The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 24th August 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

The Road to 2047 for Indian Agriculture

Why in News?

India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 hinges on transforming its agricultural sector through sustainable practices, technological innovations, and strategic government initiatives.

• Addressing challenges like climate change and food demand, the government is prioritising agricultural innovation, infrastructure, and credit to ensure inclusive, long-term growth.

India’s Path to Becoming a Developed Nation by 2047

• India aims to become a developed nation by 2047, its centennial year of independence.
• A key factor in achieving this goal is a six fold increase in per capita Gross National Income (GNI).
• Comprehensive development, especially in agriculture, is crucial for this transformation.

Transforming Indian Agriculture for Sustainability

• Indian agriculture is changing with sustainable methods like precision farming, genetically altered crops, and modern irrigation techniques.
• The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is boosting water efficiency, impacting 78 lakh hectares with a budget of ₹93,068 crore from 2021 to 2026.

Addressing Agricultural Challenges

• Indian agriculture encounters big challenges like changes in weather, soil damage, and restricted market entry.
• The Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme (PMFBY), started in 2016, offers financial safeguard from crop losses, aiding 49.5 crore farmers and settling claims of ₹1.45 lakh crore.
• The Electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM), initiated in 2016, merges 1,361 marketplaces, benefiting 1.76 million farmers with transactions worth ₹2.88 lakh crore by 2023.

Imbalance in Agricultural Contribution

• Agriculture employs 46% of India's workforce but contributes only 18% to the GDP.
• The growth rate of agricultural GDP (3.6% under the leadership of Modi) falls behind the overall GDP growth (5.9%).
• If there are no changes in structure, the part of GDP related to agriculture might decrease to 7%-8% by 2047, while still employing more than 30% of the workforce.
• Despite a projected growth of 7.6% for GDP in 2023-24, the growth of agricultural GDP at 0.7%, caused by unseasonal rains, raises worries.

Growing Food Demand with a Rising Population

• India's population is set to reach 1.5 billion by 2030 and 1.59 billion by 2040, leading to a higher need for food.
• The demand for food is estimated to increase by 2.85% yearly, driven by a greater need for meat (5.42%) and a lesser need for rice (0.34%).
• To fulfill the food requirements, it is crucial to adjust food and fertiliser subsidies and allocate resources towards agricultural research, progress, and creativity.

Key Initiatives for Agricultural Growth

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), launched in 2019, provides financial support of ₹6,000 annually to 11.8 crore farmers.
• The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, which has distributed over 23 crore cards, helps farmers manage soil nutrients and optimise productivity.
• The International Year of Millets 2023 promoted nutritious coarse grains, both domestically and internationally.
• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, with ₹1 lakh crore financing, supports post-harvest management and has created over 5.8 lakh jobs through 38,326 sanctioned projects.
• SVAMITVA, a rural mapping initiative, has generated over 1.6 crore property cards by September 2023, enhancing land security and credit access for farmers.

Strategic Planning for 2047

• The government's strategic agricultural plan is focused on future food demand, taking into account insights from past growth, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead.
• Estimates indicate that by 2047-48, the demand for food grain will range between 402-437 million tonnes, with production expected to surpass demand by 10%-13% in a business-as-usual scenario.
• To sustainably meet the future food demand, it is crucial to make significant investments in agricultural research, infrastructure, and policy.

Government’s Commitment to Agricultural Innovation

• The Budget for the financial year 2024-25 set aside ₹20 lakh crore for specific agricultural loans.
• The introduction of the Agriculture Accelerator Fund showcases the government's emphasis on promoting innovation and expansion in agriculture.

Conclusion:

• India's farming sector encounters difficulties and chances as it nears 2047.
• Sustainable methods, technological advancements, and strategic government actions are necessary to boost farmer earnings, fulfill growing food requirements, and accomplish comprehensive and sustainable growth.

PYQ: 

Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2016)