Agricultural Policy of India: Objectives, Components & More

The Agricultural Policy of India is a framework established by the government to boost agricultural production, enhance productivity, and improve farmers’ livelihoods. Its significance lies in addressing critical challenges in the sector and fostering sustainable development through innovative practices and supportive measures. This article aims to study in detail the objectives, and components of the Agricultural Policy of India on the country’s agricultural landscape.

About Agricultural Policy of India

• The Government designs agricultural policies of India to raise agricultural production and productivity and enhance farmers’ income and living standards within a definite time frame.
• The Agricultural Policy of India is formulated for the all-round and comprehensive development of the agricultural sector.
• The Agricultural Policy aims to address key issues such as resource management, technology adoption, and market access.
• By promoting sustainable practices, improving infrastructure, and supporting innovation, the Agricultural Policy seeks to create a robust and resilient agricultural sector that can meet both current and future challenges.

Objectives of Agricultural Policy of India

Some of the essential objectives of agricultural policy of India are as follows:

• Raising the Productivity of Inputs such as HYV seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation projects.
• Raising Value-added per Hectare by improving agricultural productivity in general and the productivity of small and marginal holdings in particular.
• Protecting the Interests of Poor and Marginal Farmers by abolishing intermediaries through land reforms and expanding institutional credit support to poor farmers.
• Modernising the Agricultural Sector involves introducing modern technology into agricultural operations and applying improved farm inputs like HYV seeds and fertilisers.
• Checking Environmental Degradation of the natural base of Indian agriculture.
• Promoting Agricultural Research and Training Facilities and disseminating the benefits of such research among farmers by establishing a close linkage between research institutions and farmers.
• Removing Bureaucratic Obstacles to enable Farmer’s Cooperative societies and self-help institutions to work independently.

Major Components of Agricultural Policy of India

The major components of Agricultural Policy of India are:

• Improving Input Productivity – The Agricultural Policy involves enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural inputs such as High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation.
  • By optimizing the use of these inputs, the policy aims to increase crop yields and overall productivity.
• Value Addition and Crop Diversification – Value addition refers to increasing the value of agricultural products through processing, packaging, and other means, which helps farmers achieve better prices and higher incomes.
  • Crop diversification involves growing a variety of crops rather than relying on a single crop.
• Supporting Poor and Marginal Farmers – The Agricultural Policy aims to address the needs of poor and marginal farmers through various measures.
  • This includes land reforms to abolish intermediaries, expanding institutional credit to provide financial support, and providing subsidies or incentives to make farming more accessible and sustainable for those with limited resources.
• Modernizing Agricultural Practices – Modernizing agricultural practices involves introducing and adopting advanced technologies and methods in farming.
  • The Agricultural Policy includes the use of precision agriculture, mechanization, and modern irrigation systems.
• Environmental Protection and Soil Health – Ensuring environmental protection involves implementing practices that prevent soil erosion, water depletion, and pollution.
  • Soil health is maintained through techniques like crop rotation, organic farming, and the use of cover crops.
  • The Agricultural Policy aims to sustain agricultural productivity over the long term while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
• Agricultural Research and Extension Services – Agricultural research focuses on developing new technologies, crop varieties, and farming techniques to improve productivity and sustainability.
  • Extension services involve disseminating this research to farmers through training programs, advisory services, and demonstration plots.
• Removing Bureaucratic Obstacles – This component of the Agricultural Policy addresses the need to streamline administrative processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles that hinder agricultural progress.
  • By simplifying procedures related to land acquisition, subsidy distribution, and credit access, the Agricultural Policy aims to make it easier for farmers and agricultural institutions to operate effectively and independently.

National Agricultural Policy Document, 2000

• On 28 July 2000, the Government made a National Agriculture Policy of India public, aiming for over 4 percent annual growth through efficient use of resources and technology and increased private investment, while emphasizing price protection for farmers in the WTO regime.
• The Agricultural Policy aimed at achieving agricultural growth of over 4 percent per annum by 2005 through a combination of structural, institutional, agronomic, environmental, economic, and tax reforms.
• The Agricultural Policy formulation was necessitated due to the relatively poor growth of agriculture during the 1990s.
• The Agricultural Policy Document noted, “Capital inadequacy, lack of infrastructural support, and demand-side constraints such as controls on movement, storage, and sale of agricultural products have continued to affect the economic activity of the agricultural sector.
  • Consequently, growth has also tended to slacken during the 1990s.”
• The agricultural sector ensures food security and nutrition for India’s large population and supplies a significant quantity of raw materials for expanding the industrial base and creating surplus for exports.
• Thus, a fast and equitable reward system for the farming community and attaining a faster growth rate of the sector are crucial components of agricultural reforms.

Objectives of National Agricultural Policy (2000)

The objectives of National Agricultural Policy of India (2000) has taken the following important objectives:

• Attaining a growth rate above 4.0 percent per annum in the agricultural sector.
• Achieving growth based on efficient use of resources while making provisions for the conservation of soil, water, and biodiversity.
• Attaining growth with equity, ensuring that the impact is widespread across regions and different classes of farmers.
• Ensuring growth that is demand-driven, catering to the needs of domestic markets and maximizing benefits from exports of agricultural products amidst challenges from economic liberalisation and globalisation.
• Attaining growth that is sustainable technologically, environmentally, and economically.

Agricultural Price Policy

• Agricultural Price Policy refers to the measures and strategies implemented by the government to influence the prices of agricultural products, ensuring fair income for farmers while maintaining affordable prices for consumers.
• It includes interventions like minimum support prices (MSP), procurement policies, and subsidies.
• The Agriculture policy aims to stabilize the agricultural market, protect farmers from price fluctuations, and ensure food security by encouraging sufficient production.
• Balancing these objectives is crucial for the overall economic development and well-being of the agricultural sector.

Spatial Pattern of Agricultural Development

• Distinct spatial patterns of endowments, cultures, and histories have conditioned the evolution of different agricultural development practices across India.
• After Independence, the Government’s immediate goal was to boost foodgrain production by:
  • Shifting focus from cash crops to food crops.
  • Intensifying cropping on existing cultivated land.
  • Expanding cultivated areas by bringing uncultivated and fallow land into production.
• This strategy initially led to increased foodgrain production, but by the late 1950s, agricultural output began to stagnate.
• To overcome this problem, the the Intensive Agricultural District Programme (IADP) and the Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP) were launched.
• However two consecutive droughts during the mid-1960s resulted in a a food crisis in the country.
  • As a result, the food grains were imported from other countries across the world.
• Then, a significant step in the form of the the ‘Green Revolution’ was taken to ensure food security in the country.

Conclusion

The Agricultural0 of India represents a strategic effort to transform the agricultural sector through targeted reforms and initiatives. By emphasizing improvements in input productivity, crop diversification, and environmental protection, the policy aims to foster a more productive and sustainable agricultural landscape. As India continues to navigate the complexities of economic liberalization and global competition, the policy’s focus on enhancing productivity, supporting farmers, and addressing bureaucratic barriers will be crucial for securing a prosperous future for agriculture and ensuring the well-being of the nation’s farmers.

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