India requires green revolution 2.0, next-gen of reforms to make agril climate-resistant & sustainable: RBI
According to an RBI article on farm sector problems, India requires a second green revolution as well as the next generation of reforms to make agriculture more climate-resistant and environmentally sustainable.
The article stated that ‘new developing difficulties necessitate a second green revolution together with next-generation reforms,’ referring to Indian agriculture’s amazing endurance during the COVID-19 period.
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Despite the country’s production success, which has ensured food security, food inflation and volatility remain a challenge, requiring supply-side interventions such as increased public investment, storage infrastructure, and promotion of food processing, according to the article titled ‘Indian Agriculture: Achievements and Challenges.‘
According to the article, during the COVID-19 period, Indian agriculture reached new heights with a record output of diverse foodgrains, commercial and horticultural crops, demonstrating resilience and assuring food security.
‘However, the industry has faced a number of obstacles, the resolution of which necessitates a comprehensive policy approach,’ it stated.
Crop productivity in India, for example, is significantly lower than in other advanced and developing market economies due to a variety of factors such as fragmented landholdings, poorer farm mechanization, and lower public and private investment in agriculture.
Second, the article stated that the current overproduction of crops such as rice, wheat, and sugarcane has resulted in rapid depletion of the ground-water table, soil degradation, and massive air pollution, raising concerns about the environmental sustainability of India’s current agricultural practices.
Furthermore, despite surplus production in many commodities, food inflation and price volatility remain high, generating discomfort for consumers and low and variable revenue for farmers.
Focused on water-energy linkages
A second green revolution focused on the agricultural water-energy nexus would be required to make agriculture more climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable. The use of biotechnology and breeding will be critical in the development of environmentally friendly, disease-resistant, climate-resilient, more nutritious, and diverse crop types,’ it stated.
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Increased usage of digital technology and extension services will aid in information sharing and raising farmer awareness.
It also emphasized that better post-harvest loss management and a revitalization of the cooperative movement through the development of farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) will help to stabilize food prices and farmers’ incomes while unlocking India’s actual agricultural potential.
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