micro level socio-economic studies of green revolution areas have
revealed certain undesirable social consequences of the green revolution.
Many large farmers have evicted tenants as they now find it more profitable
to cultivate land themselves.
Thus, a large number of tenants and share-croppers have lost their lands
and have been forced to join the ranks of agricultural labourers. Wetlands
have also attracted outsiders (non-agriculturists from nearby towns to
invest capital in buying farms.
(v) Health Hazards:
The health hazards of the new technology can also not be lost sight of.
Increased mechanization that has accompanied the modernization of farm
technology in green revolution areas carries with it the risk of incapacitation
due to accidents. The attitude of the Government towards the problems of
treatment and rehabilitation of victims of accidents on farm machines is
that of total ambivalence. Meagre compensation is provided to victims.
(vi) Change in Attitudes:
 The National Agricultural Policy (2000) has taken the
following important objectives:
 1.
Attaining a growth rate above 4.0 per cent per
annum in the agricultural sector;
 2.Attaining a growth which is based on efficient use of
resources and also makes provision for conservation
of our soil, water and bio-diversity;
 3.
Attainment of growth with equity, i.e., attaining a
growth whose impact would be widespread across
regions and different classes of farmers;
 4.Attaining a growth that is demand-driven and cater
to the need of domestic markets and ensuring
Sustainability in Agriculture:
The new policy seeks to introduce-
economically viable,
technically sound,
environmentally non-degrading and
non-hazardous and
socially acceptable use of natural resources of
the country for promoting the concept of
sustainable agriculture.
 Policy on Institutional Structure:
 The policy gave due emphasis for reforming the Institutional
structure where the approach on rural development and land
reforms will give stress on the following issues:
 1. Consolidation of holdings throughout the country following the pattern
of north western states.
 2. Steps for redistribution of ceiling surplus lands and waste-lands among
the landless farmers and unemployed persons.
 3. Adopting tenancy reforms for recognizing the rights of tenants and
sharecroppers.
 4. Promotion and development of lease markets for raising the size of
holdings by making legal provisions so as to give private land on lease
for cultivation and agro-business purposes.
 5. Recognizing the rights of women on land.
 6. Making provision for updating and improvement of land records
through computerization and also by issuing land pass books to all the
 In order to fulfil this strategy, the following measures are suggested
in the new policy:
 1. To use unutilized barren wastelands for agriculture and afforestation.
 2. To contain biotic pressures on land and to control indiscriminate division of
agricultural lands for non-agricultural uses.
 3. To enhance cropping intensity through multi-cropping and inter-cropping.
 4. To emphasize rational use of ground and surface water so that over-
exploitation of ground water resources can be checked. To adopt better
technologies such as drip and sprinkler irrigation system so as to arrange more
economic and efficient use of water.
 5. To adopt vigorously a long-term perspective plan for sustainable rain-fed
agriculture by adopting watershed approach and water harvesting method for
development of two-thirds of cropped area of the country which is dependent
on rainfall.
 6. Involvement of farmers and landless labourers will be sought in the
development of pastures/ forestry programmes on huge public wasteland by
providing adequate financial incentives and entitlement of trees and pastures.
 India’s national agricultural policy: a critique
 Lack of concrete action on policies proposed in
2000
 The National Agricultural Policy (NAP) document
released by the Government of Indian in 2000 aimed
to attain an agricultural output growth rate in excess
of 4 percent per annum, based on efficient use of
resources, and sought to achieve this growth in a
sustainable and equitable manner.
 Noserious action had been initiated on most of the
NAP’s proposals, and blames this inaction on the lack
of a concrete and time bound action plan to
 Its criticisms of the NAP include that:
 The document does not stress the need for improved irrigation
as a precondition to higher growth
 Creating the required magnitude of irrigation would require
trebling of public investment in real terms
 The NAP proposes to put India’s 79.5 million hectares of
wasteland to use for agriculture and afforestation, but does
not elaborate any strategy to do so; most of this land requires
heavy capital investments in order to make it productive
 The importance and implications of the increasing strain on
India’s limited water resources are not adequately recognised
by the NAP
 NAP is silent on important institutional issues such as
 The specific recommendations for future agricultural policy include:
 care is needed to ensure that enough common property wasteland remains
around inhabited areas to serve the needs of resource-poor rural communities
who live there
 awareness about the value of water and its sustainable use needs to be raised
 water conservation measures such as rainwater harvesting should be put in place
 Panchayati Raj institutions should be given guidelines on taking care of healthy
breeding practices for livestock
 technology policy needs to ensure both that appropriate technologies are
generated and that they are effectively disseminated to end users
 interactions of Indian National Agricultural Research System scientists with
science institutions in the west need to be strengthened
 competition should be promoted in the seed sector by encouraging large scale
private sector participation in the seeds business
 area specific agricultural development strategies should be devised, taking into
account groundwater status, soil health and other characteristics.
National Farmer’s Policy 2007
 MAJOR POLICY GOALS
 The major goals of the National Policy for Farmers are:
 (i)To improve economic viability of farming by substantially
increasing the net income of farmers and to ensure that
agricultural progress is measured by advances made in this
income.
 (ii)
To protect and improve land, water, bio-diversity and
genetic resources essential for sustained increase in the
productivity, profitability and stability of major farming
systems by creating an economic stake in conservation.
 (iii)To develop support services including provision for seeds,
irrigation, power, machinery and implements, fertilizers and
credit at affordable prices in adequate quantity for farmers.
 (v)To provide appropriate price and trade policy mechanisms to
enhance farmers’ income.
 (vi)
To provide for suitable risk management measures for adequate
and timely compensation to farmers.
 (vii)
To complete the unfinished agenda in land reforms and to initiate
comprehensive asset and Aquarian reforms.
 (viii)To mainstream the human and gender dimension in all farm
policies and programmes.
 (ix) To pay explicit attention to sustainable rural livelihoods.
 (x)To foster community-centred food, water and energy security
systems in rural India and to ensure nutrition security at the level of
every child, woman and man.
 (xi) To introduce measures which can help attract and retain
youths in farming and processing of farm products for higher
value addition by making it intellectually stimulating and
economically rewarding.
 (xii) To make India a global outsourcing hub in the
production and supply of the inputs needed for sustainable
agriculture, products and processes developed through
biotechnology and Information and Communication
Technology (ICT).
 (xiii) To restructure the agricultural curriculum and
pedagogic methodologies for enabling every farm and home
science graduate to become an entrepreneur and to make
agricultural education gender sensitive.
 (xiv) To develop and introduce a social security system for
 Several significant initiatives have already been taken in
recent years by the government to reverse the downward
trend in agricultural production and to find sustainable
solutions for strengthening the farmers’ livelihood and income.
 Some of these important initiatives include:
 (i) Bharat Nirman;
 (ii) National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme;
 (iii) National Horticulture Mission;
 (iv) Expansion of Institutional Credit to Farmers;
 (v) Establishment of the National Bee Board;
 (vi) Establishment of the National Rainfed Area Authority;
 (vii) Establishment of the National Fisheries Development
 (ix)
Reforms in Agricultural Marketing and Development of
Market Infrastructure;
 (x) Revitalisation of Cooperative Sector;
 (xi)Agri-business Development through Venture Capital
Participation by the Small Farmer Agri-business Consortium;
 (xii) Reform and Support for Agriculture Extension Services;
 (xiii) National Rural Health Mission;
 (xiv) National Food Security Mission;
 (xv)Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to incentivise the states to
invest more in agriculture;
 (xvi) Integrated Food Law;
 (xvii) Legislative Framework for Warehousing
Development and Regulation;
 (xviii)Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights
(PPVFR) Act, 2001;
 (xix) National Bamboo Mission and
 (xx) Knowledge Connectivity through Common Service
Centres (CSC) and IT initiatives.
 Initiatives
taken by the Central Government for the
welfare of farmers
 1.) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
 2.) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna
 3.) Soil Health Card Scheme
 4.) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna
 5.) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
 6.)
India emergence campaign through village
emergence
 7.) My Village My Pride
 8.)
Achievements of National Rice Research
Institute, Cuttack
 Policy provisions in NPF-2007 include, inter-
alia,
 assetreforms in respect of land, water, livestock, fisheries
and bio-resources;
 supplyof good quality seeds and disease-free planting
material, issue of soil health passbooks to the farmers and
integrated pest management system;
 region and crop specific implements and machinery;
 support services for women;
 timely,
adequate and easy reach of institutional credit at
reasonable interest rates and farmer-friendly insurance
instruments;
 use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and
setting up of farm schools to revitalize agricultural extension;
 coverage of farmers under a comprehensive national social
security scheme;
 effectiveimplementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) across
the country and establishing community food grain banks;
 development of agricultural market infrastructure and terminal
markets for agriculture;
 curriculum reforms in agricultural universities; special categories
of farming like organic farming and contract farming;
 ruralnon-farm employment initiative for farm households; and
integrated approach for rural energy, etc.