This document summarizes the role of agriculture in India. It notes that agriculture is important to the Indian economy, employing over 55% of the population but only contributing 15% to GDP. Most farmers are small holders on less than 2 hectares of land, with 60% of cultivation being rainfed. The document outlines India's historical agricultural growth rates and discusses the importance of technological and institutional innovations as well as high-value crops and linking small farmers to markets. It proposes targeted growth rates in the 11th plan and concludes that future strategies need to focus on diversification, small farmers, rainfed areas, and rural development to support sustainable agricultural transformation.

1. Role of Agriculture in INDIA
B.PAVAN SRI SAI
3rd class B section
NARAYANA E TECHNO
SCHOOL Kothapet Guntur,
India

2. Contents of the presentation
Introduction and background ,
Performance of Agriculture
Role of small holding agriculture for food
security and livelihoods
--Technological innovations
--institutional innovations

3. Introduction and background on
Indian Agriculture
India ‘s population is 1.21 billion in 2011. 67% are
rural. Majority are in agriculture.
Importance of agriculture in Indian economy. Although
it contributes only 15% of GDP, the share of workers
is about 55%.
Major crops are rice, wheat, maize, coarse cereals,
groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables
60% of cultivated area is rainfed as only 40% of area
is under irrigation.
Rural poverty is 41%in 2004-05.
Agriculture is a ‘State Subject’. In other words, the
policies of provinces are also important

4. Performance of Agriculture
Growth performance in agriculture%)
1950-1 to 1964-5: 2.51 (area gro. +yield gro)
1967-8 to 1980-1: 2.20 (yield gr. green revol)
1980-1 to 1990-1: 3.07 (spread of green rev)
1992-3 to 2004-5: 2.76 (reform period)
1997-8 to 2004-5: 1.60 (neglect of agri.)
2004-5 to 2010-1: 3.47 (revival of growth)

5. Agriculture GDP growth
7.00
5-Year Average Growth Rate
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
-1.00
5
6
9
1
7
6
9
1
6
9
1
7
9
1
3
7
9
1
5
7
9
1
7
9
1
7
9
1
8
9
1
3
8
9
1
5
8
9
1
7
8
9
1
8
9
1
9
1
3
9
1
5
9
1
7
9
1
9
1
1
0
2
3
0
2
5
0
2
7
0
2
9
0
2
1
0
2

7. Institutional Innovations
Women’s collectives: Women’s cooperatives,
producer women’s groups and other forms of group
efforts (e.g. Deccan Development Society in Andhra
Pradesh).
Gujarat put in place institutional environment for
development of agriculture (e.g. Krishi Mohatsav).
This Mohatsava serves as an institutional platform at
the village level and proved to be an important support
for farmers.
Similarly Andhra Pradesh: The Community Managed
Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA) programme. It
addresses the major causes of agricultural distress
and help farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural
practices. It covers 2.7 million acres and benefit 1.05
million farmers

8. Institutional Innovations
Institutions for Marketing of Small holders
--There are several models: Contract farming, self
help group model, co-operative model and
producer co-operatives
--One of the most successful producer
organization is dairy cooperative with 12.3
million members.
--Contract farming is also successful in some
cases
--Some examples of group approach are: Apni
Mandi in Punjab and Rytu Bazar in Andhra
Pradesh

9. Small farmers, value chains and
Supermarkets
Wholesale, processing and retail segments are
growing in India.
In India, super market revolution is also catching
up. Average annual growth rate of top 10
retailers during 2000-06 in India was 50%.
Linking small farmers to super markets. Linking
farmers with input suppliers, logistic suppliers,
agro-processors and retailers
In those cases where small producers have
been able to integrate into the supplying chains,
supermarkets have offered enhanced security
and considerably higher margins than the
traditional clients, such as wholesales and
groceries

10. Institutions
New institutional approaches are needed to help
the farmers e.g. formation of producer groups.
One of the important policy issue is how to link
small farmers to high value agriculture.
There has been diversification of Indian
agriculture away from foodgrains to pulses, edible
oils and to high value products like vegetables,
fruits, milk, eggs, fish and meat products.
Although foodgrains are important, future sources
of growth and incomes are going to come from
high value agriculture.
Being perishable, it needs fast moving
infrastructure and institutions.

11. Targeted Growth Rates for 11 th Plan
GDP Share% Growth Rate%
Foodgrains 26 2.3
Oilseeds 7 4.0
Other crops 15 3.0
Crop Sector 48 2.7
Horticulture 19 5.0
Livestock 25 6.0
Fisheries 4 6.0
Forestry 4 0.0
Total Sector 100.0 4.1

12. Special Programmes for Farmers
National Commission for Enterprises in the
Unorganized sector (NCEUS) has advocated a special
programme for marginal and small farmers.
Objectives are: (1) to improve income prospects; (2) to
improve the skill base; (3) provide income earning
opportunities in the non-farm sector; (4) to ensure the
needs of small farmers and adequately reflected in
other agricultural and development programmes for
livelihood security
Principal activities proposed under the special
programme are
(a) Promotion of group approach to small farmers: It
proposes setting up of Marginal and Small farmers’
development society (MSFDS) for the promotion,
capacity building and coordination of development of

13. Conclusions
There are six deficits in agriculture. These are: (a)
investment, credit, infrastructure (b) research,
extension (technology) (c) Market (d) diversification
(e) institutions (f) education/skill
Food security has been an overriding priority in India’
since the 1960s. The focus paid off with attaining food
grain security and poverty reduction.
The strategy concentrated on rice and wheat in
irrigated areas.
The future growth will need to rely on a dual strategy of
diversification into non-cereal high value crops and
rainfed areas with focus on small farms.
Basically investment and institution strategies have to
focus on small and marginal farmers, women farmers,
rainfed areas, environmental stress, rural non-farm
sector for sustainable agri-transformation.

14. AGRICULTURE GALARY

20. B.PAVAN SRE SAI
THANK YOU