Category Archive Reports

  • Home   /  
  • Archive by category "Reports"
    • ( Page2 ) ( Page2 )

NITI Ayog: Water Index Report-2018

2018-05-18-Water-Index-Report_vS8-compressed
Introduction

  • The NITI Aayog report on Composite Water Management Index said that India is facing its ‘worst’
    water crisis in history.
  • The think tank ranked states across nine broad sectors with 28 different indicators covering ground
    water, restoration of water bodies, irrigation, farm practices, drinking water, policy and
    governance.

Key Findings in the Study

  1. About 60% of the States were marked as “low performers” and this was cause for “alarm”.
  2. The report has predicted that by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the
    available supply, implying severe water scarcity.
  3. Nearly 600 million Indians faced high to extreme water stress.
  4. About 2,00,000 people died every year due to inadequate access to safe water.
  5. 52% of India’s agricultural area remains dependent on rainfall so the future expansion of irrigation
    needs to be focused on last mile efficiency.
  6. Twenty-one cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad will run out of groundwater
    by 2020, affecting 100 million people.
  7. Critical groundwater resources, which accounted for 40% of India’s water supply, are being
    depleted at “unsustainable” rates and up to 70% of India’s water supply is “contaminated”.
  8. If the present situation continues, there will be a 6% loss in the country’s GDP by 2050.
  9. The combination of rapidly declining groundwater levels and limited policy action is likely to be a
    significant food security risk for the country.

Significance

  1. Ranking of states/UTs will ensure that principle of competitive and cooperative federalism is
    actualised in India’s water management system.
  2. It will help build pressure on states that have not performed well to improve their water
    management techniques.
  3. It will provide useful information for States and concerned Central Ministries and Departments
    enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water
    resources.

Present Water Crisis

  1. Taps in Shimla went dry this summer, posing an unprecedented water crisis in the hill town.
  2. Failure of State governments to check unplanned development and exploitation of water resources.
  3.  The vegetation pattern has changed, tree cover is shrinking and unscientific dumping of debris in
    water streams is rampant.
  4. The debris blocks the natural course of water bodies.
  5. Increasing number of tube wells resulting in depletion of groundwater.
  6. Changes in farming patterns lead to consumption of more water for irrigation and also change the
    soil profile because of the use of fertilizers.
  7. The states ranked lowest – like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Jharkhand – are home to almost half of
    India’s population along with the majority of its agricultural produce.

Implications

  1. India’s water crisis has implications for the health of the entire population.
  2. Farmers suffer crop losses.
  3. Decrease in tree cover, shrubs and grass in the catchment areas.
  4. Queues for government water tankers and public taps are already a common sight in Indian slums.
  5. Policies like giving free electricity to farmers or financial support for groundwater extraction results
    in uncontrolled exploitation and wastage of resource.

Concerns / Challenges

  1. Primarily water is not valued in India. “People think it is free.”
  2. There is great awareness now about air pollution; however, India’s water crisis does not get that
    kind of attention.
  3. Inter-State river disputes.
  4. Adverse climatic conditions are believed to be the main factor for reduced flow in streams.
  5. Drying up of the streams and increasing erratic pattern of rainfall.
  6. In cities and towns, lack of infrastructure to deliver piped water to homes.
  7. Poor data management and an abject failure to properly price water.
  8. Where data is available, it is often unreliable due to the use of outdated collection techniques and
    methodologies.

Way Forward

  1. Deepen our understanding of our water resources and usage and put in place interventions that
    make our water use efficient and sustainable.
  2. Augmentation of watersheds that can store more good water, for use in agriculture and to serve
    habitations.
  3. Strict pollution control enforcement.
  4. Decentralisation of irrigation commands, offering higher financial flows to well-performing States
    through a National Irrigation Management Fund.
  5. Groundwater extraction patterns need to be better understood through robust data collection.
  6. With steady urbanisation, augmenting sources of clean drinking water supply and treatment
    technologies will encourage reuse.
  7. Pollution can be curbed by levying suitable costs.
  8. Poor maintenance of pipelines, consistent leakage and illegal tapping of water are some of the
    issues that need to be addressed on a war-footing.
  9. Adopting rainwater harvesting techniques is the need of the hour.
  10. A legal mandate will work better than just competition and cooperation; it would make
    governments accountable.
  11. These forward-looking changes would need revamped national and State institutions, and updated
    laws.

Strategy for New India @75

Summery of agriculture-related recommendations for NITI Aayog’s “Strategy for New India @75” report:
– Improve yields – close the yield gap between India and best performing countries
– Increase area under fruit and vegetables cultivation for the benefit of small and marginal farmers
– “ Agricultural research in the country is constrained by resource inadequacy, regulations and intellectual property rights (IPR)”
– Increase area under irrigation through micro-irrigation
– Subsidy support for P and K fertiliser to fix NPK imbalance
– Make farmers ‘agriprenuers’ by replacing the existing agri produce marketing committee act with an expanded NAM
– promote synergy between Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) – push for PPP partnership in KVKs
– All extension should be market led and “value added” (reduce post-harvest losses)
– promote private investment in agriculture, improve opportunities for agri-business, there is need for corporate investment in agri-infrastructure
– Adopt the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act (APLM) of 2017, update the essential commodities act
– replace CACP with an agricultural tribunal – replace MSP with a “minimum reservce price”, which should be starting price for auctions at mandis
– Separate the criteria for MSPs for (i)surplus produce; (ii) for deficit but globally available products; and (iii) for products that are in deficit both domestically and globally.
– have an “agricultural advisory service” like the US and EU to ensure farmers adopt an optimal cropping pattern to maximize income …
– basically MSP is a partial short-term solution so the long-term trade regime should be favourable to ensure better prices for farmers.
– promote FPOs and credit through JLGs
– use land-leasing act to allow small farmers to access land (through formal tenancy)
– Improve rural infrastructure: roads, cold storage, village level procuement centers, food processing, werehouses, “block level resource centres” for creating value chains targeting “clusters of villages”
Summary: Promote agri-business (small and large), reform policy (for tenancy, contract farming, marketing), improve infrastructure and supply chain, improve extension services to enable better price recognition, promote organic farming and also move farmers into manufacturing to supplement income
Divya Veluguri
[wpdm_package id=21 template=”link-template-calltoaction3.php”]

The Indian Organic Market A New Paradigm in Agriculture

The Indian Organic Market A New Paradigm in Agriculture
Ernest and Young, 2018
Agriculture has been practiced for centuries, and like any socio-economic or political
system that has stood the test of time, it is a product of the circumstances in which it
exists. In other words, it has undergone extreme changes to keep up with the opportunities,
requirements and challenges of the changing world. For thousands of years, agriculture
was practiced without the use of artificial substances. However, strides taken in science
and technology culminated in the intensification of conventional agriculture for increased
productivity. The increased use of synthetic substances met with fierce criticism and gave
birth to multiple organic farming movements across the world. Organic agriculture (OA) is
defined by the IFOAM as “a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems
and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local
conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture combines
tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair
relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.”(1) In other words, organic products
offer more social, economic, cultural, political and environmental benefits in the long run
than conventional products.
The categorization of a product as organic implies two main things: First, it is free from
toxic persistent pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics or
genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Second, stringent organic cultivation standards
are followed, with respect to impact on soil, water and air. These value chain considerations
have resulted in organic products emerging as the perceived responsible choice among
consumers. Resultantly, the market for organic products has grown remarkably since the
1990s. The global market for organic products is growing faster (CAGR 16%) than the
global markets for conventional products (CAGR 10%) (7). This differential growth rate is
observed in multiple market segments, including food and beverages, textiles, health and
wellness, and beauty and personal care among others. The rapid growth of the organic
market can be attributed to various factors. The increasing emphasis on good health,
proliferation of consumption-related ailments, an increased awareness regarding the health
benefits of organic products among consumers, enhanced income levels and standard of
living, together with government initiatives aimed at promoting organic products are key
drivers of this exponential market expansion.
Organic farming is practiced with varying levels of success in 178 countries (2). However,
the North American and European Union regions (as single markets) generate the bulk
of the global sales. The global sales increased to US$89.7 billion in 2016 from US$7.9
billion in 2000 (2). Country wise, the top consumers of organic products are the US (US$43.1
billion), followed by Germany (US$10.5 billion) and France (US$7.5 billion) (2). The increase
in demand has led to a considerable increase in the area subject to organic management
techniques globally, surging from 11 million ha in 1999 to 57.8 million ha in 2016 (2). The
wild harvest and other non-agriculture organic collection area also increased to 39.9
million ha in 2016 from 4.1 million ha in 1999 (2). The three countries with the largest area
under organic cultivation are Australia (27.1 million ha), followed by Argentina (3.0 million
ha) and China (2.3 million ha) (2). The three countries with the largest wild harvest area for
organic products are Finland (11.6 million ha), followed by Zambia (6.7 million ha) and
India (4.2 million ha) (2). In addition to ranking third in wild harvest area, India also houses the highest number of organic producers globally with 835,000 organic farmers (2). It also ranks ninth in terms of
area under organic cultivation with 1.49 million ha (2).  Therefore, it occupies a robust position
in producing organic products, having already exported 1.35 million MT of certified organic
food products worth INR1,937 crore in 2015-16 (3). The exports are largely concentrated
around the US, Europe (EU), Canada, Japan and the West Asian markets. India is the largest
exporter of organic cotton worldwide. In the food market segment, oilseeds comprised half of India’s overall organic food export, followed by processed food products at 25% (4). The current Indian
organic market is estimated at INR 40,000 million and is likely to increase to INR100,000–120,000 million
by 2020 with a similar incremental trend in exports (5). Indian organic market has been progressing steadily
with CAGR of 25% as compared to 16% global growth rates (4, 2). However, despite the promising performance
in terms of exports, the local consumption of organic produce is still at a nascent stage with a market share
of less than 1% and per capita consumption at only EURO.1 (2)
The organic sector in India, albeit comparatively new, possesses inherent strengths that can be
leveraged, and the current context in which it thrives offers many opportunities that can be utilized. The
agricultural policy of India has gradually shifted from espousing a production-centric approach to a more
holistic approach. This approach, in addition to focusing on increased productivity, factors in climatic
considerations, nutritional concerns, environmental impact and standard of living of the stakeholders. The
shortcomings of conventional products in relation to these considerations create a lacuna, which is being
leveraged to promote organic agriculture. The Government has sanctioned several schemes to incentivize
organic farming and many state governments are creating individual policies for the same. In addition to
the Government’s increasing interest in the sector, private sector actors too have expressed their interest
by increasing investments in the sector. In addition to this, the demand for organic products is increasing
steadily as is the level of interest that Indian farmers have expressed in making the shift to organic farming.
Despite the enabling environment created by a culmination of the aforementioned factors, there exist
several challenges for all the stakeholders involved at every stage of the value chain. Producers of organic
products are continually struggling to optimize the scale of their operations while maintaining profitability.
This is primarily because of the gaps in the regulatory framework for organic products in India. In addition
to the procedural challenges pertaining to certification and quality assurance, the increasing costs of
inputs and the elongated conversion period from conventional to organic farming are a few of the key
challenges faced by the producers, most of whom are small or marginal farmers. The processors of organic
food products on the other hand, face significant resistance in the form of lack of adequate post harvest
facilities for organic products. Several measures need to be taken in order to avoid contamination and
cross-contamination of the produce and the infrastructural capabilities of the country often prove to be
inadequate. The marketing of organic produce comes with its own set of challenges related to global
competitiveness and differences in global and national quality standards. Although there has been a marked
improvement in the level of awareness regarding organic products, many consumers are unaware of its
benefits thereby providing no incentives for increased supply and resulting in organic products being priced
higher than their conventional variants.
An analysis of the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats pertaining to the organic sector in
India calls for the development of a public-private partnership model that aids the sector in reaching its full
potential. A greater emphasis should be placed on the capacity building of stakeholders, easing access to
finance, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of all assets and processes as well as research and development
to help keep abreast with global progress in the sector. Additionally, there has emerged an urgent need for
infrastructural development and business climate reforms, reinvention of branding and marketing strategies
and entrepreneurship development.
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the organic market in India with the aim of identifying the
key areas of intervention. It situates the Indian organic sector in the broader context of the global organic
sector while identifying trends, key drivers of growth, challenges and opportunities. The paper also puts
forth various solutions to the problems identified and in keeping in mind the global and national objectives
of environmental protection, food security and sustainability.
References

  1. “Cultivating Changes,” IFOAM website, https://www.ifoam.bio/en/organic-landmarks/definition-organic-agriculture accessed 16 March 2018
  2. The World of Organic Agriculture Statistics and Emerging Trend 2018, FiBL and IFOAM – Organics International FIBL & IFOAM website https://shop.fibl.org/CHen/mwdownloads/download/link/id/1093/?ref=1 accessed on March 10. 2018
  3. APEDA. http://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/organic/Organic_Products.htm accesses on March 10, 2018
  4. India Organic Food Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020. August 2015. Tech Sci Research. https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-organicfood-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/449.html accesses on March 10, 2018
  5. Dilip Kr. Jha. India to treble export of organic products by 2020. Business Standard, April 27, 2017 website http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/india-to-treble-export-of-organic-porducts-by-2020-117042600455_1.html accesses on March 10, 2018

Agricultural issues and challenges in Andhra Pradesh during 2004 to 2014

https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/agricultural-issues-and-challenges-in-andhra-pradesh-during-2004-to-2014-118122900494_1.html

Download the paper
2014 White Paper on Agriculture Department
Continuous dependence on old varieties has pushed the farmers into a tough situation of stagnant yields and increasing cost, ultimately cutting into their income

N Chandrababu Naidu

Representative Image
 

During the decade of 2004 to 2014 the agriculture in united AP faced number of problems and farmers suffered due to declining crop yields, widening yield gaps in comparison with best yields in the country, increasing prices of agriculture inputs resulting in increased cost of cultivation and changes associated with climate variability.
Major problems noticed during this period were:
Cost of cultivation: The cost of cultivation registered steep increase in this period thus affecting the net income of the farmers. Due to low farm income, the financial condition of the farmers got worse leaving them in an unending cycle of indebtedness and adversity.
Inflation: Over the years the rate of inflation was 4.43 in 2005-06, 6.59 in 2006-07, 4.74 in 2007-08, 8.05 in 2008-09, 3.80 in 2009-10, 9.56 in 2010-11, 8.94 in 2011-12, 7.36 in 2012-13 and 5.98 in 2013-14. Consequently, the real income of the farmer has come down drastically due to increase in labour cost and inflationary pressures on prices of inputs and other consumer items which farmer buys.
Low and stagnant productivity: During this period the area and yield of crops like paddy, pulses remained stagnant and in oilseeds there was decline. The yield levels in comparison with other States, showed gaps in all crops except in maize. In crops like rice, redgram, groundnut, sunflower, castor the wide gap between the yield of AP State and the highest yielding State in the country was observed. Though there is possible potential for enhancement of productivity in the State and highlights the failure of Government initiated programmes including the research initiatives of the university.
Research efforts have not been successful in developing varieties which are viable in the field. Continuous dependence on old varieties has pushed the farmers into a tough situation of stagnant yields and increasing cost, ultimately cutting into their income.
Failure of extension system: Adarsha rythus were introduced in the year 2007 to provide interface between farmers and extension staff of agriculture and allied departments for dissemination of technology and other activities. There is no tangible contribution of Adarsha rythus in extension work, though the Government spent Rs.28 crores approximately every year. It is felt that most of the Adarsha rythus were non practicing farmers and were not qualified or not having requisite knowledge to sensitize the farmers.
Soil Health Management: Soil health management was not given due importance which resulted in land degradation and excess use of chemical fertilizers thereby disturbing the nutrient imbalance in the soil and crop growth. The saline and alkali soils where productivity and income to farmers was very low have not been addressed.
Indiscriminate use of fertilizers led to imbalance in soil fertility and increase in input cost resulting into not only non availability of micronutrients but also resulted in yield losses.
Fertilizer crisis in 2008-09 & price rise in DAP and other complexes: During 2008-09, timely action was not taken for indenting and positioning of fertilizers. The delay in supply of fertilizers like DAP and other complexes resulted in long queues of farmers at sale points causing unrest among the farming community and law and order problem.
In the years 2011-12 and 2012-13, there was steep rise in price of DAP (from Rs.485/- in 2009 to Rs.1193/- in 2013) and other complex fertilizers (Rs.362/- in 2008 to Rs. 1155/- in 2013) and as a result the cost of cultivation has gone up substantially.
Due to increase in the cost of complex fertilizers, the farmers opted for excessive use of urea which resulted in crisis of fertilizers and also in increase of cost cultivation.
Cloud seeding: Cloud seeding operations were conducted by the government from 2004 to 2009 at a cost of Rs. 127.10 crores in united state of Andhra Pradesh.
During 2005 and 2006 ten districts were covered in each year and from 2007 to 2009 twelve districts were covered in each year. Though the programme was intended to induce rain by using technology of cloud seeding there is no effective evidence to show that it really induced rains and benefitted the farmers.
Impact of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh state on newly formed Andhra Pradesh in agriculture sector:


Agricultural education, research and extension: In united Andhra Pradesh there is one Agricultural University, located in Hyderabad and presently it is in Telangana state. So, the important laboratories like DNA Finger Printing, Tissue culture, NMR Oil analysis are in Telangana state. Colleges and Research Stations, based on the location, are allotted to respective States.Department of Agriculture: The DNA finger printing & transgenic crops monitoring laboratory, Bio-pesticides quality control laboratory and pesticide residue testing laboratory are in Hyderabad and are allotted to Telangana State. No such facilities are available in A.P. The Apex agriculture training institute SAMETI is also allotted to Telangana state. It takes considerable time and expenditure to develop such facilities in A.P.
Seed industry: There are 969 private seed processing units in Telangana as against 309 in Andhra Pradesh. As a result, the capacity of seed processing facility and supply are affected adversely in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
The vision of the Government is to become:
One of the top three developed States in India by 2022, No.1 State in India by 2029 and one of the states with highest standard in the world by 2050.

Edited excerpts from the White Paper on Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh, issued by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on December 26 in Amaravati

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Meta