- Mention the factors responsible for low productivity in agriculture in India
- Agricultural output per hectare is agricultural productivity. At 2400 kg/hectare (rice) and2400 kg/hectare (wheat), India is behind many BRICS countries in productivity.
Reasons for low productivity
- Social Factors
- Land fragmentation due to division of property.
- Economic Factors
- Creating multiple small holdings to get more subsidy.
- Lack of credit - only 60% farmers have access to bank loans.
- Environmental Factors
- Declining soil fertility - as per ISRO, 30% of country's land is degrading.
- Dependence on monsoon - only 40% land under irrigation.
- Other factors
- Problem of duplicate seeds, fertilizer, pesticide etc.
Steps Taken
- Updating land records under Svamitva Scheme for easy loans.
- PM Krishi Sinchayi Yojana to enhance irrigation coverage.
- Soil Health Card for timely action for soil fertility.
- Contract farming for access to loans, seeds, and investment.
- Promotion of organic farmer for sustainable agriculture.
Low productivity poses challenge for ever increasing population and economic viability of farming, and coordinated actions are required to address this problem.
