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CAT EGORY ARCHIVES: GS – AGRICUL T URE

Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems

storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid

of farmers

Agriculture climate change impact -kurukshetra june 2013notesPosted on June 20, 2013 by admin

Following is the pdf link of notes

kurukshetra june 2013

Following things are covered

Impact of climate change on agriculture

1. Mitigation and adaptation measures to be taken.

Important govt schemes and programs to promote dev of agriculture

1. Way forward- what else govt need to do

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Budget 2013 -AgriculturePosted on March 13, 2013 by admin

Food sector as a whole has also been supported with higher provision for food

subsidies, market intervention and imports. These will help in attaining food security for

all and containing food inflation.

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The following are the major provisions relating to agriculture and food sector in the

budget:

Agriculture Ministry gets 27,049 crore, an increase of 22 percent over the

Revised Estimates (RE) of the current year.

Plan outlay for agriculture has been raised considerably: total Plan outlay for

Agriculture Ministry: 17095 crore (2012-13 RE: 13787 cr); out of this, for

agricultural research: 3,415 crore (2012-13 RE: 2520 cr).

Agricultural credit target has been fixed at 700,000 crore.. The target was 575,000

crore for 2012-13, which is likely to be exceeded.

The interest subvention scheme for short-term crop loans will be continued next

year also. A farmer who repays the loan on time will be able to get credit at 4

percent per annum.

The interest subvention scheme has so far been applied to loans given by public

sector banks, RRBs and cooperative banks. This is being extended to crop loans

borrowed from private sector scheduled commercial banks for loans given within

the service area of the branch concerned.

Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) has been a remarkable

success. Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal have increased their

contribution to rice production. The scheme is being continued, with an allocation

of 1000 crore in 2013-14.

The original Green Revolution States face the problem of stagnating yields and

over-exploitation of water resources. The answer lies in crop diversification. 500

crore has been allocated in the Budget for a programme of crop diversification that

would promote technological innovation and encourage farmers to choose crop

alternatives.

The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana is intended to mobilise higher investment in

agriculture. 9,954 crore is being allocated to this scheme.

The National Food Security Mission, a scheme intended to bridge yield gaps of

major crops, has been provided `2,250 crore.

The allocation for the integrated watershed programme has been raised from

3,050 crore in 2012-13 (BE) to 5,387 crore. This will help small and marginal

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farmers who are vulnerable everywhere especially in drought prone and

ecologically-stressed regions. Watershed management techniques help in improving

productivity of land and water use.

·On suggestion from eminent agricultural scientists, a pilot programme is to be

started on Nutri-Farms for introducing new crop varieties that are rich in micro-

nutrients such as iron-rich bajra, protein-rich maize and zinc-rich wheat. `200 crore

has been allocated to start the pilots. Ministry of Agriculture will formulate a

scheme on this. It is hoped that agri businesses and farmers will come together to

start pilots in the districts most affected by malnutrition.

The National Institute of Biotic Stress Management for addressing plant

protection issues will be established at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The Indian Institute

of Agricultural Bio-technology will be established at Ranchi, Jharkhand and will

serve as a centre of excellence in agricultural bio-technology.

Besides, a Credit Guarantee Fund will also be created in the Small Farmers’ Agri

Business Corporation with an initial corpus of 100 crore. Finance Minister has

urged State Governments to support such FPOs through necessary amendments to

the APMC Act and in other ways.

The National Livestock Mission will be launched in 2013-14 to attract

investment and to enhance productivity of livestock, taking into account local agro-

climatic conditions. 307 crore have been provided for the Mission. There will be a

sub Mission in NLM for increasing the availability of feed and fodder.

SUBSIDIES

A sum of 10,000 crore has been kept for the National Food Security Act. The

Government hopes that the Bill for this will be passed by Parliament as early as

possible. This allocation is over and above the normal provision for food subsidy,

towards the incremental cost that is likely under the Act.

90,000 crore have been provided for food subsidy [including expenditure likely on

implementation of the Food Security Act] as against 2012-13 RE of 85,000 crore.

The subsidy is used in TPDS operations and foodgrain procurement. In addition,

provisions have been made for subsidy on import of pulses (250 crore) and edible

oils (318.34 crore).

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Other subsidies that will benefit the agricultural sector directly or indirectly are:

fertilizer subsidy: 65,971.5 crore; interest subvention on farm credit: 6,000 crore;

price support by Jute and Cotton Corporations: 255 crore.

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Agricultural Biosecurity AuthorityPosted on March 13, 2013 by admin

Agricultural Biosecurity Authority

Bill Introduced in the Lok Sabha for Setting up Agricultural Biosecurity Authority

Agriculture and FPI Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha

March 2013 to provide for establishment of an Authority for prevention, control,

eradication and management of pests and diseases of plants and animals and unwanted

organisms.

The proposed legislation will

ensure agricultural biosecurity of the country for common benefit and for

safeguarding the agricultural economy.

It will also meet international obligations of India for facilitating imports and

exports of plants, plant products, animals, animal products, aquatic organisms and

regulation of agriculturally important micro organisms.

The Bill seeks to bring together the plant, animal and marine protection and

quarantine set ups under a high powered body – an Authority – with adequate

powers. The Authority’s mandate will cover the four sectors of agricultural

biosecurity, viz. plant health, animal health, living aquatic resources (fisheries, etc.)

and agriculturally important micro-organisms.

Why the need for a common authority on agricultural biosecurity?

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The liberalisation of global trade in agriculture has opened new avenues for growth and

diversification of agriculture, but it has also brought in many challenges. There is an

increased risk of introduction of exotic pests and weeds in the country with the potential

to cause serious economic losses. Advances in genetic engineering leading to the

introduction and release of living modified organisms or their products (e.g. genetically

modified organisms) require proper risk assessment and management. Climate change

has the potential to alter the habitat of known pests and even cause introduction of new

pests. We have to contend with the ever increasing threat of bio-terrorism. The

emergence and spread of transboundary diseases such as the avian influenza and the

Ug-99 wheat stem rust fungus(Race Ug99 of the fungus Puccinia graminis tritici that

causes stem or black rust disease on wheat was first detected in Uganda in 1998. ) pose

new threats to human, animal and plant safety.

A number of plant diseases, animal diseases, marine diseases and pests have been

introduced into India through import of seeds, planting material, livestock and livestock

products previously. Many of them, including weeds such as Parthenium, Phalaris

minor and Lanatana camara, have got established in the country and continue to cause

enormous economic losses every year.

Over the years, systems have been developed and put in place separately for protection

of plant, animal and marine health. The existing systems including infrastructure for

agricultural biosecurity of the country need major changes to meet the emerging

challenges which have highlighted agricultural biosecurity as an urgent issue requiring

policies and technological capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to such threats.

An integrated approach towards agricultural biosecurity would not only increase the

national capacity to protect human health, agricultural production and livelihood,

safeguard the environment, and protect against uncertain technologies and products, but

also equip the country to meet obligations under international trade and sanitary and

phytosanitary agreements in food and agricultural products.

In a harmonised and integrated system, various authorities would work together

towards the common goal of agricultural biosecurity utilising expertise from various

organisations under the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Defence,

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Environment and Forests, Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Rural

Development, and Science and Technology. An autonomous Authority would be

required for administering biosecurity. Such an authority would improve safety,

efficiency, transparency and compliance of quarantine and pest management regulations

and respond swiftly to contain emergent biosecurity problems. It will also ensure

conduct of biosecure international trade in agriculture.

Ug-99 wheat stem rust fungus

Ug99 is a lineage of wheat stem rust , which is present in wheat fields in several

countries in Africa and the Middle East and is predicted to spread rapidly through these

regions and possibly further afield, potentially causing a wheat production disaster that

would affect food security worldwide. It can cause up to 100% crop losses and is

virulent against many resistance genes which have previously protected wheat against

stem rust.

Race Ug99 of the fungus Puccinia graminis tritici that causes stem or black rust disease

on wheat was first detected in Uganda in 1998.

Virulent:

Virulence is the degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of parasites as

indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability of the organism to invade the tissues of

the host. The pathogenicity of an organism – its ability to cause disease – is determined

by its virulence factors.

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Agricultural Credit GrowthPosted on March 13, 2013 by admin

Agricultural credit growth

The agriculture credit flow during the year 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 was Rs.

3,84,514 crore, Rs.4,68,291 crore and Rs. 5,11,029 crore respectively. The budgeted

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amount is increased to 700000 crore in 2013-14 budget. During this period credit flow

to small and marginal farmers was Rs. 1,22,654 crore, Rs. 1,67,739 crore and Rs.

2,27,835 crore respectively which is 32%, 36% and 45% of the total loan disbursed to

the farmers during these years.

The Government has taken several measures to improve credit flow to small and

marginal farmers. These measures, inter alia, includes fixation of annual targets for

improving agricultural credit flow, provision of crop loans upto Rs. 3.00 lakh @ 4% per

annum to such farmers who repay their loan as per the repayment schedule fixed by the

banks, extention of benefit of interest subvention scheme to small & marginal farmers

having Kisan Credit Card for a further period upto six months for storing their produce

in warehouses against negotiable warehouse receipts, collateral free loan upto Rs. 1.00

lakh, implementation of revival package for short term cooperative credit structure in

the country etc.

The Government provides financial incentives, grants, concessions to the farmers with

special emphasis on holdings of small and marginal farmers through various Schemes

such as National Food Security Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Revised Macro

Management of Agriculture, Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and

Maize (ISOPOM), Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for

Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds, etc.

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