Doubling Income of Farmer by 2022 Background Even though the agricultural contribution to GDP is comparatively less and reducing over a period of time from 23.4% in Ninth Five Year Plan to 15.2% (Twelfth Five Year Plan) in Eleventh Five Year Plan, rapid growth is very necessary to attain inclusive growth since a major source of income of majority is Agriculture in India. Employment share of agriculture has been reduced from 64.8% in the year 1993-94 to 48.9% in the year 2011-12 (Central Statistics Office (CSO). PE: Provisional Estimates). There is a vital need to look at agriculture in terms of source of income for a major portion of the community, instead of mere productivity.
Strategies to increase the income of the farmers- A review of literature Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned seven- point strategy to double the income of farmers by 2022. He has mentioned seven strategies, those are as under: Big focus on irrigation with large budgets, with the aim of "per drop, more crop." Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field. Large investments in warehousing and cold chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses. Promotion of value addition through food processing. Creation of a national farm market, removing distortions and e-platform across 585 stations. 6. Introduction of a new crop insurance scheme to mitigate risks at affordable cost. 7. Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry, beekeeping and fisheries. (NDTV) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Farmers income can be increased by increasing the productivity, by decreasing cost of cultivation, by ensuring competitive price with transparent price discovery mechanisms and by integrating allied activities, agriculture and non- farm sector and wage employment during agriculture off season (The Financial Express, 2016). NITI Aayog has mentioned in its paper released in the year 2015 that five issues needs to be addressed to improve the livelihoods of farmers. Those are, increasing the productivity, remunerative prices for farmers; focus on land leasing and land titles, risk adaptation and mitigation, and a geographical focus on the eastern region. (S Chandrasekhar, Nirupam Mehrotra, 2016). Importance to land leasing and land titling NITI Ayog has given importance to the aspect of per-capita land holding and considered it as an important determinant in doubling the income. There is a vital need to understand the extent to which legalizing and liberalizing land leasing can improve agricultural efficiency, equity, occupational diversification and rapid rural transformation (Expert Committee 2016: