Bhubaneswar, Nov 19: Appropriate policies are needed foraccelerated and inclusive agricultural growth, said Dr T. Haque, Chairman of
Special Cell on Land Policies, NITI Aayog here on Saturday.
He was delivering the 10th Dr Verghese Kurien Foundation Day
Lecture at the KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM).
Lecture at the KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM).
“India’s agricultural sector is ailing for quite some years now
and the targeted 4 percent annual agricultural growth rate in the 10th, 11th
and 12th five year plans were not achieved,” Dr Haque stated.
and the targeted 4 percent annual agricultural growth rate in the 10th, 11th
and 12th five year plans were not achieved,” Dr Haque stated.
Accelerated and diversified growth by itself can result in
inclusive growth, by way of improving farm income and reducing poverty as well
as farm distress, he opined.
inclusive growth, by way of improving farm income and reducing poverty as well
as farm distress, he opined.
Pointing to the employment and income diversification in rural
India, he said, the average farm income remains low and consequently farmers in
general continue to be in a distress situation. So the small and marginal
farmers will require to access both farm and non-farm incomes in an accelerated
manner to overcome poverty and distress.
India, he said, the average farm income remains low and consequently farmers in
general continue to be in a distress situation. So the small and marginal
farmers will require to access both farm and non-farm incomes in an accelerated
manner to overcome poverty and distress.
“There are numerous challenges for Indian farmers in the way to
improve incomes and overcome distress. The present pace and patterns of
horizontal and vertical diversification would not suffice,” said Dr Haque, adding
that inclusive growth would require region and class specific strategies of
growth.
improve incomes and overcome distress. The present pace and patterns of
horizontal and vertical diversification would not suffice,” said Dr Haque, adding
that inclusive growth would require region and class specific strategies of
growth.
He laid importance on the appropriate policies for accelerated
and inclusive agricultural growth, which would include strengthening the R
& D System to innovate cost effective technologies, providing incentives to
farmers for adoption of organic farming, ensuring adequate price and marketing
support, improving access to institutional credit, designing and implementing a
comprehensive and farmer friendly agricultural scheme, etc.
and inclusive agricultural growth, which would include strengthening the R
& D System to innovate cost effective technologies, providing incentives to
farmers for adoption of organic farming, ensuring adequate price and marketing
support, improving access to institutional credit, designing and implementing a
comprehensive and farmer friendly agricultural scheme, etc.
Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS, in his welcome
address, advised the rural management students to visit rural areas for more
practical knowledge about rural India.
address, advised the rural management students to visit rural areas for more
practical knowledge about rural India.