Lok Sabha Question No. 355 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Productivity of Agriculture Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAMCHARAN BOHARA, GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 355 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20/03/2018

## PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURE SECTOR

## *355.  SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA: SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWARA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the productivity of the agriculture sector in the country is the lowest in the world, if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (b) the steps taken/proposed  to be taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  the agricultural research activities and improve the functioning of research institutions/organizations and to make the country self-reliant in the agriculture sector;
- (c) the  details  of  agreements  signed  recently  with  foreign  countries  and  assistance sought and provided by them for the development of the said sector in the country along with the benefits accrued to the country as a result thereof, country-wise; and
- (d) the extent to which these agreements are helpful in strengthening the agricultural ties with foreign countries?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

(a) to (d)

: A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 355 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20/03/2018 REGARDING 'PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURE SECTOR'

- (a) The  productivity  of  agriculture  sector  in  India  is  not  the  lowest  in  the  world. Presently the country's productivity levels in different crops are much better than many countries and global productivity level of our major crops is as under:

|   Sr. No. | Crop      |   Rank for productivity |
|-----------|-----------|-------------------------|
|         1 | Wheat     |                       5 |
|         2 | Groundnut |                       6 |
|         3 | Sugarcane |                       7 |
|         4 | Pulses    |                       9 |
|         5 | Paddy     |                       9 |
|         6 | Maize     |                      10 |

The  productivity  of  agriculture  depends  on  various  factors  like  agro  climatic conditions,  adoption  of  improved  technology,  crop  growing  period,  biotic  and  abiotic stresses, etc.  Despite  these,  India  has  made  a  commendable  progress  in  genetic enhancement of different crops and the productivity levels have increased to three times (2000  kg/ha)  during  2016-17  from  710  kg/ha  during  1960-61.  The  present  total  food grain production of 275.68 million tonnes has been achieved mainly due to enhancement in productivity. In addition to productivity per se per day productivity is also one of the major component for determining the genetic potential of crops. Per day productivity of major crops in India is better or at par with any of the high productivity countries. India has multiple cropping system with high cropping intensity whereas in high productivity countries the crops are taking longer maturity duration due to which only one crop can be taken and cropping intensity is low in comparison to India.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) focuses at harnessing conventional  and  modern  scientific  knowledge,  tools,  and  cutting-edge  science  for development of improved crop varieties/hybrids suited to diverse agro-ecologies situations, climate smart management and protection technology by promoting excellence in  basic,  strategic  and  anticipatory  research.  Further,  seed  technology  research  and production  of  breeder  seed of hybrids/varieties is  also  an  important  programme. Adoption  of  modern  technologies  such  as  abiotic  stress  tolerant  crop  varieties in  situ moisture  conservation,  crop  diversification,  integrated  farming  system  and  contingent crop  planning  to  increase  the  production  of  agricultural  produce  in  the  country.  These efforts have resulted in the highest ever production of food grains 275.68 million tonnes during 2016-17. India's horticulture production with about 299.8 million tons from 24.85 million  hectare  during  2016-17  has  not  only  brought  prosperity  to  small  and  marginal farmers,  but  also  provided  food  and  nutritional  security  to  the  Nation.  Ranked  as  the second  largest  producer  of  Fruits  &  Vegetables  in  the  world,  horticulture  in  India  has today emerged as one of the vibrant part of Indian agriculture. The country ranks at first

position in the production of Banana, Mango, Lime & Lemon, Papaya and Okra.  With 165.4  million  tonnes  ICAR's  efforts  in  this  direction  has  been  multidimensional  right from  taking  up  research  in  agricultural  Sector  from  development  of  high  yielding varieties  to  developing  cutting  edge  technologies  enabling  farmers  to  boost  their productivity.

(b) The National Agricultural Research System (NARS), which serves the agricultural technology and information needs of the country, has created a research network of 102 ICAR Research  Institutes,  11  Agricultural  Technology  Application  Research  Institutes (ATARIs) and 73 Agricultural Universities (including 3 Central Agricultural Universities and 5 Universities with Agriculture Faculty) spread across the country. DARE/ICAR has also  established  a  network  of  686  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs)  district-wise  in  the country  aiming  at  assessment  and  demonstration  of  technologies/  products  developed under NARS and their dissemination among the farmers and line departments through their  district  level  front  line  demonstration  and  training  programmes.  The  Council  is addressing these aspects through research integration, need-based education and inclusive frontline extension programmes which are playing significant role in the National Food and Nutritional Security.

The ICAR  research institutes have taken up basic and strategic research programmes  related  to  crop/fruit  improvement  and  development  of  production  and protection  technologies  to  form  a  base  for  applied  research.  The  information  so developed is used by respective All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) and All  India  Network  Projects  (AINPs)  being  carried  out  in  ICAR  Institutes  and  State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) to develop location specific varieties and technologies as  per  the  agro  ecological  needs  for  enhancing  the  production  and  productivity. Moreover, various novel and cutting edge science-based research programmes are being pursued  besides  up-scaling  the  already  developed  technologies  for  maximizing  the returns in agriculture for overall development of the country. The research programmes are being prioritized to develop new high yielding pest resistant varieties of food crops, pulses,  fodder  and  commercial  crop  varieties.  New  research  programs  have  basic, strategic  and  applied  research  related  to  crop  improvement,  crop  production,  crop protection,  post-harvest  operations,  value  addition,  etc.  have  been  taken  up.  Also, research  efforts  are  on  towards  judiciously  integrating  conventional  plant  breeding, molecular biology, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, human resource and infrastructural development to make the country self-reliant in the agriculture sector.

To further strengthen the Govt. initiative on Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India including North East, Rajendra Agricultural University has been upgraded to Dr. Rajendra  Prasad  Central  Agricultural  University,  Indian  Agriculture  Research  Institute (IARI) has been established at Barhi, Jharkhand on the lines of IARI, PUSA, New Delhi and another IARI is being established in Assam, six new colleges started under Central Agricultural  University,  Imphal.  National  Research  Centre  for  Integrated  Farming established  in  Motihari  (Bihar)  and  National  Organic  Farming  Research  Institute established  in  Tadong  (Sikkim).  Basides  these,  ICAR  established  six  new  Regional Research  Stations  in  MP,  Karnatka,  Andhra  Pradesh,  Gujarat  and  West  Bengal  and opened  2  new  colleges  opened  under  Rani  Laxmibai  Central  Agricultural  University,

Jhansi. Financial support has been extended to Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana Governments for the establishment of new Agriculture and Horticulture Universities.

As a result of various initiatives by the Government ICAR/ NARS has developed 645  high  yielding  climate  resilient  crop  varieties  /  hybrids  of  field  crops  have  been released  for  cultivation  in  different  agro-ecologies  of  the  country  during  the  last  3.5 years.  Besides,  130  improved  varieties  of  54  important  horticultural  crops  were  also developed by ICAR.  ICAR has also developed and validated 623 district contingency plans and conducted skill development programs for 40.9 lakh farmers. ICAR has also developed  45  Integrated  Farming  Systems  (IFS)  models  in  23  states  and  1  Union Territory covering all the 15 agro-climatic regions of the country. These models are being promoted  through  462  KVKs  in  the  country.  ICAR  has  also  developed  42  Organic Farming  Technologies  which  have  been  tested  and  refined  through  20  Centres  of  the AICR project on organic farming across 20 states including 7 north eastern states.

(c) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare have signed twenty five MoUs/Agreements relating to agriculture and allied areas during 01/01/2015-13/03/2018. Besides these, ICAR has also signed MoUs with eight foreign universities/organisations for Capacity Building, Germ-Plasm Exchange etc. A MoU for establishment of BRICS Agricultural  Research  Platform  was  also  signed  to  focus  on  agricultural  research, technology, policy, innovations, extension and technology transfer, training and capacity building and information sharing among BRICS countries. Besides India has developed very active collaboration with Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system,  an  international  organization  that  advances  international  agricultural research  for  a  food  secure  future  by  integrating  and  coordinating  efforts  of  those  who fund research and do the research for strengthening the national programmes and works through 15 Research Centres. India is a donor member of country of CGIAR system and now  has  also  become  a  voting  member  of  newly  restructured  CGIAR  System.  India contributed an amount of Rs. 55.763 Crores to CGAIR institutions during year 2017-18.

(d) The benefits accrued / likely to accrue from these agreements are in the form of enhancement of exchange of knowledge, transfer of appropriate technologies, sharing of equipment,  exchange  of  genetic  material,  research  and  capacity  building  and  skill development programs for the development of the agricultural sector besides providing training  and  visiting  facilities  in  respective  countries,  visit  of  farmers  and  farmer organization,  providing  opportunities  for  advanced  research  and  higher  education  in agriculture  in  other  countries  in  various  spheres  of  agriculture.  These  also  provide  our scientists  the  opportunity to contribute in tackling the National/International challenges which very often go beyond the boundaries as well as to contribute effectively towards ensuring food and nutrition security for the global community.

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