Question

Discuss the problems of Indian agriculture and give suggestions for development.

Hint:

Write problems as (land–water–inputs–risk–markets–human capital) and match each with a solution block: micro-irrigation & watershed, soil health & INM, diversification & allied sectors, FPOs & e-NAM, storage/cold chain, secure leasing & CHCs, climate-smart seeds & insurance.

Answer 1

Key structural and operational problems
1) Small and fragmented holdings: average operational holding is small, making mechanisation, irrigation and scale efficiencies difficult. Tenancy is often informal; consolidation is incomplete.
2) Monsoon dependence and irrigation gaps: large rainfed area; erratic rainfall, droughts and floods cause yield volatility; water productivity is low.
3) Soil degradation and input imbalance: erosion, declining organic carbon, salinity/alkalinity, micronutrient deficiencies; excessive N relative to P–K; residue burning.
4) Low and variable productivity in many crops relative to global frontiers; technology adoption uneven across regions.
5) Credit, insurance and risk: high reliance on informal credit; inadequate crop insurance coverage/settlement delays; price shocks for perishables.
6) Weak post-harvest systems: storage/cold-chain gaps, high losses in fruits–vegetables–fish–meat; limited processing and value addition.
7) Market and policy bottlenecks: fragmented APMC markets, limited competition and logistics; volatile trade policy; weak price discovery for many crops.
8) Extension and human capital gaps: inadequate last-mile advisory, low digital/precision uptake; women farmers under-recognised and under-served.
9) Fragmented supply chains and low farmer share in consumer rupee, especially for perishables.
10) Climate stress (heat, erratic rains, new pests) increasing frequency and intensity of shocks.
Suggestions for development (action agenda)
A. Water and climate resilience
• Expand irrigation with micro-irrigation (drip/sprinkler), canal modernisation and on-farm water management; promote water budgeting and conjunctive use.
• Drought/heat-resilient varieties, timely advisories, weather-indexed insurance; watershed development and soil-moisture conservation.
B. Soil health and sustainable intensification
• Soil testing/Soil Health Cards; Integrated Nutrient Management (organics + balanced NPK + micronutrients); residue incorporation/composting; Integrated Pest Management and precision application.
C. Diversification and value addition
• Shift part of area to pulses, oilseeds, fodder and horticulture; strengthen dairy, fisheries, poultry and beekeeping for steady cashflows.
• Promote agro-processing clusters, primary processing at village level, and branding/traceability.
D. Technology and mechanisation
• Quality seeds, timely input delivery; custom hiring centres for smallholders; digital tools (advisory, market info, precision farming) and remote sensing for crop monitoring.
E. Markets, logistics and price support
• Strengthen e-NAM, farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), direct marketing/contract farming with safeguards; expand cold chain, ripening chambers and reefer logistics.
• Calibrated MSP operations where relevant; predictable trade policy to encourage investment.
F. Institutions and inclusion
• Legal, secure leasing and land consolidation options; recognise and support women farmers; expand KCC/affordable credit; improve PMFBY claim settlement.
G. Research, extension and skill
• Region-specific packages for rainfed areas; strengthen Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agri-startups, and public–private R&D partnerships.
Expected outcomes
Higher and more stable yields, reduced production risk, better resource-use efficiency, larger farmer share in value chains, and sustainable income growth.