DM2

GS-3 Mains Module by Dr.
Shivin Chaudhary Click Here to Learn More

GS-3 Mains Module by Dr. Shivin Chaudhary Click Here to Learn More
Agriculture Input
YEAR QUESTION MARKS
Land and Land Reforms
Establish the relationship between land reform, agriculture

2013 productivity and elimination of poverty in the Indian Economy. 12.5
Discussion the difficulty in designing and implementation of the
agriculture friendly land reforms in India.
2016 Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. 12.5

Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land
reforms in India
2021 How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to 10
improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small
farmers?
Water
2013 What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation 12.5

in increasing the water use efficiency.
2019 Elaborate on the impact of the National Watershed Project in 10

increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.
2020 Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation 15

system to make its judicious use under depleting scenarios.
2021 How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving 10

India’s water crisis?
Facts Related to Agricultural Inputs
Land
Size of Landholding
Water
“Composite Water ● India ranks 120 amongst 122 countries on the Water Quality
Management Index” Index, with nearly 70% of water being contaminated.
(Niti Aayog)
UN’s report on ● India achieved only 56.6 per cent of the target by 2019.
Sustainable
Development Goal-6
(SDG-6) on “Clean
water and sanitation
for all by 2030”
Water stress ● India is identified as a water stressed country with its per
capita water availability declining from 5,178 cubic metre
(m3)/year in 1951 to 1,544 m3 in 2011 — this is likely to go
down further to 1,140 cubic metre by 2050.
Agriculture and Water ● Agriculture accounts for more than 80% of water
Use consumption, out of which share of groundwater is quite high
(60%).
● 52% of the area is rain-fed wherein yield is almost 3 times
lower.
Case Studies
Total Rice Campaign/ ● Soil health improvement : Adopting scientific

Sampoorna Nellu techniques which yielded bumper crop
Krishi, Kannur ● Each group given a block of land on lease to cultivate
district, Kerala ● Clear SOP given with farming calendar and coordination
protocol
● Machinery hired and supplied to FPO
● FPO procured paddy and made rice under brand name
“Samruddhi”, removing any intermediaries.
● Resulted in : Better soil health, Increase in rice farmers,
Economies of scale and better remuneration.
24 X 7 metered ● Piped water from ground or canals with mobile water

water, Punjab testing kits to ensure quality.
● Saving water : Metering and billing.
● Large Savings in villages’s Operations and Maintenance
accounts covered using water tariffs
Community based ● Demand side groundwater management

water management, ● Farmer water schools for training, hydrological monitoring
Andhra Pradesh centres
● Annual participatory decision making on water budgeting
and best practices of mulching, bunding, water saving
devices etc.
Mission Kakatiya, ● Restoring minor irrigation sources like ponds, tanks etc
Telangana ● Increased water storage, moisture retention of soil, and
reduced fertiliser usage.
Bhungroo ● Injects and stores rainwater

(Groundwater ● Reduced groundwater salinity
injection well),
Gujarat
Root Zone Watering ● Placing a customised clay pot having micro-tubes to

by SWAR (System of dispense water from sand pouches to slow down water
water for Agricultural usage, buried near the root and supplying water from
Revolution), overhead tanks
Hyderabad
Narmada (Sanchore) ● Encouraged sprinkler, drip irrigation, bio drainage, salinity

, Rajasthan resistant crops.
● Participatory irrigation management, Water user
associations with community participation.
Pani Panchayat, ● Community participation for equitable water distribution,

Odisha irrigation system maintenance, water budgeting and
conservation etc.
Traditional water ● Ahar pyne (Bihar) : Rectangular embankment on all

conservation sides of land (Ahar), and irrigation channels (Pyne).
systems ● Phad (Maharashtra) : Phad is a piece of land used for
community managed irrigation and receives water from
check dams (Bhandara).
● Johads (UP, Rajasthan, Haryana) : Mud barriers across
slope contour to arrest flowing rainwater.
● Bamboo drip irrigation (Meghalaya) : Bamboo used to
bring water from springs as rocky terrain prevents
channel digging.
● Aptani tribe (Arunachal) : Wet rice cultivation cum fish
farming by storing rainwater and surface water in
temporary mud walls.
Watershed ● Dhara Vikas (Sikkim) : Spring shed development for

Management water security, spring revival in drought prone districts,
restricting rainwater runoff.
● Hiware Bazar(Maharashtra): Artificial recharge
structure, hill top contouring, water distribution channels.
Complete ban on grazing and tree felling etc.
● Artificial glaciers (Ladakh) : Canals to divert glacial
streams to small shaded catchment area to keep water
frozen with ice retaining walls on the sides in series to
store the frozen water.
Integrated pest ● Female Pheromone traps against male pink bollworms.

management,
Maharashtra
Nitrous oxide ● 4R Nutrient stewardship plan

emission reduction ● Right source, Right Rate, Right time and Right Place
protocol (NREP), ● Reduced GHG emission by 25% and earned carbon
Canada credits.
Waste to fertiliser, ● Using an invasive shrub (Eupatorium aka the forest killer)
Nepal as a nutrient carrier by carbonising it along with other
crop residue using low cost Kon-Tiki style kilns.
● Urine pits for livestock and human urine and combining it
with biochar.
● Using charred animal bones to add phosphorus.
● Reduced input costs, improved yield and carbon
sequestration.
Data on Fertilisers ● India consumes 55 million metric ton (mmt) of fertilisers

annually, of which nearly 30% is imported.
● Urea is the most produced (86%), the most consumed
(74% share), and the most imported (52%) fertiliser in
India.
● Indian fertiliser market is projected to register a CAGR of
11.9% during the forecast period 2022-2027.
● Fertiliser accounts for large fiscal subsidies (about 0.73
lakh crore or 0.5 percent of GDP), the second-highest
after food subsidy.
Government Schemes
Water Trading ● NITI Aayog - draft policy regarding trading in water

(buying, selling or leasing water access rights) on
commodity exchanges like gold, silver and crude oil.
● Demand supply reflected in prices.
● Already practised in Australia, Chile, USA etc.
● In 2020, the first tradable water price futures index was
launched on Chicago Stock Exchange.
Pradhan Mantri ● Improve the availability of water on farms and increase

Krishi Sinchayee the cultivable land area with assured irrigation by utilising
Yojana (PMKSY) the Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) and Micro Irrigation
Fund (MIF) established in collaboration with NABARD.
● 4 Components:
○ Per Drop More Crop (PDMC):Ministry of
Agriculture
○ On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component
of Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme
(AIBP) : Ministry of Jal Shakti
○ Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): Ministry of Jal Shakti
○ Integrated Watershed Management Programme
(IWMP): MoRD
National Mission For ● Promoting climate-resilient agriculture in India by

Sustainable implementing appropriate adaptation and mitigation
Agriculture (NMSA) measures in both crop farming and animal husbandry
(Component of sectors.
NAPCC) ● ICT will be deployed extensively for effective monitoring
● Components:
○ 50% allocation for women
○ 16% in proportion to SC population and 8% in
proportion to ST population.
○ Rainfed Area Development (RAD): To promote
Integrated Farming System (IFS) with emphasis
on multi cropping, rotational cropping, inter
cropping, mix cropping.
○ Soil Health Management (SHM): To promote
location as well as crop specific sustainable soil
health management, creating and linking soil
fertility maps.
Introduction:
The Dalwai Panel suggests that in order to double farmers' income, agriculture should be
approached as a business enterprise, with emphasis on three key aspects: reducing input
costs, enhancing productivity, and securing higher prices. It is important to efficiently utilize
agricultural inputs to achieve two main objectives: increasing income and promoting
sustainable agricultural practices.
Land as an Input
Land Reforms
Land reforms refer to a set of policies and measures aimed at addressing issues related to
land ownership, tenancy, distribution, and land use. Land reforms typically aim to achieve
equitable access to land, enhance agricultural productivity, alleviate rural poverty, and
promote social justice. In the context of India, land reforms have been a crucial aspect of
agrarian reforms since independence.
Legal Framework for Land Reforms
While recognizing the need to bring about land reforms in the country, the Constitution of India
provided under Article 39 that:
a) The ownership and control of the material resources of the country should be so
distributed as best to serve the common good; and
b) The operation of the economic system should not result in a concentration of wealth
or a means to production to the common detriment.
Land reform in India is primarily the responsibility of individual states, with the central
government providing policy guidelines. However, the implementation and success of land
reform initiatives have varied across states. While some states have made significant
progress, land reform remains incomplete in most states. The nature of land reform legislation,
political will, and institutional support differ among states, leading to varying degrees of
effectiveness in implementing land reform.
sccases and constitutional amendments- st, 17th, 44th

Many
Discussion in class:Need
Reforms
land
of
↳ NLRMP
↳ Forest
act.
Rightsand raising
in
Water as an input
Central Schemes
Pradhan Mantri Components:

Krishi ● Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
Sinchayee Yojana ● On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of
(PMKSY) Accelerated
● Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)
● Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP)
● Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
Rainfed Area ● A sub-scheme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

Development (RKVY) to ensure agricultural growth in rainfed areas.
Programme (RADP) ● It focuses on Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) to increase
productivity while reducing risks associated with climatic
variability.
State led Initiatives
Mission Kakatiya Launched in 2014, this program focuses on the restoration and
(Telangana) rejuvenation of tanks and other minor irrigation sources. It aims to
enhance water storage capacity and improve the groundwater table,
benefiting farmers across the state.
Neeru Chettu This initiative aims to improve groundwater levels and increase
(Andhra Pradesh) agricultural productivity by promoting the construction of check
dams, percolation tanks, and farm ponds. It emphasizes rainwater
harvesting and watershed management practices.
Jalyukt Shivar This initiative promotes water conservation and management by

Abhiyan constructing farm ponds, percolation tanks, and check dams. It aims
(Maharashtra) to make Maharashtra drought-free by recharging groundwater and
improving irrigation facilities.
Krishi Bhagya This scheme, initiated in 2014, aims to enhance irrigation coverage
(Karnataka) and improve water use efficiency in agriculture. It promotes the
adoption of micro-irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, and
watershed management techniques.
Micro-Irrigation
According to the Dalwai Panel, Micro-Irrigation can lead to 40% Water Savings, 45%
increase in productivity and 50% increase in income.
Way Forward:
● Expansion of Irrigation Coverage: Increase the annual coverage of irrigated areas

by 2.5 million hectares (Mha) by promoting the adoption of various irrigation
methods, including micro-irrigation. This would involve making micro-irrigation
mandatory for all forms of irrigation, such as flow irrigation, lift irrigation, and ponds.
● Farmer Education: Launch awareness campaigns and training programs to educate
farmers about the benefits of micro-irrigation. Highlight the advantages of water
conservation, increased crop productivity, and cost savings associated with the use
of micro-irrigation systems.
● Mandatory Micro-Irrigation for Water-Intensive Crops: Follow the example of
certain states in India that have made the usage of micro-irrigation systems
compulsory for water-intensive crops like sugarcane. Consider implementing this
initiative at the national level and expand its scope to include other water-intensive
crops.
● Special Loan Schemes: Introduce special loan schemes specifically targeted at
small and marginal farmers to facilitate their adoption of micro-irrigation technologies.
Provide financial support and incentives to make the investment in micro-irrigation
systems more affordable and accessible for these farmers.
Fertilizer as an input
Issues with Fertilizers as an input:
● Imbalanced Use of Fertilisers: Fertilizer consumption is grossly imbalanced, and

skewed towards N. With implementation of nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) by keeping
urea (Source of N) out of ambit of NBS, P and K fertilizers became costlier leading to
their decreased consumption and higher consumption of Urea. As a result, fertilizer
consumption ratio (N:P:K) widened from 4:3:1 (2009-10) to 7:3:1 (2015-16).
● Imbalance in Price of Fertilisers: The high subsidy on urea and DAP makes them
much cheaper for farmers relative to other fertilisers. While urea is retailing at a
fourth of the price of packed common salt, DAP has also become far cheaper than
other fertilizers. The prices of the other fertilizers which were decontrolled have gone
up which has led the farmers to use more urea and DAP than before.
● Nutrient Imbalance: Urea and DAP contain more than 30% of any single nutrient.
Urea has 46% N, while DAP has 46% P and also 18% N. The resulting nutrient
imbalance owing to their use, disproportionate to other, more expensive fertilisers,
could have implications for soil health, ultimately affecting crop yields.
● Damage to Fiscal Health: Fertiliser subsidies are damaging the fiscal health of the
economy.
● Misuse of subsidy: Subsidized urea is getting diverted to bulk buyers/traders or

even non-agricultural users such as plywood and animal feed makers. It is being
smuggled to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal.
Initiatives for Fertiliser Management
Soil Health Card It is an initiative launched by the Government of India to assess

and monitor the health of agricultural soils across the country. It
aims to provide farmers with information about the nutrient
content, pH levels, and other important parameters of their soil,
enabling them to make informed decisions regarding appropriate
fertilizer application and crop management practices.
Neem Coating of Urea All domestic urea producers are required by the Department of
Fertilizers (DoF) to produce 100% urea as Neem Coated Urea
(NCU).
New Urea Policy (NUP) The policy aims to achieve the following objectives:
2015 ● Maximizing indigenous urea production.
● Promoting energy efficiency in urea units.
● Rationalizing the subsidy burden on the Government of
India.
Policy on Promotion of The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) approved a policy in 2016 to

City Compost promote city compost. It grants Market Development Assistance of
Rs. 1500/- to scale up production and consumption of city
compost. Compost manufacturers have been allowed to sell city
compost in bulk directly to farmers to increase sales volumes.
Fertilizer companies marketing city compost are covered under the
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for Fertilizers.
Use of Space The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) commissioned a three-year

Technology in Pilot Study on "Resource Mapping of Rock Phosphate using
Fertilizer Sector Reflectance Spectroscopy and Earth Observations Data" in
collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre under
ISRO, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), and the Atomic
Mineral Directorate (AMD). This study aims to utilize space
technology to map and identify rock phosphate resources
efficiently.
One Nation One Launched by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers as Pradhan
Fertiliser (ONOF) Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana - One Nation One
Fertiliser scheme.
About:
Marketing fertilisers in the country under ‘Bharat’ brand name for

all subsidised soil nutrients - urea, di-ammonium phosphate
(DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), and NPK.
Applicable to all fertiliser companies, State Trading Entities (STEs)

and Fertiliser Marketing Entities (FMEs).
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Develop more than 3.25 lakh fertiliser shops across the country as
Samruddhi Kendras PM-KSK under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers.
(PM-KSK)
E-Tech in the aid of farmers
Dimensions that might be asked:

● Benefits and challenges to adoption.
● Usages of upcoming technologies in agriculture.
YEAR QUESTION MARKS
2015 How can the ‘Digital India’ programme help farmers to improve 12.5
farm productivity and income? What steps has the Government
taken in this regard?
Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture

2017 after Independence in India. How have these revolutions helped 10
in poverty alleviation and food security in India?
2019 How can biotechnology improve the living standards of farmers? 15
2021 What are the present challenges before crop diversification? 15

How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop
diversification?
Facts related to E tech in the aid of farmers
Agri tech penetration NASSCOM estimates only 2% of Indian farmers

use apps in the field.
Growth of internet access in rural 13% growth

areas
Smartphone usage in rural areas 67.6 %
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI ● 1% agritech penetration in India

Aayog, and the United Nations ● 40% farm mechanisation as compared to
Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) US (95%), Brazil (75%) and China (57%)
have jointly launched a whitepaper
aimed at making India a global leader
in Agri-Tech innovation
Case studies
Mobile App to ● Employees to mark attendance and apply for leaves -

connect agri helped improve attendance by 60%
markets, Punjab ● Farmers can book stall online for Apni Mandi (Weekly
fruits and vegetable market)
● Daily/Weekly rates displayed
Scientific Sericulture ● Increase Mizoram’s Silk production.

● Provides ICT based information and advisory services
systems for farmers.
Government Schemes
E-Krishi Samvad ● Offering an online platform that enables farmers and

other stakeholders to directly connect with ICAR (Indian
Council of Agricultural Research) to seek effective
solutions for their problems.
● Users can also upload photographs of crop diseases,
animals, or fishes for instant diagnosis and remedial
measures from specialists.
● The specialists will provide appropriate solutions through
SMS or the web interface.
FARMS-app (Farm ● Help individual farmers, rent agricultural machinery &

Machinery Solutions- equipment and also facilitate sell and purchase of old
app) agriculture machinery.
Meghdoot app ● Provide location, crop and livestock-specific weather-

based agro advisories to farmers in local languages.
Centralised Farm ● Enhancing the quality of services provided by farm

Machinery machinery testing institutions and promoting
Performance Testing transparency in the entire process of testing and
Portal evaluating machines.
● Facilitating manufacturers in a seamless application,
communication, and monitoring of the testing progress for
their machines.
e-Rashtriya Kisan ● A collaborative effort between MSTC Ltd. (a Mini Ratna

Agri Mandi (e- PSU under the Ministry of Steel) and Central Railside
RAKAM) Warehousing Company, with the objective of establishing
an auction platform to ensure that farmers receive fair
prices for their produce and are not exploited by
intermediaries.
Definition:
● E-technology stands for Electronic Technology. E-technology, in broad terms,
encompasses the Internet and other interconnected information technologies.
Benefits of usages of E tech to the farmers:
Technologies and government initiatives in the direction:
Upcoming technologies in the aid of farmers:
Way Forward

DM2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

DM2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GS-3 Mains Module by Dr.

Shivin Chaudhary Click Here to Learn More

YEAR QUESTION MARKS

Land and Land Reforms

Establish the relationship between land reform, agriculture

2016 Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. 12.5

2013 What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation 12.5

2019 Elaborate on the impact of the National Watershed Project in 10

2020 Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation 15

2021 How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving 10

Total Rice Campaign/ ● Soil health improvement : Adopting scientific

24 X 7 metered ● Piped water from ground or canals with mobile water

Community based ● Demand side groundwater management

Bhungroo ● Injects and stores rainwater

Root Zone Watering ● Placing a customised clay pot having micro-tubes to

Narmada (Sanchore) ● Encouraged sprinkler, drip irrigation, bio drainage, salinity

Pani Panchayat, ● Community participation for equitable water distribution,

Traditional water ● Ahar pyne (Bihar) : Rectangular embankment on all

Watershed ● Dhara Vikas (Sikkim) : Spring shed development for

Integrated pest ● Female Pheromone traps against male pink bollworms.

Nitrous oxide ● 4R Nutrient stewardship plan

Data on Fertilisers ● India consumes 55 million metric ton (mmt) of fertilisers

Water Trading ● NITI Aayog - draft policy regarding trading in water

Pradhan Mantri ● Improve the availability of water on farms and increase

National Mission For ● Promoting climate-resilient agriculture in India by

Legal Framework for Land Reforms

sccases and constitutional amendments- st, 17th, 44th

Pradhan Mantri Components:

Rainfed Area ● A sub-scheme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

State led Initiatives

Jalyukt Shivar This initiative promotes water conservation and management by

● Expansion of Irrigation Coverage: Increase the annual coverage of irrigated areas

Issues with Fertilizers as an input:

● Imbalanced Use of Fertilisers: Fertilizer consumption is grossly imbalanced, and

● Misuse of subsidy: Subsidized urea is getting diverted to bulk buyers/traders or

Soil Health Card It is an initiative launched by the Government of India to assess

Policy on Promotion of The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) approved a policy in 2016 to

Use of Space The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) commissioned a three-year

Marketing fertilisers in the country under ‘Bharat’ brand name for

Applicable to all fertiliser companies, State Trading Entities (STEs)

Dimensions that might be asked:

YEAR QUESTION MARKS

Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture

2019 How can biotechnology improve the living standards of farmers? 15

2021 What are the present challenges before crop diversification? 15

Facts related to E tech in the aid of farmers

Agri tech penetration NASSCOM estimates only 2% of Indian farmers

Growth of internet access in rural 13% growth

Smartphone usage in rural areas 67.6 %

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI ● 1% agritech penetration in India

Mobile App to ● Employees to mark attendance and apply for leaves -

Scientific Sericulture ● Increase Mizoram’s Silk production.

E-Krishi Samvad ● Offering an online platform that enables farmers and

FARMS-app (Farm ● Help individual farmers, rent agricultural machinery &

Meghdoot app ● Provide location, crop and livestock-specific weather-

Centralised Farm ● Enhancing the quality of services provided by farm

e-Rashtriya Kisan ● A collaborative effort between MSTC Ltd. (a Mini Ratna

Benefits of usages of E tech to the farmers:

You might also like