Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Golden days in offing for farmers in TS : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Golden days in offing for farmers in TS
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Hans India (21-06-2017)

The latest announcement of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to give Rs. 8000 per acre at the rate of Rs. 4000 for kharif and Rabi seasons to the farmer will go a long way in developing agriculture sector into a challenging profit-making sector. It is for the first time anywhere in the world a government is giving investment to the farmer and organizing farmer federations to monitor the sector.

The time has now loomed wherein the decades old exploitation of farmer by middle men is put to an end and confidence infused in them.  If a situation comes where the farmer is placed in such a difficult position of not able to sell his agricultural product, the farmers’ federation steps in and buy it by offering the support price. Government gives a guarantee to farmers’ federation and seed money of Rs. 500 crores. According to Chief Minister the farmers’ federation at all levels-village, Mandal, district and state-will be made so powerful that they will have adequate money to buy produce from farmer. To workout modalities CM plans to have an elaborate meeting with farmers’ representatives. The department of agriculture is gearing up to depute officers to every district to study in one village the methodology of implementing the plan of action by way of discussions with farmers. 

Against this background, Government of Telangana has come out with an Agriculture Action Plan articulating all the activities and schemes that are being undertaken in the state in the interest of farming community.

The average size of landholding per farmer in the state, according to census is 1.12 hectares. The total number of operational holdings are 55.54 lakhs covering an area of 61.97 lakh hectares. Based on climatic parameters like rainfall, soils and cropping pattern the state is divided in to four agro-climatic zones which have been further sub divided into 98 different farming situations like black, red, shallow, lateritic etc soils. It is estimated that about 57 lakh hectares is under cultivation. Cereals like rice, wheat, jowar; pulses like red gram, green gram, black gram; groundnut, soya been, castor, cotton, chillies, sugarcane, onion etc are the crops that are grown in the state.

Seed is the most important agriculture input and hence seed production and distribution is a continuous process in the state. To produce quality seed and develop state as a seed bowl of India, long term seed production plan is drawn in the state involving university and department of agriculture as well as research institutions. Quality seed of about ten lakh quintals produced in the state is distributed to the farmers through state and central schemes like national food security mission and normal state plan. The subsidy seed is supplied through various seed supplying government nodal agencies. There are 10 state seed production farms in the state.

Seed village program and certified seed production through seed villages is an important activity that is being taken up to ensure supply of quality seed to farmer. The supply of seed to the farmers would be in time at their places at affordable prices besides ensuring quick multiplication of new seed varieties in a shorter time in that Mandal or district based on the crop situation. As part of seed regulation activity, the state has analytical services, seed testing labs, quality assurance program, licensing of seed marketers, special squads for surprise checks etc.


Fertilizer is an essential commodity and is a critical input in crop production. Department of agriculture takes necessary steps to supply quality fertilizers to the farmers. Plant protection which needs greater attention to prevent yield loss due to incidence of pests and diseases is addressed carefully. This is being done through release of new pest and disease resistant varieties, development of new pesticide molecules, adopting integrated pesticide management practices and timely communication of plant protection measures to the farmers.

Farm mechanization which will help in increasing productivity and reduce cost of cultivation is given importance. It will also enable the farmer to complete farming operations in time. Agriculture department has contemplated to distribute various farm machinery and implements on subsidy basis.

Three crop insurance schemes are being implemented in the state since 2016 kharif season namely, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana, Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme and Unified Package Insurance Scheme. All farmers irrespective of category, who are borrowing crop loans from any bank are compulsorily covered under crop insurance. It is optional for others.

To meet the growing needs of the population for food grains, it is imperative to enhance productivity and this area is addressed through training to farmers for improving their knowledge and skills to increase production with low cost technology. The basic objective of this type of agriculture extension is to transfer latest agricultural technologies to farmers. Women too play critical role in all farm related activities from land preparation to marketing and contribute a higher proportion of labour. To strengthen women participation Farm Women Empowerment program is being implemented.

Rainfed Area Development (RAD) program with an objective of increasing agricultural productivity of rainfed areas in a sustainable manner is being implemented. It aims at promoting integrated farming system with emphasis on multi-cropping, rotational cropping, inter-cropping, mixed cropping practices with allied activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery etc. for sustaining livelihood.

Soil Health Management, a major technological challenge, is yet another activity that is being take up in the state to increase soil nutrients and thus enhance crop productivity for ensuring food security and sustaining rural development. The objective of this program is to facilitate and promote integrated nutrient management through judicious use of chemical fertilizers, in conjunction with organic manures and bio-fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. The department of agriculture takes-up soil testing in all the farmers’ fields with a view to facilitate in balanced fertilizer application which includes generation of soil health cards.

The government intends to divide the state into various crop colonies and an assessment is being made to estimate the requirement of various agricultural produce, vegetables, oil products, fruits etc both for domestic and for export purposes. The assessment covers not only the requirement of human beings but also that of livestock. Government is also toying with the idea, to restrict some lands for growing only vegetables to meet the growing demand for them and the inability to meet. A village could be made self-sufficient in vegetables if only at least two farmers for every village exclusively grow vegetables and supply to the entire village. In other words, every village could have an exclusive vegetable growing crop colony, so goes the thinking in the government.


Should the government succeed in realizing plans, it will rid the farmers of exploitation for decades together. The farmer would become a happy and wealthy person in the state of Telangana. END

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