Observations on

Comprehensive District Agricultural Plan of

Visakhapatnam District

Dr. P. Chandra Shekara

Director, MANAGE
 Salient Features of
Visakhapatnam District
 Total Area: 11,161 Sq Kms
 Population: 38.32 Lakhs
 Urban population: 39.9 %
 Number of villages: 3294
 Scheduled caste: 7.82%
 Scheduled tribe: 14.55%
 Annual rainfall: 1202 mm
 Irrigated area: 26.7% of gross cropped area
 Salient Features of
Visakhapatnam District
 Soil: Red loamy (69.9%)
 Av. size of land holding: 0.91 Ha.
 Major crops: rice, sugar cane, maize, ragi, jowar,
bajra, mango, banana, cashew nut, coconut, ginger,
turmeric, sericulture
 Sub sectors: Dairy, fishery
 Contribution of agriculture & allied sectors to district
GDP: 9-14%
 Summary of CDAP
Sl. Present Anticipated Investment
No Sector growth rate growth rate required
(%) (%) (lakhs)

1 Agriculture 06.0 5.43 16339

2 Animal husbandry 14.0 6.62 4184
3 Fishery 07.4 7.20 357
4 Horticulture 6.05 5707
5 Sericulture 5.12 233
6 Marketing 5199
7 SERP 1465
Average 9.94 5.92 33483
 Vision & Strategy Formulation
 Vision statement has to be formulated by planning units such
as DAPU, BAPU/ TAPU, VAPU’s in consultation with PRI’s.
There is no indication of constitution of planning units
 There is no mention about capacity building of planning
units/department officials
 Plan plus software was not used
 Primary data collected by BTT was considered
 Secondary data was collected from mandal parishad level
 Agro-ecological situations and yield gaps were super imposed
on mandal parishads to formulate the vision
 Sector wise achievements during the last 5 years available
 Information Needs & Analysis

 Economic indices were compiled, infrastructural gaps worked

out, important core sectors identified & SWOT analysis done
 Information was collected and analysed to give clear picture on
villages, population, administrative divisions, agrarian structure,
farming situation, rainfall, land utilization, land holdings,
irrigation and ground water, district income and growth rate
 The document says that broad vision & strategy have been
developed at the state level i.e., to accelerate the production of
different commodities mainly through improvements in
productivity
 Production strategies were planned for different sub-sectors
and investment requirements were estimated
 SWOT Analysis-Observations

 District has lot of potential for the growth of agricultural

and allied enterprises
 High minimum support price of Paddy
 High price for Sugarcane & Maize
 Favourable environment for major crops
 Presence of research stations
 Problem of soil salinity
 Labour scarcity
 Emergence of contract farming in seed production and broiler
production

 Scope for sericulture

 Proximity to market

 40% population in urban areas

 Adequate rainfall

 Progressive nature of farmers

 Discussion on the Vision

Providing information on vision to all Panchayats/

villages, ensuring discussion in their meetings and
provide clarifications if necessary – this exercise
seems to be not carried out
 Preparation of Panchayat/
Village Plan

 This stage involves collection of data/information,

discussion in gram- sabhas, development of options to
each sector, locating the resources and matching the
resources with needs

 Even though consultation was limited, using the

primary & secondary data provided by BTT, Mandal
Parishad onwards plans were made for each sector
 Integration of Panchayat/Village
Plans into Taluk/Block Plans

 Sector wise Mandal Parishad plans were

integrated into Block level plans

 Inter Mandal Parishad projects were identified

 Integration of Block Plans into
District Plans

 Sector wise aggregation

 Identification of inter block projects
 Identification of critical areas
 Preparation of district level plan
 Important Technology Gaps in
Agriculture

 Problematic soils & poor soil health

 Non availability of quality seed
 Nutrient deficiencies
 Improper fertilizer use and plant protection
 Lack of mechanization
 Inadequate extension
 Inadequate Extension

 Increase graduate AO’s

 Adarsha Rythus
 Strengthening of farmers organisations
 Support to PPP
 Increase training programs
 Interventions in Agriculture
 Supply of green manure seeds
 Application of Gypsum & supply of Zinc sulphate
 Supply of farm equipments
 Establishment of custom hiring centers
 Supply of sprinkler sets
 Supporting FFS
 Appointing AO’s
 Promoting Adarsha Rythu
 HRD through training
 Major Gaps in Horticulture

 Less area under Horticulture

 Lack of quality plant material
 Poor post harvest management
 Improper use of PP equipment
 Lack of IPM & INM
 Inadequate extension
 Inefficient water management
 Similar Approach for AH, Sericulture & Fisheries
 Ongoing state & central government programs were
considered
 PPP has been included
 Innovative activities added – establishment of fish
markets, rural markets, farmer information center, e-
trading etc.
 Anticipated growth Rate due to
Investment (Av. of next 5 years)
 Agriculture: 5.43% (16339 lakhs)
 Horticulture: 6.05% (5707 lakhs)
 Animal husbandry: 6.62% (4184 lakhs)
 Sericulture; 5.12% (233 lakhs)
 Fisheries: 7.20% (357 lakhs)
 Total: 5.92%
 Marketing (5199 lakhs)
 SERP (1465lakhs)
 Total (33483 lakhs)
 Issues in CDAP preparation
 Ensuring cooperation of Agriculture and line
departments
 Calculation of growth rates
 Taking PRI’s into confidence
 Use of plan plus
 Availability of data for different sectors at state and
national level
 Capacity building of grass root level planning units in
planning
 Integration of plans at different levels
 Issues in CDAP preparation

 Convergence of schemes
 Evolving innovative activities
 Preparation of detailed project reports
 Quantifying the contribution of interventions to sectoral
growth and sector contribution to overall growth
 Comparison with other district plans
 Social audit
Thank You