Question

What are main problems of Indian Agriculture?

Answer 1

Indian agriculture is plagued by several problems; some of them are natural and some others are manmade.
1. Small and fragmented land-holdings:

The seemingly abundance of net sown area of 141.2 million hectares and total cropped area of 189.7 million hectares (1999-2000) pales into insignificance when we see that it is divided into economically unviable small and scattered holdings.


2. Seeds:

Seed is a critical and basic input for attaining higher crop yields and sustained growth in agricultural production. Distribution of assured quality seed is as critical as the production of such seeds. Unfortunately, good quality seeds are out of reach of the majority of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers mainly because of exorbitant prices of better seeds.

3. Manures, Fertilizers and Biocides:

Indian soils have been used for growing crops over thousands of years without caring much for replenishing. This has led to depletion and exhaustion of soils resulting in their low productivity. The average yields of almost all the crops are among t e lowest in the world. This is a serious problem which can be solved by using more manures and fertilizers.

Answer 2

Explanation:

The agricultural sector in India faces several challenges; first, the industry has experienced a low growth where most farmers depend on the weather while 45% use irrigation. Other problems include environmental and land degradation through which there has been unsustainable usage of water and soil. Besides this, climate changes such as droughts, erratic rains, and floods have significantly impacted rain-fed areas where agriculture practices. In addition to this, when it comes to the market, farmers often faced instability of prices for their products, which results in imperfect markets. Lastly, there has also been a lack of credit and demand as a result of the inadequacy of institutions.