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Unit 3

Agriculture and Indian Economy

As per the Economic Survey 2023-24 presented in the Parliament by Union Finance and Corporate
Affairs Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman:

 Economic Survey says that smallholder farmers need to move to high-value agriculture. The
Survey says once the incomes of smallholders increases, they will demand manufactured
goods, spurring a manufacturing revolution.
 Economic Survey says that the Indian agriculture sector provides livelihood support to about
42.3 per cent of the population and has a share of 18.2 per cent in the country’s GDP at
current prices.
 Economic Survey states that the Investment in agriculture research and support of enabling
policies have contributed substantially to food security. It is estimated that for every rupee
invested in agricultural research (including education), there is a payoff of ₹13.85. In 2022-
23, ₹19.65 Thousand Crore was spent on agriculture research.
 Economic Survey calls for enhancing private sector investment in agriculture saying it is vital
to provide impetus to the agriculture sector. Investment in technology, production methods,
marketing infrastructure, and reduction in post-harvest losses need to be scaled up.
 A greater focus on post-harvest infrastructure and the development of the food processing
sector can reduce wastage/loss and increase the length of storage, ensuring better prices for
the farmers.

 Economic Survey suggests that to promote efficiency in agriculture marketing, and improve
price discovery, the government implemented the e-NAM Scheme and as of 14th March
2024, more than 1.77 Crore farmers and 2.56 Lakh traders have been registered on the e-
NAM portal.
  Economic Survey states that the Agricultural price support assures farmers of remunerative
returns, increasing income and allows the Government to ensure a stable supply of staples
at reasonable prices.
 Economic Survey shows that to provide social security to the most vulnerable farmer
families, the Government implements Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojna (PMKMY). The
scheme offers a monthly pension of ₹3,000 to the enrolled farmers on the attainment of 60
years of age, based on a nominal premium between ₹55 to ₹200 per month paid by the
applicant (in the age group 18 to 40 years) subject to exclusion criteria. As of 07 July 2024,
23.41 lakh farmers have enrolled under the scheme.

 Economic Survey, on focusing to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer, states that the PM
Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and amelioration of
Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM ) initiative incentivises states to reduce chemical fertiliser use. It
promotes sustainable methods such as the use of alternative fertilisers, viz. Nano Urea,
Nano DAP, and organic fertiliser.

 Focusing on the security of farmers’ crop, Economic Survey highlighted the Pradhan Mantri
Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) which offer a safety net against crop losses due to natural
calamities, pests, or diseases, ensuring financial stability for farmers. The scheme safeguards
farmers’ livelihoods and encourage them to adopt modern farming practices and
technologies. PMFBY is the largest crop insurance scheme in the world in terms of farmer
enrolment and is the third largest scheme in terms of insurance premiums. The scheme
ensure comprehensive risk cover for crops to farmers against all non-preventable natural
risks from pre-sowing to post-harvest. The overall insured area in 2023-24 reached 610 lakh
ha compared to 500.2 lakh ha in 2022-23. A total of 5549.40 Lakh farmer applications were
insured under the scheme since 2016-17, and ₹150589.10 Crore has been paid as claims.

Role of Agriculture in the Indian Economy

Agriculture is a key contributor to the Indian economy and is the backbone of the country. Here
are some of the reasons why agriculture is important to the Indian economy:

 Employment: Agriculture provides employment to a large portion of the population,

including rural agricultural and non-agricultural laborers.

 Food and fodder: Agriculture is the primary source of food and fodder for the country.

 International trade: Agriculture plays an important role in international trade, with India
exporting agricultural products, horticulture products, and processed foods to more than
120 countries.

 History: Agriculture is one of the oldest economic activities in India. Before independence,
the economy was 95% dependent on agriculture.

 Rank: India is ranked second in the world when it comes to farm output.

 Contribution in GDP- Since the time of Independence, the agriculture sector has been the
major contributor to the country’s GDP. In the financial year 1950-1951, agriculture and
other related activities had a share of 59% of the country’s total GDP in that financial year.
Although there is a constant drop in the agriculture sector, it is still one of the most crucial
 sectors in the Indian Economy. On the other hand, in developed countries such as the UK
and USA, the agriculture sector contributes only about 3% of the country’s total GDP.

 Largest Employee Sector- In India, the agriculture sector has more than half of the total
population of the country engaged, which makes it the sector with the most number of
employees in the country.

 Source of Food- India is the most populous country in the world. And to feed such a huge
population, there is always a constant need for a supply of food. Therefore, there is a need
for agriculture.

 Relation between Agricultural and Industrial sector- For the continuous manufacturing of
products, there is a constant need for raw materials, and to fulfil this need, most of the
industries in the country collect this raw material directly from the agricultural fields.

 In India, around half of the income generated in the industrial sector comes from
agricultural-based industries. Therefore, in India, the industrial sector is highly dependent on
the agricultural sector.

 Commercial Significance- Indian Agriculture is important for the industrial sector and trading
purposes both internally and externally. Agro-products such as tea, coffee, sugar, cashew
nuts, spices, etc., which are edible and textile products such as jute, cotton, and others
contribute to the total export of the country.

 Contribution to the Government’s Revenue- Agriculture is the most significant source of

income for the central and state governments. The government of the country has
substantial revenue from rising land revenue. Also, the movement of agricultural goods
helps generate revenue for the Indian railways, which helps the government in revenue
generation.

 Economic Planning and Agriculture- India’s planning prospects are also heavily reliant on the
agriculture sector. A good harvest always offers momentum to the country’s projected
economic growth by improving the business climate for the transportation system,
manufacturing sectors, internal commerce, and so on.

Some other characteristics of agriculture in India include:

 Monsoon dependence: Agriculture in India is heavily dependent on the monsoon.

 Labor intensive: Agriculture in India is labor intensive.
 Chemical inputs: Agriculture in India is heavily dependent on chemical inputs.

Major causes of Low Productivity in Indian Agriculture

Being an agricultural country, India needs help in the agriculture sector and farming. There are
endless causes of low productivity in Indian agriculture, and here we have listed 9 major causes.

It’s essential to boost productivity in this sector, where almost 50% of India’s workforce is employed
and working day and night for it. Low productivity in Indian agriculture is the biggest challenge. The
reason behind this is that it directly affects the income of the farmers, causes food insecurity, and
affects the economic growth of our nation.

Although there are multiple causes for low productivity in agriculture, we have broadly mentioned
the 9 most pressing factors responsible:
 1. Overdependence on Monsoons & Erratic Irrigation

India has the world’s most extensive irrigation infrastructure, but still, nearly 60% of Indian
agriculture is dependent upon unpredictable monsoons. The climate of India is highly unreliable as
both droughts and unexpected floods can cause massive crop losses and severely impact
productivity and farmer’s income. Even irrigated land needs help with issues like inadequate water
supply, flooding irrigation, and poor drainage.

2. Highly Fragmented Land Holdings

Over 92% of Indian farmers work on tiny and marginal land of approximately 1-2 acres per farmer,
which makes capital-intensive technology improvements difficult. Small sizes prevent machinery and
tools, which may boost production by 30-40%. Several consolidation efforts have also failed because
the owners are not willing to sell their holdings (Small lands).

3. Slow Adoption of High Yielding Varieties

Although the Indian agriculture market is full of high-quality, high-yielding, and climate-resilient
seeds, farmers and small farm owners are still not utilizing them. As per data research, only 35-40%
of farmers are using these seeds due to a lack of awareness and high prices (Because of the
monopoly). Using lower-quality seeds is also one of the biggest causes of low productivity in
agriculture.

4. Imbalanced Fertilizer Application

India’s Green Revolution has increased the use of chemical fertilizers, which were often excessive
and imbalanced, but chemical fertilizers damage the soil. Chemical fertilizers that use nitrogen
instead of potash/phosphorus decrease efficiency over time, which, in turn, requires more
significant doses for equal effects. The usage of chemical fertilizers increases costs and soil toxicity
and decreases natural fertility.

5. Outmoded Crop Yields Forecasting

Farmers do not have an accurate forecasting facility or tools, and due to untimely or inaccurate crop
forecasts, they face difficulties in estimating production volumes and crop prices. Now, when they
forecast the crop yield inaccurately, they will definitely need more time to make informed sowing
decisions for higher profitability. This highly impacts the productivity of the farmers and leads to
unstable farm incomes.

6. Absence of Farm Input Quality Control

Being a nation of agriculture, India is not so strong in quality control regulations around seeds,
fertilizers, and pesticides. The growing number of fake expired, or degraded inputs are damaging the
crop quality and yields and ultimately damaging the soils over time. Indian agriculture needs solid
regulation to drive more productivity & gain for farmers.

7. Grossly Inadequate Cold Chain Infrastructure

We need to have the best or required cold storage, which leads to a complete waste of our fruits
and vegetables. Every year, nearly 40% of India’s fruit and vegetable output is wasted before
consumption due to a lack of refrigerated transport or processing facilities near production sites. If
we have a better cold chain infrastructure, then it will reduce the price risks, prevent distress sales,
reduce food losses, and definitely raise farm incomes.
 8. Limited access to credit and post-harvest facilities

Our farmers often need help in getting loans and need access to adequate storage and processing
facilities. This leads to post-harvest losses, discourages investments in agriculture, and traps farmers
in a cycle of debt. Productivity can be boosted by establishing farmer-friendly credit schemes,
promoting cold chains, and developing rural infrastructure.

9. Inadequate rural infrastructure and support services

Indian agriculture is struggling with poor rural infrastructure that includes limited access to roads,
electricity, and communication networks, which makes it difficult for market connectivity and
restricts access to essential services and agricultural development. Indian agriculture needs a solid
rural infrastructure and a robust network of support services to boost the productivity of rural areas.

Top Reasons for Backwardness of Indian Agriculture

As we have listed the top reasons for low productivity in agriculture, here are some other reasons
for the backwardness of Indian agriculture:

1. Pressure of Overpopulation

India has limited land resources, and for farming, the land is limited. As the population rises, it
decreases the per capita farmland and increases the competition for water and inputs. This pressure
is the biggest reason for the backwardness of our agricultural practices and land improvement.

2. Land tenure System

For ages, the Zamindari system in India has been the most significant factor in the backwardness of
Indian agriculture. Farmers who sow their seeds and produce crops on other people’s (Zamindar)
land are bound to take less interest due to Zamindar’s unnecessary pressure and fear of losing their
crops. Although the Zamindari system was abolished after Independence, farmers and cultivators are
still struggling.

3. Low Research and Development Investments

India has yet to see any rise in investment in agricultural research and development. Farmers are
struggling with stagnant public and private investments in agricultural R&D, which directly or
indirectly affect the innovation and adoption of advanced technologies.

4. Regular decline in soil fertility

Cultivators in India do not have any substantial income from organic farming, and hence, they are
forced to use (Or overuse) chemical fertilizers, which leads to bad soil. This weakens soil structure,
reduces water retention, and ultimately leads to lower yields and increased vulnerability to pests
and diseases.

Solutions and Suggestions to Improve Agriculture in India

India needs a multi-pronged strategy across key aspects like irrigation, infrastructure, technology,
and markets to boost agriculture productivity and farmer prosperity.

Also if you want to boost productivity in agriculture, then you must think about calcium nitrate
fertilizer uses and use it in your farming.

1. Enhancement of irrigation facilities

Firstly, Indian agriculture needs to enhance irrigation access so that farmers would be less
dependent on monsoons. Governments or institutions can build local water storage systems through
check dams, farm ponds, and tanks, and revamping irrigation infrastructure with a focus on water
use efficiency is critical.

2. Expansion of Cold Storage

It is essential to expand cold storage and warehousing infrastructure near production centers to
decrease post-harvest losses and give farmers flexibility on when to sell produce. Added
transportation links will also enable access to broader markets.

3. Technological Advancements

Indian agriculture needs acceleration in the development and distribution of climate-resilient, high-
yielding crop varieties, along with branded soil testing processes and micronutrient supplements to
customize soil fertility enhancement. Governments should also focus on educating farmers on
scientific precision-agriculture techniques and technologies.

4. Protection Against Weather

It is revamping crop insurance schemes to provide customized risk coverage options to farmers,
protecting against weather vagaries, pest attacks, and post-harvest price crashes based on
production costs. This shields incomes and encourages reinvestment even after crop failures.

5. Consolidation of Land

Governments must facilitate the consolidation of land holdings via incentives and pooling
mechanisms to create economies of scale.

Apart from all these solutions and suggestions to improve agriculture in India, governments and
farmers should try to eliminate all the challenges and causes of low productivity and ensure all-
round economic and social development.

Agricultural Development
Agriculture development implies giving assistance to farmers or crop producers by providing them
various agricultural support. Providing security, helping in the research area, employing advanced
techniques, checking pests, and facilitating diversity, they all fall under the category of agriculture
development.

In the colonial dominion, there was neither equity nor growth in the agricultural division. The
strategy and rule makers of independent India addressed these problems through land reforms and
advancing the use of ‘high yielding variety’ (HYV) seeds that guided a revolution in Indian agriculture.

Land Reforms in India

Land reform means equity in agriculture that also means the shift in the ownership of landholdings.
Land reform normally relates to the redistribution of land from the rich to the poor. It involves a
control of operation, ownership, sales, leasing, and inheritance of land.

In a country like India with vast deficiency and irregular arrangements of land with a huge mass of
the rural people below the poverty line, there are captivating economic and political disputes for
land reforms.
In recent years, the theory of land reforms has expanded in the identification of the strategic role of
land and agricultural development. Therefore, land reforms have become similar to agrarian change
or rapid development of the agrarian structure.

This structure includes the land tenure system, farm organisation, the pattern of cultivation, the
scale of the farm operation, the terms of tenancy, and the system of rural credit, marketing, and
education. It also deals with advanced technology.

What are Land Reforms?

India under the British Raj had witnessed a lot of such atrocious regulations that exploited the poor
and helpless in many aspects. Among them, land ownership contributed significantly to preventing
the socio-economic growth of the backward population

The government of independent India came up with acts and laws to establish equal rights and
ownership of land, which now constitutes a crucial episode of India’s economy. In the following
lesson, you will come across a detailed discourse on land reforms in India after independence and
their importance.

The instruments that are visualized for social justice are known as Land Reforms. It is because the
Land Reforms that are divided as the sharp class division which is between the rich Landowning
classes and the impoverished peasants who have no security of tenure seek to do away with the
exploitative relationships. It is a step that is taken against the concentration of Landholdings in the
hands of non-cultivating owners or few absentees, who on the size of holdings impose the ceilings
and those Landholdings can be owned by families. Mainly, the concept of redistribution of Land is
studied under Land Reforms but their scope is much wider.

In simpler terms, Land Reforms refer to the redistribution of Lands from the rich class to the poor
class. It includes operations, leasing, regulations of ownership, sales, and the inheritance of Land
since Land redistribution requires legal changes.

Why Were the Land Reforms Introduced?

Almost all agricultural lands of India before independence were owned by intermediaries, like
jagirdars and zamindars, among others, and not by the farmers who worked in these lands to
produce crops. These farmers naturally suffered from exploitation when the landowners paid no
heed in agricultural requirements and were solely concerned about the rent they collected from
these labourers.

After independence in 1947, an inadequate agricultural output was apparent. In order to fix this
situation, the Indian government took measures to alter existing regulations for a better outcome.
These acts formed agrarian reforms in India after independence.

Objectives of Land Reforms

The Indian government aimed at speeding up the socio-economic advancement of rural India and its
agricultural industries with this land reform system. Some of the main objectives of Land Reforms
are listed below-

 The primary objective concerned an overall renewal of law structure for agricultural lands in
India.
  These acts aimed at an equal and uniform distribution of agricultural lands so that
concentration of ownership was not in few hands.

 Abolition of intermediaries of the medieval land-ownership system in India.

 Facilitating optimum agricultural produce with healthy and economic practices.

 Ensuring social and economic justice for previous violations of the tiller’s rights.

 Uniform ownership of land would prevent exploitation of tenant farmers and will help in
reducing rural poverty.

 Elimination of the exploitation in the Land relations.

 To increase agricultural production and infuse equality in society.

 To restructure the agrarian relations in order to achieve an egalitarian social structure.

 To realize the age-old goal of Land to the tiller.

Land Reform- Types

Pre-Independence:

 The farmers did not have ownership of the Lands in which they used during the British Raj.

 The Landlords of those Lands were Jagirdars, zamindars, etc.

 Many issues were confronted in front of the government and it became a challenge in front
of independent India.

Post-Independence:

Read on to get detailed descriptions on some of the most notable acts from the long list of land
reforms in India since independence.

The Land Reforms in post-independent India had various components:

 Abolition of Intermediaries- The first step taken by the Indian government under land
reforms post-independence was passing the Zamindari Abolition Act. The abolition of the
zamindari system was done that removed the layer of intermediaries who used to stand
between the state and the cultivators. In many areas, superior rights were taken away from
the zamindars and weakened their economic and political power.

The primary reason of a backward agrarian economy was the presence of intermediate
entities like, jagirdars and zamindar who primarily focussed on collecting sky-rocketing rents
catering to their personal benefits, without paying attention to the disposition of farms and
farmers. Abolition of such intermediaries not only improved conditions of farmers by
establishing their direct connection with the government but also improved agricultural
production.

 Regulation of Rents- This was in direct response to the unimaginably high rents which were
charged by intermediaries during British rule, which resulted in a never-ending cycle of
poverty and misery for tenants. Indian government implemented these regulations to
protect farmers and labourers from exploitation by placing a maximum limit on the rent that
could be charged for land.
  Tenancy Reform- The tenancy Reform led to the introduction of regulation of rent, providing
security tenure, and conferring ownership to the tenants. In the pre-independence period,
the rent which was paid by the tenants was exorbitant producing 35% to 75% of gross
throughout the country. The primary attempt of the Reform was either to regulate rents and
give some security to the tenants or outlaw tenancy altogether.

Legislations were passed in all states of the country to grant tenants with permanent
ownership of lands and protection from unlawful evictions on expiry of the lease. This law
protects tenants from having to vacate a property immediately after their tenure is over
unless ordered by law. Even in that case, ownership can be regained by tenants with the
excuse of personal cultivation.

 Ceilings on Landholdings- This Reform referred to the legal stipulation of maximum size
after which no farm household or farmer can hold any Land. By the year 1961-62 the
government of all states passed the Land ceiling acts and in order to bring uniformity across
states, a totally new ceiling policy was evolved in 1971.

This law was enacted to prevent the concentration of land ownership in a few hands. It
placed an optimum limit on the total measure of land which an individual or a family can
hold. Along with fixation of land ceilings, this rule enables the government to take ownership
of the additional or extra amount of land, which in turn, is given to minor tillers or farmers
with no land. With the help of these Reforms, the states were able to identify and take
possession of Lands exceeding the ceiling limits from the households and redistribute them
to the Landless families.

 Consolidation on Land Holdings- The term consolidation referred to the redistribution or

reorganization of the fragmented Lands into one single plot. The trend of the fragmentation
of Land increased because of the growing population and fewer work opportunities and this
fragmentation made the personal supervision and the irrigation management tasks very
difficult. Therefore, the act of Landholdings consolidation was introduced which states that if
there are few plots of Lands of a farmer then those Lands were consolidated in one bigger
piece which was done by the process of exchanging or purchasing.

A major problem of the agrarian structure of India is land fragmentation, which hinders large-scale
farming and production. This problem was solved with this regulation which permitted farmers to
consolidate minor fragments of land owned by them into a singular piece of land. This enabled
tenants to carry out agricultural operations in a larger field, which could be done by exchanging land
or purchasing additional pieces.

Need of land reforms · During colonial rule, there was neither growth nor equity in the agricultural sector.

· At the time of independence, about 75% of the country’s population was dependent on
agriculture.

· Land Reforms aimed at removing all the obstacles in the agricultural development
arising due to a landholding pattern, agricultural tenancy, and more.

Types of land reforms · Land reforms refer to the reforms that are related to the ownership of land, land
revenue, rules and regulations, and more.

Abolition of · Intermediaries between the government and actual tillers of the soil popularly known as
intermediaries zamindars, have been abolished.
 · The abolition of the intermediaries brought two crore tenants into direct contact with
the government.

Regulation of rent · To put an end to excessive or illegal rent, the rents have been fixed.

· It should not be more than one-third of the value of the crop.

Security of tenure · Most of the states have passed legislation to provide security to tenant cultivation.

· The tenants cannot be removed from the land, except under law.

· In case the landowner needs the land for self-cultivation, the tenant also must be given
a prescribed minimum area for cultivation.

Consolidation of · Consolidation of holdings implies the holdings of a farmer’s land at one place, rather
holdings than scatter in pieces at several places.

· Despite all the efforts, only about 30% of the cultivated area could be consolidated in
India, mostly in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

Ceiling of land · With a view to promote equality in the distribution of land, the ceiling has been
holdings imposed on the holding size.

· It refers to the maximum and minimum limits to the size of holding a land that one is
permitted to hold.

· The surplus land, i.e., over and above the ceiling limit has been redistributed by the
government to small or landless labourers.

Cooperative farming · Under this scheme, all the landowners in the village form a cooperative society for
cultivation of land in the village.

· It is encouraged to enhance the bargaining power of the smallholders in the competitive

marketing structure.

Green Revolution

Introduction

 The Green Revolution was an endeavour initiated by Norman Borlaug in the 1960s. He is
known as the 'Father of Green Revolution' in world. It led to him winning the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1970 for his work in developing High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of wheat.

 In India, the Green Revolution was mainly led by M.S. Swaminathan.

 The Green Revolution resulted in a great increase in production of food grains (especially
wheat and rice) due to the introduction into developing countries of new, high-yielding
variety seeds, beginning in the mid-20th century. Its early dramatic successes were in Mexico
and the Indian subcontinent.

 The Green Revolution, spreading over the period from 1967-68 to 1977-78, changed India’s
status from a food-deficient country to one of the world's leading agricultural nations.

Objectives of Green Revolution

  Short Term: The revolution was launched to address India’s hunger crisis during the second
Five Year Plan.

 Long Term: The long term objectives included overall agriculture modernization based on
rural development, industrial development; infrastructure, raw material etc.

 Employment: To provide employment to both agricultural and industrial workers.

 Scientific Studies: Producing stronger plants which could withstand extreme climates and
diseases.

 Globalization of the Agricultural World: By spreading technology to non-industrialized

nations and setting up many corporations in major agricultural areas.

Basic Elements of the Green Revolution

 Expansion of Farming Areas: Although the area of land under cultivation was being
increased from 1947 itself, this was not enough to meet the rising demand. The Green
Revolution provided assistance in this quantitative expansion of farmlands.

 Double-cropping System: Double cropping was a primary feature of the Green Revolution.
The decision was made to have two crop seasons per year instead of just one.
The one-season-per-year practice was based on the fact that there is only one rainy season
annually. Water for the second phase now came from huge irrigation projects. Dams were
built and other simple irrigation techniques were also adopted.

 Using seeds with improved genetics: Using seeds with superior genetics was the scientific
aspect of the Green Revolution. The Indian Council for Agricultural Research developed new
strains of high yield variety seeds, mainly wheat and rice, millet and corn.

 Important Crops in the Revolution:

o Main crops were Wheat, Rice, Jowar, Bajra and Maize.

o Non-food grains were excluded from the ambit of the new strategy.

o Wheat remained the mainstay of the Green Revolution for years.

Green Revolution in India

Background of Green Revolution in India

 In 1943, India suffered from the world’s worst recorded food crisis; the Bengal
Famine, which led to the death of approximately 4 million people in eastern India due to
hunger.

 Even after independence in 1947, until 1967 the government largely concentrated on
expanding the farming areas. But the population was growing at a much faster rate than
food production.

 This called for an immediate and drastic action to increase yield. The action came in the form
of the Green Revolution.

 The green revolution in India refers to a period when Indian Agriculture was converted into
an industrial system due to the adoption of modern methods and technology such as the
use of HYV seeds, tractors, irrigation facilities, pesticides and fertilizers.
  It was funded by the US and the Indian Government and the Ford and Rockefeller
Foundation.

 The Green Revolution in India is largely the Wheat Revolution as the wheat production
increased by more than three times between 1967-68 and 2003-04, while the overall
increase in the production of cereals was only two times

Positive Impacts of Green Revolution

 Tremendous Increase in Crop Produce: It resulted in a grain output of 131 million tonnes in
the year 1978-79 and established India as one of the world's biggest agricultural producers.
The crop area under high yielding varieties of wheat and rice grew considerably during the
Green Revolution.

 Reduced Import of Food-Grains: India became self-sufficient in food-grains and had

sufficient stock in the central pool, even, at times, India was in a position to export food-
grains.
The per capita net availability of food-grains has also increased.

 Benefits to the Farmers: The introduction of the Green Revolution helped the farmers in
raising their level of income. Farmers ploughed back their surplus income for improving
agricultural productivity. The big farmers with more than 10 hectares of land were
particularly benefited by this revolution by investing large amounts of money in various
inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, machines, etc. It also promoted capitalist farming.

 Industrial Growth: The Revolution brought about large scale farm mechanization which
created demand for different types of machines like tractors, harvesters, threshers,
combines, diesel engines, electric motors, pumping sets, etc. Besides, demand for chemical
fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, weedicides, etc. also increased considerably. Several
agricultural products were also used as raw materials in various industries known as agro
based industries.

 Rural Employment: There was an appreciable increase in the demand for labour force due
to multiple cropping and use of fertilizers. The Green Revolution created plenty of jobs not
only for agricultural workers but also industrial workers by creating related facilities such as
factories and hydroelectric power stations.

Negative Impacts of Green Revolution

 Non-Food Grains Left Out : Although all food-grains including wheat, rice, jowar, bajra and
maize have gained from the revolution, other crops such as coarse cereals, pulses and
oilseeds were left out of the ambit of the revolution. Major commercial crops like cotton,
jute, tea and sugarcane were also left almost untouched by the Green Revolution.

 Limited Coverage of HYVP: High Yielding Variety Programme (HYVP) was restricted to only
five crops: Wheat, Rice, Jowar, Bajra and Maize.
Therefore, non-food grains were excluded from the ambit of the new strategy.
The HYV seeds in the non-food crops were either not developed so far or they were not
good enough for farmers to risk their adoption.

 Regional Disparities:
 o Green Revolution technology has given birth to growing disparities in economic
development at interred and intra regional levels.

o It has so far affected only 40 percent of the total cropped area and 60 per cent is still
untouched by it.

o The most affected areas are Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh in the north
and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the south.

o It has hardly touched the Eastern region, including Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and
Orissa and arid and semi-arid areas of Western and Southern India.

o The Green Revolution affected only those areas which were already better placed
from an agricultural point of view.

o Thus the problem of regional disparities has further aggravated as a result of the
Green Revolution.

 Excessive Usage of Chemicals: The Green Revolution resulted in a large-scale use of

pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilisers for improved irrigation projects and crop
varieties. However, little or no efforts were made to educate farmers about the high risk
associated with the intensive use of pesticides. Pesticides were sprayed on crops usually by
untrained farm labourers without following instructions or precautions. This causes more
harm than good to crops and also becomes a cause for environment and soil pollution.

 Water Consumption: The crops introduced during the green revolution were water-
intensive crops. Most of these crops being cereals, required almost 50% of dietary water
footprint.Canal systems were introduced, and irrigation pumps also sucked out the
groundwater to supply the water-intensive crops, such as sugarcane and rice, thus depleting
the groundwater levels.
Punjab is a major wheat- and rice-cultivating area, and hence it is one of the highest water
depleted regions in India.

 Impacts on Soil and Crop Production: Repeated crop cycle in order to ensure increased crop
production depleted the soil's nutrients. To meet the needs of new kinds of seeds, farmers
increased fertilizer usage. The pH level of the soil increased due to the usage of these
alkaline chemicals. Toxic chemicals in the soil destroyed beneficial pathogens, which further
led to the decline in the yield.

 Unemployment: Except in Punjab, and to some extent in Haryana, farm mechanization

under the Green Revolution created widespread unemployment among agricultural
labourers in the rural areas. The worst affected were the poor and the landless labourers.

 Health Hazards: The large-scale use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides such as
Phosphamidon, Methomyl, Phorate, Triazophos and Monocrotophos resulted in resulted in
a number of critical health illnesses including cancer, renal failure, stillborn babies and birth
defects.

Conclusion

 Overall, the Green Revolution was a major achievement for many developing countries,
specially India and gave them an unprecedented level of national food security.
 It represented the successful adaptation and transfer of the same scientific revolution in
agriculture that the industrial countries had already appropriated for themselves.

 However, lesser heed was paid to factors other than ensuring food security such as
environment, the poor farmers and their education about the know-how of such chemicals.

 As a way forward, the policymakers must target the poor more precisely to ensure that they
receive greater direct benefits from new technologies and those technologies will also need
to be more environmentally sustainable. Also, taking lessons from the past, it must be
ensured that such initiatives include all of the beneficiaries covering all the regions rather
than sticking to a limited field.