Agricultural Restructuring: A Fresh Look

The agriculture growth in the last decade has shown a declining trend. This has become an issue of serious concern as the Indian economy is agriculture based that employs approximately 50 percent of its population. Farmers in some of the states are reported to have committed suicide while those in other states are trying to fight the situation. The prime cause for this condition can be attributed to the economic reform process. The government seems to be pushing farmers intoa global competition by abruptly withdrawing the protection and reducing the subsidies. This has resulted in a chaotic situation in rural India with the majority populace being small and marginal farmers. The dilemma is that neither the commitment at the international forum could be broken nor the farmers can be left in lurch. Thus, the need is an indigenous model considering that agriculture, in Indian conditions, unlike industry and services cannot be market driven. A better way will be to provide region specific need based assistance that may be strictly time bound. Meanwhile the community may collectively chalk out solutions to improvise their situation. Agricultural policy has to be indicative with the definite perception that in near future farming community has to sustain itself on its own amidst global competition for which a strict time bound policy frame is needed.