Q. Discuss the importance of agriculture in Haryana. What measures would you suggest for the improvement of agriculture in Haryana.
Ans. Importance/Role of agriculture in Haryana is evident from the following facts:
(1) Contribution to State Gross Domestic Product: Percentage contribution of agricultural sector to the income of Haryana is considerable, but now, it has been declining gradually. In rich countries of the world, agriculture is sufficiently developed but its contribution to the national income is very little. In underdeveloped countries, share of agriculture in the national income is more as compared to share of agriculture in developed countries.
(2) Supply of Wage Goods: Main objective of agricultural sector is to supply wage goods. The goods which are consumed by the masses to satisfy their necessities of life are called wage goods. These include agricultural products like wheat, rice, pulses, maize, bajra, oilseeds, etc. Agriculture sector provides food to people and fodder to cattle.
(3) Increase in Employment: Agriculture is the main source of employment in Haryana. More than half of the population of haryana is engaged in agriculture. Dependence of more than half of the population on agriculture speaks, on the one hand, of the significance of this sector to the state economy, on the other hand, it underlines, the backwardness of the economy. It is so because the productivity of labour is very low in agriculture. Proportion of population, depending on agriculture, has been declining with the increase in economic development.
(4) Agriculture and Industry: Agriculture has an important contribution to the growth of industrial sector in various ways: (i) Industries get raw materials like cotton, sugarcane, oil seeds, cereals etc. from agricultural sector. Many cottage and small scale industries like handloom, oil extracting, rice-mills etc. depend on agriculture for their raw materials. (ii) Income of the people rises under the impact of agricultural development. They demand more goods produced by the industrial sector. As a result, market for industrial products expands. Hence, development of agriculture is very essential for industrial development.
(5) Agriculture and Foreign Trade: Agriculture is of great importance to foreign trade. Haryana is the largest exporter of Basmati Rice among all the states of the country. Horticulture products like baby corn, strawberry, mushroom, vegetables, etc. of Haryana are also exported to other countries.
(6) Role in Internal Trade: According to National Sample Survey Organisation, in India, in the year 2009-10, 57 per-cent of income was spent on food in the rural areas and 44 per cent of the income was spent on food in urban areas. Thus, agriculture plays an important role in the internal trade. Food trade provides employment to a large number of people and also generates tax revenue for the government.
(7) Agriculture and Transport: Agricultural production in Haryana is characterised by regional disparities. In some states of Haryana like Karnal, Kaithal, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Jind, etc. production of food grains has increased very much under the impact of green revolution. These districts have not only become self-sufficient in the matter of food grains but other districts also purchase food grains from them. As a result, means of transport like trucks, railways etc. have been earning good revenue by carrying agricultural products from surplus districts to deficit districts.
(8) Capital Formation: Large part of capital is invested in agriculture. From the point of view of fixed capital assets, farm-lands occupy the highest place. Capital worth millions of rupees is invested in the means of irrigation, cattle, agricultural implements, tractors and other agricultural machines, warehouses, etc. Disguised unemployment in Indian agriculture is also a potential source of capital formation. In Haryana, farmers suffer from disguised unemployment. This surplus labour of agricultural sector can be employed in industries and service enterprises. It will help to increase production and productivity in the economy.
(9) Source of Saving: After green evolution, agriculture may constitute an important source of saving. So far, green revolution has benefited rich farmers only. They have grown richer. The additional income earned by them has resulted in higher savings and investments. If benefits of green revolution are extended to all farmers, then income of farmers can be increased and thus saving potential can be very large in agricultural sector.
(10) Basis of Economic Development: Agriculture serves as a basis of the economic development of any country. Because firstly , development of agricultural sector provides inputs to industries for their development. Secondly, agriculture requires relatively less capital for its development. Thus, by making use of the available resources, agriculture can be developed. Agricultural development will help in the development of industries, transport, foreign trade, etc.
(11) Social and Political Importance: Development of agriculture has its social and political significance. Haryana is mainly a state of villages. As a result of agricultural development, economic, social and political life of the villages will improve. They will take more interest in development programmes. Such type of public cooperation is very essential for all round progress of the state. Roughly, two-third of the total electorates live in villages. As such, different political parties make all efforts for their improvement through the development of agriculture.
In brief, agricultural development has a significant role to accelerate the rate of economic development. Appropriate development of the agricultural sector is almost pre-condition for the success of any development plan of the state.
Measures to improve agriculture in Haryana:
(1) Reduction in Pressure of Population: it is essential that the pressure of population on the soil is reduced. It requires the growth of industries and service enterprises so that the surplus farm-population can be usefully engaged elsewhere. Small and cottage industries must be developed in the rural areas of the state so as to absorb the surplus work force of agriculture sector. [To avoid sub-division of land.]
(2) Canal Irrigation: [Improvement in irrigation system from tube tubewell irrigation to canal irrigation.] With a view to reducing the dependence of state agriculture on tubewell irrigation, it is essential that permanent means of canal irrigation are developed. There should be more canals and rainwater harvesting. This type of irrigation will help to check ground water depletion.
(3) Mechanisation: [More tools should be provided to farmers.] More and more mechanised means of cultivation need to be introduced to suit the needs and means of the farmers. Also, there should be proper arrangement for their sale and maintenance. Exhibitions of agricultural tools and implements should be organised to arouse awareness of mechanised farming amongst the farmers. Arrangements should be made to sell implements to the farmers on instalment basis.
(4) Scientific Cultivation: Scientific methods of cultivation should be propagated. Farmers should be educated about rotation of crops, use of right kind of fertilisers, inputs-mix, modern techniques of agriculture, etc. Farmers should be taken to state demonstration farms to show the new and scientific methods of cultivation. Farmers using new techniques must be encouraged through awards. More research on the crops, seeds, land and fertilizers should be promoted.
(5) Good Quality Seeds: Farmers should be given complete knowledge regarding high yielding varieties of seeds. Quality seeds should be sold through cooperative societies or ‘Village Panchayats.’ Small farmers should be given these seeds at concessional rates. More research is needed regarding quality seeds. Hybrid seeds and seed certification should also be promoted in the state. High yielding variety seeds may be procured from abroad.
(6) Use of Manure: Farmers should be educated on the use of green manure. Cow dung, bio-fertilizers, vermi-composting, etc. should also be used as fertilisers. Production of chemical manures should be raised and be made available to the farmers at reduced rates.
(7) Credit Facilities: Farmers must get more credit at reasonable rates of interest. More and more cooperative banks, regional rural banks, land development banks should be opened. Credit facilities of ‘Mahajans’ must be properly scrutinised. Commercial banks should be spread in the rural areas. Government must offer loans to the farmers whereever there are natural calamities.
(8) Land Reforms: Land reforms are very vital to the progress of agriculture. Zamindari system be abolished and ownership of land be bestowed upon those farmers who actually cultivate it. Ceiling on land holdings be imposed. Evils of soil erosion and water logging be removed. In Haryana, still, a lot of cultivable land is lying waste. It should be treated and put to agriculture use. Land reforms like tenancy reforms, consolidation of landholdings, computisation of land records, etc. should be promoted in the state. Among tenancy reforms, cultivators should not be evicted (forced to leave a place, especially a house, room, or property. निकाल दिया गया) so long as they continue to pay rent. Moreover, at the time of their eviction, they must be compensated for all permanent improvements made by them on the soil.
(9) Agricultural Marketing: Agricultural marketing must be improved so that the farmers gets appropriate price for his profuce. More number of regulated markets and cooperative marketing societies should be established. Warehousing facilities should be improved. Means of transport should also be improved.
(10) Mixed Farming: Mixed farming should be encouraged so that crop cultivation, animal husbandry, vegetable and fruit growing should be practiced side by side. Dairy farming and horticulture crops should be particularly encouraged with a view to improving the economic conditions of the farmers.
(11) Spread of Education: Education must be spread in the rural areas as much as possible. Farmers must be educated in general and farming operations in particular. It will remove orthodoxy and superstitions among them. With the knowledge of new techniques of cultivation, they will strive to increase production. Free education be given in the villages.
(12) Improvement in the Breed of Livestock: Artificial insemination should be used for improving cattle breed. Provision of good fodder will keep the cattle health. Cattle diseases should be immediately attended. More and more veterinary hospitals need to be opened to treat sick cattle.
(13) Reduction in the Risk of Farmers: Farmers are exposed to a variety of risks related to uncertain rainfall in particular. The crops are also destroyed by the menace of insects and pests, besides floods sometimes. All this adversely affects economic condition of the farmer, and therefore farming. Crop insurance may serve as a useful remedy in this context. Use of insecticides and pesticides should be encouraged to check the menace of insects and pests.
(14) Help to Small Farmers: To maintain the impact of green revolution, it is essential that small farmers are helped with HYV seeds, fertilizers and new farming techniques. Also, they should be given a loan at concessional rates of interest to enable them to make use of new technology. Economic prosperity of the farmers would contribute to the prosperity of the state as a whole.
(15) Price Stability: Benefits of green revolution are mixed with the fear that owing to increased productivity, crop prices may fall. The government should ensure that farmers get reasonable price for their produce. Otherwise, farmers will not adopt improved techniques and agricultural growth will not be enhanced.
(16) Efficient Administration: Development plans regarding agriculture can be successful only if there is efficient administration of the plans. Only such officials should be associated with Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, Bharat Nirman, Integrated Rural Development Programme, Cooperative Societies and various other rural development programms, etc. who are abreast with the rural life and are committed to the cause of rural upliftment.
(17) More Public Sector Investment in Agriculture: In India, percentage share of public sector investment in agriculture is declining. To accelerate the growth in agriculture sector both central government and state government should increase public sector investment in agriculture. It will help to promote research, market development, storage and warehousing facilities, irrigation facilities, soil testing facilities, availability of guidance cells like kisan cell centers, etc.
(18) Corporatisation of Agriculture: It means corporate bodies undertake agricultural activities. These ompanies develop large sized agricultural farms. Corporatisation of agriculture will infuse more funds in agriculture sector. It will help in availing economies of large scale production and use advanced technology. Mechanisation of agricultural operations is more effective on large farms. All this will help to increase agriculture productivity.
(19) Other Suggestions:
(i) Demand for fruits and vegetables has grown very much due to increasing urbanisation and changing food pattern. Agricultural research should therefore be mainly directed towards improving the productivity of fruits and vegetables cultivation. This will help in increasing their supply according to demand.
(ii) Policy of liberalisation should also be applied to agricultural sector as it has been applied to industrial sector.
(iii) Under export-import policy, export of agricultural products be encouraged. Essential agricultural inputs should also be imported to enhance agricultural productivity.
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