Modernizing agriculture

India being an economy depended on agriculture; we need to focus on the problems of the farmer. Farming sector has several problems like, credit, insurance livelihood changes and volatility of harvests. Farmer needs banks which can give him credit so that he can invest on farming equipment. He needs insurance so that if he goes into losses, due to unforeseen exigencies like drought, flooding or pests he can recover from the economic loss. Farming while done independently is not viable, he needs to diversify—keep an industry in addition to farming. Productivity does not give enough remuneration to maintain him and his family’s growing needs. Along with agriculture, he needs to process agricultural waste which can be a side business. Even if agricultural income grows at 4%, it will take 25 years to grow to make him self-sufficient. His produce has lost value. He sells wheat at ten Rupees per Kg; and when consumer buys it, the cost of wheat is 25 Rupees per Kg. The middlemen take the profits, how can this be changed, by directly procuring from the farmer by making cooperatives, the farmer can get better price for his produce. Infrastructure for procurement (cooperatives) has to be made and the farmer should be a stakeholder in the cooperatives. Farmer should get the cost price plus 50%. The minimum support price benefits only 30% of farmers. Without water supply, farmers cannot produce as they are depended on rains. If rains do not come, they do not reap any harvest. Even after producing a good harvest, he goes into loss, as there is no infrastructure for storing; because cost of production has gone up, inputs like fertiliser, power for motors has to be provided for. Scientists at 'Krishi Vigyan Kendra' educate the farmer. Pesticide Bill is to be made for controlled use of fertiliser; fertilisers to be used must be determined by the nutrient condition of the soil. Soil must be constantly tested. Bio-technology is increasingly used to make better harvests, and farmer should benefit from this, transfer of technology to farming sector has to be made faster. Land Bill along with computerised land records will give the farmer rights over the land he tills. Good seed policy should provide farmer with best seeds. Loans for equipment like tractor should be provided to the farmer and payment for the loans should be timed by the harvests he gets. Fluctuations in the price of his produce affect the farmer. SMS to farmers, informing him of the position in the market will help him. We have to intervene in a big way to help the farmer overcome the agricultural crisis. Awareness at the ‘panchayat’ level is needed for greater development of rural India. Economy will grow strong by the hard work of the farmers. 'Socio-economic' condition of the country depends on the status of the farmer,we have got to improve his state. Those farmers who want to shift to other occupations should be given that option and others must group together to make cooperatives or big farms.