Basic Issues in Agriculture
Indian Agriculture
 Agriculture Sector is changing the
socio-economic environments of the
population due to liberalization and
globalization
 About 75% people are living in rural areas and
are still dependent on Agriculture. About 43%
of India’s geographical area is used for
agricultural activity
 Agriculture continues to play a major role in
Indian Economy
Indian Agriculture
 Provides about 65% of the livelihood
 Accounts for 27% of GDP
 Contributes 21% of Total Exports, and Supplies
Raw materials to Industries
 Growth Rate in production - 5.7%
 Food grains production – 211.17 mt
India’s position in world Agriculture
Rank
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Total Area
Irrigated Area
Population
Economically Active population
Total Cereals
Wheat
Rice
Coarse grains
Total Pulses
Oil Seeds
Fruits and Vegetables
Implements (Tractors)
Milk
Live Stock (castles, Buffaloes)
Seventh
First
Second
Second
Third
Second
Second
Fourth
First
Second
Second
Third
First
First
Agricultural Resources
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Total Geographical Area (TGA) 329 M.H
Potential for Biological Production - 265 M.H
Net Sown Area (NSA) 143 M.H
Net Irrigated Area
56 M.H
Area threatened by land degradation - 50% of TGA
Drought-prone Area - 190 M.H
Mile Stones in Agricultural
Development
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Green Revolution (1968)
Ever-Green Revolution (1996)
Blue Revolution (water, fish)
White Revolution (Milk)
Yellow Revolution (flower, edible)
Bio-Technology Revolution
ICT Revolution
Development of Indian Agriculture :
Basic Issues
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Revitalization of Cooperative Institutions
Improving Rural Credits
Research, Education & Extension
Human Resources Development
Trade & Export Promotion
Land Reforms
Enabling Environment for higher
Agricultural Growth
The thrust areas:
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Diversification of Agriculture
Inter-cropping
Micro Management
Water Management
Organic Farming
Agri-Clinics and Agri-business Centres
Bio-Technology
Efforts on Policies, strategies and
Frameworks
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National Agriculture Policy (2000)
National Seeds policy (2002)
Cooperative Policy
Agricultural Price policy
Agricultural Extension Framework (2001)
WTO/GATT agreement (1994)
In addition to, various working groups, taskforces,
mid-term appraisals and plan schemes (~68)
(for further details www.agricoop.nic.in)
Reports
 Agriculture Credit, Cooperation and Crop
 Horticulture Development including Spices Aromatic and
Medicinal Plants and Plantation Crops
Agriculture Infrastructure/Warehousing/Rural
Godowns/Marketing/Post Harvest Management, Processing
and Cold Storage, Trade and Export Promotion.
 Crop Husbandry, Demand and Supply Projections and
Agricultural Inputs Agriculture Research and Education
 Animal Husbandry & Dairying
 Agriculture Statistics
 Watershed Development, Rainfed Farming and Natural
Resources Management
 |Agriculture Development in Eastern and North-Eastern India
 Agriculture and Allied Sectors
 Organic and Biodynamic Farming
(for further details www.planningcommission.nic.in)
Technologies for Sustainable Agricultural
Development
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Biotechnology
Pre & post harvesting technology
Energy saving technology
Environment protection technology
Information and Communication
technology
 GIS & RS technology
 Internet/Intranet Technology
Fusion of Technologies for Sustainable
Development - A Synergy of Multiple
Disciplines
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Database Technology
Internet/Intranet Technology
GIS and Remote Sensing
Image Processing
GPS
Artificial Intelligence
Modeling
IT led Agricultural Development
The beginning: (e-readiness)
 A two day conference (ISDA-1995 ) was held to
assess IT Infrastructure and empowerment
needs for IT led development in Agriculture
Sector (one of the major recommendations
was about 3% of the agriculture budget should
be spent on Informatics Development)
 IT Plan for Agriculture Sector (AGRISNET) was
submitted to Ministry of Agriculture in 1997 to
establish “Indian Agriculture on-line” and
revised in 2000.
IT Applications for Agricultural Development
Requires Inter-Sectoral Approach
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Agricultural Research
Agro-Meteorology
Agricultural Marketing
Agricultural Engineering &
Food Processing
Agricultural Extension and
Transfer of Technology
Credit and Cooperation
Crop production &
protection
Environment & Forest
 Fertilisers and Manure
 Fisheries
 Irrigation and Drainage
System
 Livestock, Dairy
Development & Animal
Husbandry
 Rural Development &
Planning
 Soil and Water Management
 Watershed Development
 Wasteland Development
IT plan for Agriculture
 To strengthen IT in Agriculture and creation of
Databases & Information Network for Agriculture
Sector : The plan was divided into three schemes by DAC
 Central Sector Schemes proposed
 DAC Hqrs
 Networking of DAC Field Units (DACNET)
 State & District and Sub-District level
(AGRISNET)
Present Status of IT Scheme (s) of DAC:
Various Components emerging as one scheme:
 IT apparatus in DAC Hqrs.
 IT apparatus in the Field offices and Directorates
of DAC (DACNET) Phase II
 Development of Agricultural Informatics and
Communication
 Agricultural Resources Information
System
 IT apparatus for States/UTs (AGRISNET) and
 Agricultural Marketing Information Network
(AGMARKNET) Phase II
Information Systems Requirement in
Agriculture
GIS/RS based Systems:
 Soil and Land use
 Watershed developments
 Disaster management
 Cropping systems
 Agriculture Resources Information
 Organic farming (bio-fertilisers)
 Crop weather watch
Decision Support Systems
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Integrated Nutrient Management
Integrated Pest Management
Demand-Supply Projections
Soil-Water balance
Credit Management
Inter-cropping systems
Bio-fertilizer management
Early Warning System
E-Commerce Applications
 Agri-Business
(Agri-clinics and Agri-Business Centres)
 Agricultural Marketing
 Agricultural Trade
 Cooperatives
 Horticulture
(horticulture, floriculture, sericulture, aquaculture etc,. )
 Organic farming
 Agriculture Statistics
Ongoing ICT Projects of DAC
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DACNET
(dacnet.nic.in)
AGMARKNET (agmarknet.nic.in)
PPIN (cib/rc) (cibrc.nic.in)
VISTARNET
AGRICULTURAL CENSUS
NADAMS (National Agricultural Drought
Advisory and Management Systems)
 HORTNET
Projects Under Pipeline:
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AGRISNET
AgRIS (Resources Information System)
Development of Agricultural Informatics
DACNET (phase – II)
AGMARKNET (Phase – II)
Agricultural Census 2000-2001