agriculture_integrated rural dev

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INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ROORKEE

AGRICULTURE

Integrated Rural Development

Mukesh Ray/11511011/MURP/2012

Department of Architecture and Planning


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Table of Contents1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 2

1.2 Crop production system .......................................................................................................... 3

2 Labor and agriculture ...................................................................................................................... 4

2.1 Child Labour ............................................................................................................................ 5

2.2 Women in agriculture ............................................................................................................. 7

3 Capital and Investment ................................................................................................................... 8

3.1 Agricultural Input .................................................................................................................. 10

3.2 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................ 11

4 Agriculture in India ........................................................................................................................ 13

4.1 Key features of Indian agriculture......................................................................................... 13

4.1.1 Climate: ......................................................................................................................... 13

4.1.2 Weather Forecasting System: ....................................................................................... 13

4.1.3 Agro Climatic Zones: ..................................................................................................... 14

4.1.4 Major Crops:.................................................................................................................. 14

4.1.5 Farm Size: ...................................................................................................................... 14

4.2 Agricultural production and trade in India ........................................................................... 16

4.3 Accomplishments .................................................................................................................. 17

5 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................... 18


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List of Figures

Figure 1: Clark's Sector Model (1950): The per cent of the human population working in primary

sector activities such as agriculture has decreased over time. .............................................................. 2

Figure 2: Employment in agriculture, share of total employment in %, ILO 2010 ................................. 5

Figure 3: Employment in agriculture, share of total employment (1990-2010). ILO 2010 .................... 6Figure 4: Gender employment to gender population ratio, ILO 2010 Figure 5: Woman in

agriculture, % of female employment 2010 6

Figure 6: Share of male and female agriculture holders in developing region, FAO gender and land

rights database 2005 ............................................................................................................................... 7

Figure 7: Change in agricultural capital stock (1987-2005), FAO and World Bank 2012 ........................ 9

Figure 8: Foreign direct investment, Balance of Payment net inflows (2009), UNCTD ........................ 10

Figure 9: Gross Capital Formation 2009, World Bank ........................................................................... 10

Figure 10: Fertilizers used in agricultural activities, 2008, FAO Statistics Division ............................... 10

Figure 11: Quality of Infrastructure, FAO 2012 ..................................................................................... 12

Figure 12: Electricity Access, 2008, WEO Figure 13 Agricultural tractors per 100 sq. km of arable

land (2009) 12

Figure 14: Rice cultivation at a paddy field in Bihar state of India ....................................................... 13

Figure 16: Population distribution 2011 ............................................................................................... 13

Figure 17: Gender in agricultural labour, 2011 ..................................................................................... 14

Figure 18: Top commodities available for consumption, 2007 ............................................................ 14

List of Tables

Table 1: Evolution of population and labour force size, FAO Report, 2011 ......................................... 13

Table 2: Evolution of land use ............................................................................................................... 15

Table 3: Men and Women involved in different activities in agricultural Sector ................................. 15

Table 4: Crop production value per ha ................................................................................................. 16

Table 5: Value of total agriculture production and food production ................................................... 16

Table 6: Per capita production .............................................................................................................. 16

Table 7: Production quantities of selected commodities ..................................................................... 16Table 8: Trade quantities for selected commodities ............................................................................ 17
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Chapter:Introduction

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AGRICULTURE

1 Introduction

Agriculture (also called farming or husbandry) is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other

life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key

development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species

created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization. The study of agriculture is

known as agricultural science. Agriculture generally speaking refers to human activities, although it is

also observed in certain species of ant and termite.

The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and

defined by greatly different climates, cultures, and technologies. However, all farming generally

relies on techniques to expand and maintain the lands suitable for raising domesticated species. For

plants, this usually requires some form of irrigation, although there are methods of dryland farming;

pastoral herding on rangeland is still the most common means of raising livestock. In the developed

world, industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture has become the dominant system of

modern farming, although there is growing support for sustainable agriculture (e.g. permaculture or

organic agriculture).

Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements havesharply increased yields from cultivation, but at the same time have caused widespread ecological

damage and negative human health effects. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal

husbandry such as intensive pig farming have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised

concerns about animal cruelty and the health effects of the antibiotics, growth hormones, and other

chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production.

The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials.

In the 21st century, plants have been used to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and

pharmaceuticals. Specific foods include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Fibers include cotton,

wool, hemp, silk and flax. Raw materials include lumber and bamboo. Other useful materials areproduced by plants, such as resins. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel.

Cut flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish and birds for the pet trade are some of the ornamental

products. Regarding food production, the World Bank targets agricultural food production and water

management as an increasingly global issue that is fostering an important and growing debate.

In 2007, one third of the world's workers were employed in agriculture. The services sector has

overtaken agriculture as the economic sector employing the most people worldwide. Despite the

size of its workforce, agricultural production accounts for less than five per cent of the gross world

product (an aggregate of all gross domestic products).


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Figure 1: Clark's Sector Model (1950): The per cent of the human population working in primary sector activities such as

agriculture has decreased over time.

1.1 OverviewAgriculture has played a key role in the development of human civilization. Until the Industrial

Revolution, the vast majority of the human population labored in agriculture. The type of agriculture

they developed was typically subsistence agriculture in which farmers raised most of their crops for

consumption on farm, and there was only a small portion left over for the payment of taxes, dues, or

trade. In subsistence agriculture cropping decisions are made with an eye to what the family needs

for food, and to make clothing, and not the world marketplace. Development of agricultural

techniques has steadily increased agricultural productivity, and the widespread diffusion of these

techniques during a time period is often called an agricultural revolution. A remarkable shift in

agricultural practices has occurred over the past century in response to new technologies, and the

development of world markets. This also led to technological improvements in agricultural

techniques, such as the Haber-Bosch method for synthesizing ammonium nitrate which made the

traditional practice of recycling nutrients with crop rotation and animal manure less necessary.

Synthetic nitrogen, along with mined rock phosphate, pesticides and mechanization, has greatly

increased crop yields in the early 20th century. Increased supply of grains has led to cheaper

livestock as well. Further, global yield increases were experienced later in the 20th century when

high-yield varieties of common staple grains such as rice, wheat, and corn (maize) were introduced

as a part of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution exported the technologies (including

pesticides and synthetic nitrogen) of the developed world to the developing world. Thomas Malthus


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famously predicted that the Earth would not be able to support its growing population, but

technologies such as the Green Revolution have allowed the world to produce a surplus of food.

Many governments have subsidized agriculture for a variety of political and economic reasons. These

agricultural subsidies are often linked to the production of certain commodities such as wheat, corn

(maize), rice, soybeans, and milk. These subsidies, especially when instituted by developed countries

have been noted as protectionist, inefficient, and environmentally damaging.

In the past century agriculture has been characterized by enhanced productivity, the use of synthetic

fertilizers and pesticides, selective breeding, mechanization, water contamination, and farm

subsidies. Proponents of organic farming such as Sir Albert Howard argued in the early 20th century

that the overuse of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers damages the long-term fertility of the soil.

While this feeling lay dormant for decades, as environmental awareness has increased in the 21st

century there has been a movement towards sustainable agriculture by some farmers, consumers,

and policymakers.

In recent years there has been a backlash against perceived external environmental effects of

mainstream agriculture, particularly regarding water pollution, resulting in the organic movement.

One of the major forces behind this movement has been the European Union, which first certified

organic food in 1991 and began reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2005 to phase out

commodity-linked farm subsidies, also known as decoupling. The growth of organic farming has

renewed research in alternative technologies such as integrated pest management and selective

breeding. Recent mainstream technological developments include genetically modified food.

In late 2007, several factors pushed up the price of grains consumed by humans as well as used to

feed poultry and dairy cows and other cattle, causing higher prices of wheat (up 58%), soybean (up32%), and maize (up 11%) over the year. Food riots took place in several countries across the world.

Contributing factors included drought in Australia and elsewhere, increasing demand for grain-fed

animal products from the growing middle classes of countries such as China and India, diversion of

food grain to biofuel production and trade restrictions imposed by several countries.

An epidemic of stem rust on wheat caused by race Ug99 is currently spreading across Africa and into

Asia and is causing major concern. Approximately 40% of the world's agricultural land is seriously

degraded. In Africa, if current trends of soil degradation continue, the continent might be able to

feed just 25% of its population by 2025, according to UNU's Ghana-based Institute for Natural

Resources in Africa. (wikipedia)

1.2 Crop production systemCropping systems vary among farms depending on the available resources and constraints;

geography and climate of the farm; government policy; economic, social and political pressures; and

the philosophy and culture of the farmer. Shifting cultivation (or slash and burn) is a system in which

forests are burnt, releasing nutrients to support cultivation of annual and then perennial crops for a

period of several years.


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Chapter:Labourandagriculture

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Then the plot is left fallow to regrow forest, and the farmer moves to a new plot, returning after

many more years (1020). This fallow period is shortened if population density grows, requiring the

input of nutrients (fertilizer or manure) and some manual pest control. Annual cultivation is the next

phase of intensity in which there is no fallow period. This requires even greater nutrient and pest

control inputs.

Further industrialization lead to the use of monocultures, when one cultivar is planted on a large

acreage. Because of the low biodiversity, nutrient use is uniform and pests tend to build up,

necessitating the greater use of pesticides and fertilizers. Multiple cropping, in which several crops

are grown sequentially in one year, and intercropping, when several crops are grown at the same

time are other kinds of annual cropping systems known as polycultures.

In tropical environments, all of these cropping systems are practiced. In subtropical and arid

environments, the timing and extent of agriculture may be limited by rainfall, either not allowing

multiple annual crops in a year, or requiring irrigation. In all of these environments perennial crops

are grown (coffee, chocolate) and systems are practiced such as agroforestry. In temperate

environments, where ecosystems were predominantly grassland or prairie, highly productive annual

cropping is the dominant farming system.

The last century has seen the intensification, concentration and specialization of agriculture, relying

upon new technologies of agricultural chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), mechanization, and

plant breeding (hybrids and GMO's). In the past few decades, a move towards sustainability in

agriculture has also developed, integrating ideas of socio-economic justice and conservation of

resources and the environment within a farming system. This has led to the development of many

responses to the conventional agriculture approach, including organic agriculture, urban agriculture,

community supported agriculture, ecological or biological agriculture, integrated farming and holistic

management, as well as an increased trend towards agricultural diversification.

2 Labour and agricultureIn developing regions, especially those least developed and those experiencing rapidly rising

populations, employment growth is driven mostly by demographic changes. The majority of workers

of these regions do not enter into formal wage employment, but instead are engaged in self-

employment or unpaid family work, such as in agriculture, and especially subsistence farming.Consequently, economic downturns tend to have only a limited impact on overall employment

growth in these economies, in contrast to industrialized economies where employment growth is

closely linked to the business cycle. Considering that the large share of the working poor are

engaged in agriculture, developments in that sector have a major impact on welfare throughout

much of the world.

Until 2000, agriculture was the mainstay of employment around the world. Since then, the services

sector has assumed this mantle and the gap between the two has widened. Although employment

growth in agriculture has slowed, the number of workers in this sector reached over one billion in

2009.


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In sub-Saharan Africa, growth in agricultural employment accounted for half of all employment

growth between 1999 and 2009. In South Asia, nearly 33 per cent of all employment growth since

1999 was in agriculture. By contrast, agricultural employment is falling in the developed economies,

East Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean regions. At the global level, women are more active in

the agricultural sector than men some 38 per cent versus 33 per cent. Labour force participation

rates are usually highest in the poorest countries. More people are employed out of necessity than

by choice, as only a fraction of the working-age population can afford not to work. In these

countries, low unemployment figures in conjunction with high labour participation rates result in

large swathes engaged in vulnerable employment and many in working poverty. This holds for many

economies in sub-Saharan Africa, where female participation rates feature among the highest in the

world.

2.1 Child LabourPoverty is the principal driver of the high rate of child labour in agriculture. Around 60 per cent of all

child labourers 129 million girls and boys work in agriculture. More than two-thirds of them areunpaid family members. The agricultural sector has the highest incidence of both unpaid child labour

and early entry into the workforce, which often occurs between the ages of five and seven.

Figure 2: Employment in agriculture, share of total employment in %, ILO 2010


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Figure 3: Employment in agriculture, share of total employment (1990-2010). ILO 2010

High rates of child labour are also caused by lack of access to education, poor quality of education,

limited supplies of affordable agricultural technology and adult labour, hazardous practices, and the

dominance of traditional attitudes towards childrens participation in agricultural activities.

However, in the context of family farming not all participation of children in productive activities is

considered child labour. For instance, age appropriate tasks that do not interfere with a childs

compulsory schooling and that are not hazardous can be important contributions to the household

food security and can provide children with agricultural and other skills for their future.

In the overall labour market, world unemployment in 2010 stood at 205 million (a rate of 6.2 per

cent), which was virtually unchanged from the previous year, but over 15 per cent higher than the

pre-recession level of 2007. Well over half of the increase in global unemployment between 2007

and 2010 arose in the developed economies, even though this group comprises only one seventh of

the world labour force.

The employment-to-population ratio, which indicates the employment-generating capacity of an

economy, globally stood at 61 per cent in 2010, around a per centage point lower than at the onset

of global economic turmoil. Put simply, this means that economies around the world are not

generating sufficient employment opportunities to absorb additions to the working-age population.

(FAO, FAO Statistical Workbook 2012, 2012)

Figure 4: Gender employment to gender population ratio, ILO 2010 Figure 5: Woman in agriculture, % of female employment 2010


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2.2 Women in agricultureWomen make significant contributions to the rural

economy in all developing country regions. Roles differ

across regions, yet they consistently have less access

than men to the resources and opportunities theyneed to be more productive. Closing the gender gap in

agricultural inputs alone could lift 100150 million

people out of hunger.

Women comprise, on average, 43 per cent of the

agricultural labour force in developing countries,

ranging from 20 per cent in Latin America to 50 per cent in Eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Their contribution to agricultural work varies even more widely depending on the specific crop and

activity. But a gender gap is found for many assets, inputs and services land, livestock, labour,

education, extension and financial services, and technology and it imposes costs on the agriculturesector, the broader economy and society as well as on women themselves. Closing the gender gap in

agriculture would generate significant gains for the agriculture sector and for society. If women had

the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 2030

per cent. This could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.54 per cent, which

could in turn reduce the number of hungry people in the world by 1217 per cent. The potential

gains would vary by region depending on how many women are currently engaged in agriculture,

how much production or land they control, and how wide a gender gap they face. No blueprint

exists for closing the gender gap, but some basic principles are universal: governments, the

international community and civil society should work together to eliminate discrimination under

the law, to promote equal access to resources and opportunities, to ensure that agricultural policiesand programmes are gender aware, and to make womens voices heard as equal partners for

sustainable development. Achieving gender equality and empowering women in agriculture is not

only the right thing to do it is also crucial for agricultural development and food security.

Figure 6: Share of male and female agriculture holders in developing region, FAO gender and land rights database 2005

Also refer to Figure 4

Increasing womens access to land,

livestock, education, financial services,

extension, technology and rural

employment would boost agricultural

productivity! Closing the gender gap in

agricultural inputs alone could lift 100-

150 million people out of hunger


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Chapter:CapitalandInvestment

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3 Capital and InvestmentInvestment drives growth and development. Additional

net investment in capital goods (capital formation)

such as expenditure on new machinery, infrastructure

and technology enables an economy to produce more,and more efficiently in the future. Investment is vital to

promoting long-run economic growth by improving

productivity and productive capacity.

Given its strong impact on welfare, investment is

particularly important in agriculture: countries that

performed best in terms of reducing poverty and hunger are also those that achieved higher net

investment rates per agricultural worker. However, there has been a global slowdown in the rate of

capital formation in primary agriculture. While the rate grew annually at 1.1 per cent in the period

19751990, the rate of capital formation was only 0.5 per cent during 19912007. This reductionwas recorded in both developed and developing countries. As a consequence, in sub-Saharan Africa

and South Asia that is, regions where many countries experience the highest prevalence and

greatest depth of hunger the growth of the population active in agriculture has outstripped growth

of agricultural capital stock.

Government expenditure on agriculture is positively and highly correlated with capital formation,

confirming the decisive role of such expenditure in creating an enabling environment for

infrastructure and sustainable access to natural resources. It also has a significant positive impact on

productivity: research has shown that increasing public spending on agriculture by 10 per cent leads

to a 0.34 per cent increase in a countrys agricultural total factor productivity. Poorer developingcountries have less capacity to fill the investment gap. The share of public spending on agriculture

has fallen to an average of approximately 7 per cent in developing countries and even less in Africa.

Agricultural Official Development Assistance (ODA) decreased by some 58 per cent in real terms

between 1980 and 2005, even though total ODA increased significantly by 112 per cent over the

same period. This means that the share of ODA going to the agricultural sector fell from 17 per cent

in 1980 to between 5 and 6 per cent in 2009, with the same downward trend observed in national

budgets.

In the absence of national funding channels, financing for the rural agenda has been bolstered by

increased donor funding. Such assistance represents a large part of the agricultural budget in mostrural-based economies. For 24 sub-Saharan countries, ODA averages 28 per cent of total agricultural

spending, and for Mozambique, Niger, and Rwanda, ODA averages more than 80 per cent. (FAO, FAO

Statistical Workbook 2012, 2012)

Around USD 100 billion dollars of

investment was put into agriculture

globally in 2007. But this is a fractionof the 5 trillion dollars added to world

GDP in that year Growth in investment

also lags behind population growth in

many developing countries.


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Figure 7: Change in agricultural capital stock (1987-2005), FAO and World Bank 2012

Investments in agricultural research and development (R&D) have shown to have very high rates of

return, and thus can play an important role in alleviating hunger and poverty. While global private

funding is commonplace in high-income countries, it is limited in most developing countries owing to

a lack of financing opportunities and incentives for private research, and to uncertain returns.

Even though the benefits of public research initiatives such as the Consultative Group on

International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and affiliated organizations (which have contributed

enormously to the global pool of available agricultural technology and knowledge) have been

recognized, the question of how to increase and sustain the financing of such bodies is not

straightforward. Governments are often hesitant to make substantial contributions towards entities

whose benefits will be spread well beyond the scope of their constituents or borders.

Commercial bank lending to agriculture in developing countries is also low; it is less than 10 per cent,

for example, in sub-Saharan Africa. While the growth in private investment funds targeting African

agriculture is an interesting recent development, these current investments remain minor.

Given the limitations of alternative sources of investment finance, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in

developing country agriculture could make a significant contribution to bridging the investment gap.

FDI is also found to positively impact productivity growth, but only when governance is sound. Given

the limitations of alternative sources of investment finance, many developing countries are making

strenuous efforts to attract and facilitate foreign investment into their agriculture sectors. For them,FDI is seen as a potentially important contributor to filling the investment gap and providing

developmental benefits, for example through technology transfer, employment creation and

infrastructure development. Whether these potential developmental benefits are actually likely to

be realized is a key concern, as FDI has also the potential to harm host countries. Care must be taken

in the selection and formulation of business models that are capable of meeting the needs of both

host countries and investors. In addition, appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks need to be

in place to ensure that development benefits are maximized and the risks minimized. FAO promotes

responsible investment in agriculture, including building international consensus on Principles for

Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI Principles).


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3.1 Agricultural Input

Figure 10: Fertilizers used in agricultural activities, 2008, FAO Statistics Division

Throughout Asia and in parts of Latin America, expanding seed and fertilizer use has been

accompanied by corresponding investments in irrigation, rural roads, marketing infrastructure and

financial services that have subsequently paved the way for dynamic commercial input markets.

Developing such markets is vital for agricultural productivity growth. This is the case for sub- Saharan

Africa, where large commercial input enterprises have yet to emerge. High transaction costs, risks,

and the major economies of scale involved in producing, importing, and transporting inputs, such as

fertilizer, are to blame; but a key factor for the regions low input uptake is that it is generally

cheaper to expand cropland to achieve production targets. As a consequence, chemical fertilizerusage is much lower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere.

Figure 8: Foreign direct investment, Balance of Payment

net inflows (2009), UNCTD

Figure 9: Gross Capital Formation 2009, World Bank


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Today, Asian farmers are the major users of fertilizer.

Indeed, one-third of the increase in cereal production

worldwide and half of the increase in Indias grain

production during the 1970s and 1980s has been

attributed to increased fertilizer consumption. The

increased use of fertilizer is becoming even more crucial in

light of other factors, such as the impact of more intensive

cultivation practices and shorter fallow periods on soil

fertility. Pesticides can increase agricultural productivity,

but when handled improperly, they are toxic to humans

and other species. Usage can be reduced through

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which uses

information on pest populations to estimate losses and

adjust pesticide doses accordingly. IPM has brought about tremendous benefits to farm profitability,

the environment, and human health. Adoption has often been limited because of its complexity, butresults can be extraordinarily successful. For instance, the successful control of the cassava

mealybug in East Africa, which hitherto caused significant losses, was achieved by introducing a

parasitoid wasp that is the mealybugs natural enemy. Plant breeding also plays an important role in

bolstering productivity by adapting cultivated varieties to local conditions and making them more

resilient to biotic (e.g. insects, diseases, viruses) and abiotic stresses (e.g. droughts, floods). Studies

estimate that the global yield loss due to biotic stresses averages over 23 per cent of the estimated

attainable yield across major cereals.

3.2 InfrastructureOne of the key factors holding back agricultural development is the absence of adequate rural

infrastructure. Improvements to basic rural infrastructure, particularly roads, electrification and

storage are a prerequisite for agricultural sectors to thrive. Considerable synergies can enhance

infrastructure. Investments in cold storage, for instance, are only viable with reliable and sufficient

rural electrification. Likewise, investments in milling facilities must be planned with adequate dry

storage, electrification and feeder roads. Roads, storage and processing facilities together foster the

creation of value chains that increase efficiency and minimize losses.

Rural roads and transportation link farmers to markets and reduce transactions costs. By loweringtransportation costs to urban areas, farmers will earn higher returns for their produce and

consumers benefit through potentially lower prices. Shorter transportation times also help in

preserving product quality and in reducing losses. At the same time, better transport infrastructure

reduces prices for inputs, such as seeds and fertilizer, and allows farmers to step up production

intensity and use their resources more fully and efficiently.

High transaction costs matter enormously in many developing countries. For instance, while it costs

only USD 40 to ship a tonne of fertilizer 9 000 km from the United States of America to coastal

Mombasa (Kenya), it costs another USD 120 to take it from there to Kampala, a distance of 1 000

km. High shipping costs have the same effect as a high import tariff. High transaction costs makeinputs expensive for farmers, and is part of the reason for the very low rates of input usage and

119 kg of fertilizer applied on

average to every hectare of

cropland in the world. Fertilizer

use lowest in sub-SaharanAfrica but exploiting land

potential holds the key to

higher production in the region.

(FAO, FAO Statistical Workbook

2012, 2012)


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ultimately the very lowyields in sub-Saharan Africa. On the output side, high transaction costs work

like an export tax, squeezing profit margins for farmers and lowering their competitiveness relative

to overseas famers.

In developing countries, there has been little investment in rural infrastructure that leads to

improvements in roads, electricity and post-harvest technologies. Those who have invested,

however, have reaped considerable rewards. This holds for several countries in East Asia, where

China, for instance, increased expenditures on roads by almost fourfold at the beginning of the last

decade, with the result that by 2006, 62 per cent of villages were connected to their towns by paved

roads.

Figure 11: Quality of Infrastructure, FAO 2012

Figure 12: Electricity Access, 2008, WEO Figure 13 Agricultural tractors per 100 sq. km of arable land (2009)


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Chapter:AgricultureinIndia

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4 Agriculture in IndiaAgriculture in India has a significant history. Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output.

Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry and fisheries accounted for 16.6% of the GDP in 2009,

about 50% of the total workforce. The economic contribution of agriculture to India's GDP is steadilydeclining with the country's broad-based economic growth. Still, agriculture is demographically the

broadest economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic fabric of India.

Figure 14: Rice cultivation at a paddy field in Bihar state of India

Table 1: Evolution of population and labour force size, FAO Report, 2011

4.1 Key features of Indian agriculture4.1.1 Climate:India has Monsoon climate in which a year has been

divided into two distinct seasons of summer and

winter. Rainfall occurs mainly in summer.

4.1.2 Weather Forecasting System:India has a strong weather forecasting system

developed and maintained by Indian Meteorological

Department (IMD). Apart from weather forecasting

and severe weather warning, it also gives agro

meteorological services to farmers in India.

Figure 15: Population distribution 2011


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4.1.3 Agro Climatic Zones:India has diverse agro-climatic zones from

north to south and from east to west. It has

been divided into fifteen different agro-

climatic zones, which signifies its diversified

agricultural production from tropical to

temperate crops.

4.1.4 Major Crops:Rice, Wheat, Sugarcane, Oilseeds, Pulses,

Cotton, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Tea, Coffee,

Coconut, Cashew, Rubber, Spices,

Cauliflower, Onion, Cabbage, Mango,

Banana, Sapota, Acid lime.

Figure 17: Top commodities available for consumption, 2007

4.1.5 Farm Size:Indian Agriculture is characterized by small and marginal operational holdings. About 85% of total

cultivated land has been fragmented into less than 10-hectare land. About 60% of farmland is less

than 4 hectare in size.

Figure 16: Gender in agricultural labour, 2011


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Table 2: Evolution of land use

Table 3: Men and Women involved in different activities in agricultural Sector

source: impact of wto, women in agriculture


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4.2 Agricultural production and trade in India(based on data by FAO, www.fao.org)

Table 4: Crop production value per ha

Table 5: Value of total agriculture production and food production

Table 6: Per capita production

Table 7: Production quantities of selected commodities


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Table 8: Trade quantities for selected commodities

4.3 AccomplishmentsAs of 2011, India had a large and diverse agricultural sector, accounting, on average, for about 16

per cent of GDP and 10 per cent of export earnings. India's arable land area of 159.7 million hectares

(394.6 million acres) is the second largest in the world, after the United States. Its gross irrigated

crop area of 82.6 million hectares (215.6 million acres) is the largest in the world. India has grown to

become among the top three global producers of a broad range of crops, including wheat, rice,

pulses, cotton, peanuts, fruits, and vegetables. Worldwide, as of 2011, India had the largest herds of

buffalo and cattle, is the largest producer of milk, and has one of the largest and fastest growing

poultry industries.


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FAO. (2012). FAO Statistical Workbook 2012. Washington DC: FAO.

FAO. (n.d.). FAOSTATS. Retrieved April 2012, from www.fao.org:

http://faostat.fao.org/site/339/default.aspx

IMA. (2009). Indian agriculture challenges and prospects. IMA.

Joachim von Braun, A. G. (2005). Indian Agriculture and Rural Development. Washington DC:

INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

Organisation, I. L. (2000). Safety and Health in Agriculture. Geneva: International Labour

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Pesticides: Health and Safety. (n.d.). Retrieved April Friday, 2012, from www.epa.gov:

http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/health/human.htm

Sustainet. (2006). Sustainable Agriculture:A Pathway out of poverty for India's Rural Poor. Germany:

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Technology, R. F. (2004). Impact of WTO Women in agriculture. NEW DELHI: National Commission of

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wikipedia. (n.d.).Agriculture. Retrieved April Friday, 2012, from www.wikipedia.org:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture

Wikipedia. (n.d.).Agriculture in India. Retrieved April Saturday, 2012, from www.wikipedia.org:

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agriculture_integrated rural dev

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