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Indian Agriculture has made enormous progress in the last 50 years. Food grains production has risen from 50 million tons in 1947 to
212 million tons in 2003-04. The country has advanced from a situation of food scarcity and imports to that of food security and exportable surpluses.
The Green Revolution of India has been universally acclaimed as a successful enterprise of the farmers, the Scientists and the Government.
The land mark achievements in agriculture in the 60s and 70s were the result of a combination of inputs like introduction of high yielding varieties, increased fertilizer use, expansion of irrigation facilities, massive extension efforts, improved farm practices and, above all, ingenuity and industry of the Indian farmers. However, the growth of agriculture sector has not kept pace with the growth of the population and has stagnated. The unsatisfactory growth of agriculture, apart from serious implications for food security of the country, has been adversely impacting the growth rate of country’s economy. The imperative of National food security, nutritional security and economic development demand a very focused and determined approach to raise productivity and production in agriculture. In view of the fact, that the area under cultivation is unlikely to increase significantly, thrust will have to be on raising productivity per unit of cultivated land.
Seed is the critical determinant of agricultural production on which depends the performance and efficacy of other inputs. Quality seeds appropriate to different agro-climatic conditions and in sufficient quantity at affordable prices are required to raise productivity.
Availability and use of quality seeds is not a one time affair. Sustained increase in agriculture production and productivity necessarily requires continuous development of new and improved varieties of crops and efficient system of production and supply of seeds to farmers.
The National Seeds Policy 2002,
212 million tons in 2003-04. The country has advanced from a situation of food scarcity and imports to that of food security and exportable surpluses.
The Green Revolution of India has been universally acclaimed as a successful enterprise of the farmers, the Scientists and the Government.
The land mark achievements in agriculture in the 60s and 70s were the result of a combination of inputs like introduction of high yielding varieties, increased fertilizer use, expansion of irrigation facilities, massive extension efforts, improved farm practices and, above all, ingenuity and industry of the Indian farmers. However, the growth of agriculture sector has not kept pace with the growth of the population and has stagnated. The unsatisfactory growth of agriculture, apart from serious implications for food security of the country, has been adversely impacting the growth rate of country’s economy. The imperative of National food security, nutritional security and economic development demand a very focused and determined approach to raise productivity and production in agriculture. In view of the fact, that the area under cultivation is unlikely to increase significantly, thrust will have to be on raising productivity per unit of cultivated land.
Seed is the critical determinant of agricultural production on which depends the performance and efficacy of other inputs. Quality seeds appropriate to different agro-climatic conditions and in sufficient quantity at affordable prices are required to raise productivity.
Availability and use of quality seeds is not a one time affair. Sustained increase in agriculture production and productivity necessarily requires continuous development of new and improved varieties of crops and efficient system of production and supply of seeds to farmers.
The National Seeds Policy 2002,