Question

Mention any two problems of agriculture in India and explain the steps taken by the government to tackle these problems.

Answer 1

Small and fragmented land-holdings: Due to inheritance laws and population pressure, agricultural land gets subdivided into smaller and uneconomic holdings, making modern farming practices difficult and reducing productivity.

Government Steps:

• Land Reforms: Laws were enacted to consolidate land holdings and redistribute surplus land.
• Promotion of Cooperative Farming: Encouraging small farmers to pool their land and resources for joint cultivation.
• Digitization of Land Records: Initiatives like Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) help clarify ownership and support consolidation.

Dependence on Monsoon: A large portion of Indian agriculture still relies on rainfall, which is erratic and uneven, leading to droughts or floods and resulting in crop failure.

Government Steps:

• Expansion of Irrigation: Major and minor irrigation projects have been launched, including canal systems and tube wells.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Schemes promoting watershed management and storing rainwater.
• Crop Insurance Schemes: Introduction of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to compensate farmers for crop losses due to weather.