Indian agriculture: What is ailing it?

India has risen like a phoenix in the world economy. Fifty years ago it was not able to feed herself and was begging for food with the US. Today it stands tall and is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Its GDP is growing at 9% per annum even in the times of depression. Sectors like manufacturing, trade, service have contributed immensely for the growth of the Indian economy. But the agriculture sectors are showing dismal performance. For the past fifty years it is has just grow at a rate of 2% per annum contributing very less to the GDP.

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Agriculture in India is a lost and orphaned child. No one is ready to pay attention to it. The farmers are living on the edge and are just able to feed their family with the produce. There is sub division and fragmentation of the land making it less productive. The financial back up given by the government through loans from the bank is consumed by the rich farmers who are just minuscule part of the rural population. They enjoy every facility and subsidies given by the government.

Mechanization of the agriculture has taken and will take lot of time since the land is fragmented. The productivity will be a matter of concern as the population is growing at a fast rate. The funding for research in agriculture is very poor and symbolic. Most of the farmers are uneducated and poor and are not aware of the latest techniques in agriculture. In India agriculture economy is not view as business but taken for granted. Government should encourage private investment and promote commercialization of the agriculture. Timely inputs for farming should be available at the start of the season. If the Indian economy should grow in double digit figure then the agriculture sector should grow at rate of 4-5% per Annum.