“If agriculture sector shines, the purchasing power in our villages will increase & this will further India's economic growth”
- Narendra Modi
India is perhaps the only prominently agriculture based economy which pays such scant attention to agriculture & the farmers. Since independence we have not devoted enough importance & funds to the farmers, their skill upgradation, technological advancement & hence the Indian farmer is still at nature’s mercy.
Today more than half our population still engages in agricultural activities but the agriculture GDP remains around 15%. Can we not increase this output by empowering farmers with latest technology, latest knowledge & access to easy funding?
While UPA’s poor performance towards manufacturing is well-known, the fact that UPA floundered badly on agriculture is not common knowledge. It is the farmers who have had to bear the brunt of the apathy & anti poor policies of the UPA Government. While NDA Government left with an agriculture growth rate of 9.6%, the UPA has brought it down to 3.6% in 2011-12. CSO estimates for 2012-13 paint a further gloomy picture!
While UPA has not been able to carry out any substantial reforms for the agriculture sector, it was the NDA Government under Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who carried out a host of reforms, & took actions for the benefit of farmers.
Narendra Modi has repeatedly stressed on the need to focus on the 3 pillars of Agriculture:
- Farming
- Animal Husbandry
- Afforestation
Narendra Modi believes that agriculture should be economically rewarding so as to improve the lives of all persons engaged in it.
He believes in a 5 F Formula which is depicted below:
Watch Narendra Modi’s Idea of the 5 F Formula:
But the most important intervention in terms of agriculture has been the Krishi Mahotsavs. While experts all over India have been advocating the need for agricultural extension services & debating on how to achieve this with proper funding, manpower, etc, Narendra Modi has set up a shining example of this by taking all services to the doors of the farmer.
Narendra Modi in Gujarat has shown that we can achieve in turn-around in agriculture with the right intentions, commitment to the cause & by having Government as an active stake holder.
Gujarat has repeatedly performed excellently in the agriculture sector & surpassed the national growth rate by a huge margin.
While a large no of factors played an important role in achieving such a phenomenal growth rate, easy access to irrigation has been a key enabling factor. Gujarat has increased the net irrigated area at a very rapid rate in the last decade.
Watch Narendra Modi’s vision for Agriculture:
Read Narendra Modi’s views & solutions on various Agricultural Issues Here
Thus it is crystal clear that if someone can provide an impetus to Agriculture in India & benefits crores of farmers in India, it is Narendra Modi.
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