The Hindu Business Line : For a second farm revolution

SHALL WE CONSIDER it a good New Year augury that at the recent Indian Science Congress, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, called for a second Green Revolution and urged scientists to work towards it? The challenges confronting the farm sector are tough and varied, even as internal weaknesses are compounded by external pressures such as under the WTO. It is, of course, heartening to be hailed as one of world's fastest growing significant economies; but undeniably agriculture is the country's soft underbelly. Despite the robust overall economic growth powered by the boom in the manufacturing and services sectors, a significantly large number is still mired in poverty because the rural economy — largely represented by agriculture and related activities that provide livelihood to nearly 60 per cent of the population — has remained a laggard, especially since the 1990s. Low and uneven growth in agriculture means `growth with equity' — which ought to be the policy-maker's mantra — has become a casualty. The trickle-down theory stands debunked; indeed, some believe the myth was busted long ago. A new adage appropriate for India's pyramidal structure and economic station could well be: Take care of the `bottom', and the `top' will take care of itself.

Will 2006 be a year of Agricultural Renewal, as suggested by the National Commission on Farmers? The NCF's five-point plan that includes scientific management of soil, water, credit, technology and market would, of course, be a good starting point, as suggested by Mr Singh himself, for giving a major developmental thrust to the country's largest private enterprise that agriculture is. But a closer look at the subject lowers the spirit. Constraints that stymie farm growth are well-recognised and documented. Issues of fragmented landholding, low land use intensity and seasonality of work for landless labour are common knowledge. How poor soil health or water stress or credit non-availability or lack of technological inputs or imperfect marketing conditions affect crop production, productivity and farmers' incomes is also well known. What is lacking is an action plan to address known problems.

This Government has asserted more than once that funds are not a constraint for any developmental work. So, where is the hitch? We need a nationwide action plan that draws up specific strategies for crops and regions, taking into account financial, human and technological resources to achieve targets. Without such an action plan and accountability of those responsible for implementing it, sustained progress on the farm front would remain a pipedream. Active participation of all stakeholders is a sine qua non for making robust farm growth a reality. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that anyone in the government is even remotely looking at Indian agriculture holistically and designing strategies for sustained growth. The eternal optimist in every Indian says that, unlike in the past when it was largely lip service, this time around the Government is serious about paying close and genuine attention to strengthening agriculture. Perhaps, there is no alternative. For India to survive and prosper, its agriculture must survive and prosper.