Volume : V, Issue : VII, July - 2015

SOME ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

Mr. Narra Nagaraju

Abstract :

  Ever since independence in 1947, agricultural development policies in India have aimed at reducing hunger, food insecurity, malnourishment and poverty at a rapid rate. Keeping this overarching goal in mind, the emphasis, which was initially (for 15 years or so) on keeping food prices low, shifted to macro food–security and subsequently to household and individual food–security. India’s strategy of agricultural development and approach to food security has proved its resilience in the wake of recent global food crisis, which has created political and social unrest in several countries of the developing world. The same had earlier helped India tide over the severe food crisis of the mid–sixties within a period of one and half decade and had also proved its aptness in the wake of economic liberalization and globalization since the early nineties. Though India’s performance in terms of reducing hunger and malnutrition has not been remarkable given the political and socio–cultural milieu, the achievements have indeed been significant. Indian agriculture has undergone a phenomenal transformation during the past five decades. The metamorphosis was ought by not only technological changes such as the green revolution, but also by institutional innovations in delivering farm inputs and marketing of output. Contract farming is one such institutional initiative undertaken in recent years to address some of the problems faced by Indian farmers. The National Agricultural Policy (2000), announced by the Government of India, seeks to promote contract farming by involving the private sector to accelerate technology transfer, capital inflow and assured marketing of crop production. India’s agricultural development strategy and approach to food security has yet again proved its resilience in the wake of recent global food crisis, which has created political and social unrest in several countries of developing world. It earlier helped India tide over the severe food crisis of mid– 1960s within a period of one and half decades, and also proved its appropriateness in the wake of economic liberalization and globalization since the early–1990s. Though, India’s performance in terms of reducing hunger and malnutrition has not been as remarkable as that of China and some East Asian countries, given the political and initial socio–cultural milieu, the achievements have certainly been commendable.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

Mr. NARRA NAGARAJU Some Aspects of Agriculture and Food Security in India Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol.5, Issue : 7 July 2015

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