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Explore the Indian government's initiatives in promoting green agriculture in India, including organic farming, bio-fertilizers, and collaboration with major organic importing countries. Discover the drivers and constraining factors, and discuss strategies for further promoting the greening of agriculture in India.
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The Indian Government’s Role in Promotion of Green Agriculture in India Emerging Asia This links with WJEC A2 Geography Theme India. 1.2 How and why is the economy changing ? Changes in traditional agriculture
Increasing Investments: • As part of the 10th Five year Plan, the Government of India has aimed to promote organic agriculture in the country. • The main components of this initiative include farming of standards, negotiating with different countries and putting in place a system of certification for organic products.
Bio-fertilisers • Central Government is also promoting the production and use of bio-fertilizer to make it popular. • The Government has initiated a project “National Project on Development and Use of Bio fertilizers” for this purpose.
APEDA • Some of the efforts towards promotion of organic exports include attempts to collaborate with all the major organic importing countries. • APEDA is the nodal agency to promote the Indian organic agriculture and its exports opportunities.
The Greening of Indian Agriculture: • Towards this APEDA is deliberating with European Union for inclusion of India in the list of Third World countries • Some of the drivers that facilitate growth of organic agriculture in India are • Growing export market for organically produced crops • Price premium for organically produced agriculture products from10% to 100%
Factors driving organic farming • Diverse agro-climate regions across the country that provides environment for wide range of crops that can cater to different market demands. • Increasing awareness & health consciousness especially among certain sectors of domestic consumers. • Availability of comparatively cheap labour for labour-intensive organic agriculture • Huge numbers of small farmers, those who do the traditional farming have very limited capacity to pay for most of the chemical inputs into agriculture • Presence of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) as active promoters of organic farming in different agro-climatic regions
Factors driving organic farming • Increasing involvement of private companies in field of agricultural extension, trade, consultation and other services • Enhanced government attention and support for organic agriculture through various policy initiations and action programs.
Constraining factorsProducers’/Distributors’/Traders’ point of view: • Lack of proper infrastructure for distribution and conservation of bio-inputs is a major constraint that hinders the access of these inputs to farmers. • Some climatic regions and soil conditions are not suitable for specific strains of organic production.
Constraining factorsFarmers’ point of view: • Given the mandated period of around three years for a conventional farm to become an organic farm, the benefits perceived by farmers tend to be limited as they have a short term orientation. • As a result even if they are aware, they are hesitant to switch over to organic (green) agricultural practices.
The government perspective • Changing the cropping and cultivation patterns is slow and time-consuming process. • Given the high levels of illiteracy and large number of small and marginal farmers it makes the change process difficult. • Subsidies on chemical fertilizers and pesticide impede the growth of organic agriculture.
Discussion points • What arguments are there in favour of organic agriculture in India? • What vested interests would oppose the growth of organic agricultures and why? • What strategies could be employed to further promote the greening of agriculture in India?