Addressing Farm Distress

How can India overcome farm distress and create sustainable agri environment?

   Indian agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan once said if 'Agriculture goes wrong nothing can go right in this country". This is very pragmatic statement because almost 50 percent of the population is directly or indirectly dependant on agriculture. Quantitatively, though it is contributing only 16-17 %, but qualitatively holds greater value due its linkage with food security and rural poverty in India. Thus, its sustainability is very essential.

   Sustainability of Agriculture can be enhanced by input management and output optimisation. Better soil health assessment through soil health card, irrigation facility through krishi sinchai yojna, livestock health through veterinary care, cheaper fertiliser, high yield variety of seed, adopting cropping pattern relavant to agro ecological regions will bring sustainability to agriculture sector.

   

   On the other hand, better marketing of yield, improved road connectivity, cold storage facility, near farm jobs in food processing industries will help to boost the farmers income. Other extension measures like fasal bima yojna will help to cope up with losses due to disasters. Govt programmes like National Mission Sustainable Agriculture will help to take measures for reducing farm distress.

  In order to retain the sustainability farmers need to adopt ecological practices related to infrastructural and technological aspects of farming. Whereas govt need to take care of timely intervention through institutional means. In this way we can ensure better future to our farming community.