Question

Describe the problems of Indian Agriculture.

Hint:

The main challenge of Indian agriculture is its over-dependence on monsoon and small fragmented landholdings. Modernization, irrigation expansion, and government support are key to solving these problems.

Answer 1

Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy as a majority of people depend on it for their livelihood. Despite being one of the largest producers of food grains, fruits, and vegetables in the world, Indian agriculture faces numerous problems. These issues reduce productivity and income of farmers.
Major Problems of Indian Agriculture:
1. Dependence on Monsoon:
- A large portion of Indian agriculture still depends on rainfall. In years of poor monsoon, crops fail and farmers face heavy losses.
2. Small and Fragmented Land Holdings:
- Due to inheritance laws, agricultural land is divided into very small plots. This makes mechanization and modern farming difficult.
3. Low Productivity:
- Yields per hectare of cereals, pulses, and oilseeds in India are much lower than developed countries due to traditional farming practices.
4. Lack of Modern Technology:
- Farmers in many regions still use outdated tools and rely on animal power instead of modern machinery and scientific techniques.
5. Inadequate Irrigation Facilities:
- Only about one-third of cultivated land is irrigated. The rest depends heavily on seasonal rainfall.
6. Soil Degradation and Overuse of Fertilizers:
- Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, along with deforestation and overgrazing, have degraded soil fertility.
7. Financial Problems:
- Farmers often lack access to institutional credit and depend on moneylenders, leading to indebtedness.
8. Marketing and Storage Problems:
- Lack of cold storage, poor rural connectivity, and middlemen reduce the share of farmers in consumer prices.
9. Poverty and Farmer Suicides:
- Low income, crop failures, and debt traps push farmers into distress, which has led to rising farmer suicides in several states.
Conclusion:
To overcome these problems, India needs agricultural reforms such as expansion of irrigation, land consolidation, use of modern technology, crop diversification, better marketing, and farmer welfare schemes.
Thus, Indian agriculture is burdened by natural, economic, and technological problems which require urgent attention.