1. BOOSTING AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTIVITY
P.BALA KRISHNAN,
G.NISHA,
D.PRICILLA,
R.RAMYA,
P.SASIREKHA

2. Everything else can wait but not
agriculture
• India’s Independence was won in the backdrop
of the great Bengal famine of 1942-43.
• No wonder, our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru said early in 1948, everything else can
wait but not agriculture.
• Since the beginning of the first Five Year Plan in
1950, the country has transformed itself from a
‘begging bowl’ image to one which occupies the
first or second position in terms of production
and area in several major crops.
• India accounts for only about 2.4 % of the
world’s geographical area and 4 % of its water
resources, but has to support about 17 % of the
world’s human population and 15 % of the
livestock.
• Agriculture is an important sector of the Indian
economy, accounting for 14% of the nation’s
GDP, about 11% of its exports.

3. • Gross Domestic Product, agriculture and
allied sectors grew at 3.6 per cent during
2011- 12, (released on 31st January 2013)
recording an average rate of growth of 3.6
per cent per year during the 11th Plan
(2007-12).
• Further, as per the advance estimates
released by CSO on 7th February, 2013,
agriculture and allied sectors are
estimated to grow at 1.8 per cent during
2012-13 as against 3.6 per cent during the
last year.
FOOD LOSS : By a recent estimate the total preventable post-harvest
losses of food grains at 10 % of the total production or about 20 Mt,
which is equivalent to the total food grains produced in Australia
annually.
In a country where 20% of the population is undernourished, post-
harvest losses of 20 Mt annually is a substantial avoidable waste.
The rates of growth of the economy
and the agriculture and allied
sectors since 2007-08
India’s arable land are moving to real
estate plots

4. Forming consortium
Consortium is a partnership between state, non-state actors (private sector) and
global scientific research organization
Why consortium?
Both the public and private sector organizations have their
own strength and could complement each other’s efforts in
taking research from lab to field with new institutional
mechanisms as well as enabling policies.
Soil -test based balanced nutrient management, use of
improved cultivars, seed treatment, soil and water
conservation measures and use of improved machinery.
The field of biotechnology and research has to be improved to
increase productivity in agriculture.
Implementation

5. Consortium approach
Increased crop
diversification & improved
livelihoods & incomes
Department
of
Agriculture
Water shed
development
department
Private
companies &
research
institutes
NGOs
Farmers

6. Water is the main source for irrigation
•Use alternative methods to irrigation such as rain
water harvesting and treated waste water.
•Enhance water retention in the soil such as residue
management, conservation, tillage, bunds, contouring
and field leveling.
•Formers can be advised to use less water consuming
crops.
•Inter linking of Ganga and Cauvery is the best plan to
tackle water crisis in agriculture as well as water
distribution to public
Agriculture is more rely on Water. Due to climate
change the water crisis occurs and affects agriculture.
Most of the agricultural wells are now dried.
Water crisis
Measures to be
taken

7. Reliability of nutrients through
productivity
Availability of nutrients is the significant factor for agricultural
productivity.
The increasing productivity can be achieved through soil testing.
This testing should be conducted for every farms by the
department of agriculture and should suggest the farmers about
the suitability of crops based on the soil condition .
Why
nutrients?
Necessity of
testing?

8. Organic fertilizer: I am back.
Organic fertilizers can improve productivity. Farmers has to be
advised to produce crops using organic fertilizers.
Department of agriculture can frequently check the
agricultural land for the usage of organic fertilizers by the
farmers.
Farmers has to be provided with certificates as organic
farmers.
The organic vegetable markets will directly get vegetables,
grains from that organic farmers.
So that the farmers also can sell their products at higher rates.
Organic
Fertilizers
Implementation

9. SRI Technique
• SRI ( System of Rice Intensification) is a cultivation
practice for Rice that is taken up in a different and more
biologically enriched environment for growth.
• Yields are increased by 50 – 100% or more, with a
reduction in plant populations (by 80 – 90%), less water
(by 25-50%), without using new 'improved' varieties (all
varieties respond to the methods) or using chemical
fertilizers (just adding compost to the soil), with usually
lowered costs of production, and thus considerably
increased net economic returns per hectare.
KEY FEATURES OF SRI
• Transplant young seedlings
• Reduce plant population
• Maintain aerated soil conditions
• Provide as much organic matter as possible to the soil
• Actively aerate the soil
• Re-emphasize biology
• Rediscover the potentials of synergy and symbiosis

10. Critiques of Green Revolution
1. “Social” critique
a. The green revolution didn’t fix problems associated with access by the poor.
b. Technology destroys social fabric.
2. “Scientific” critique
a. The green revolution escalated uses of technology, especially environmentally
damaging technologies.
b. GR reduced genetic diversity.

11. References
• Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies,
Government of India.
• Central Statistics Office (CSO).
• Department of Agriculture.
• Indian council for Agricultural research.