Agricultural Productivity Trends in India: Sustainability Issues

The sustainability issue of the crop productivity is fast emerging. The post-Green Revolution phase is characterized by high input-use and decelerating total factor productivity growth (TFPG). The agricultural productivity attained during the 1980s has not been sustained during the 1990s and has posed a challenge for the researchers to shift the production function upward by improving the technology index. It calls for an examination of issues related to the trends in the agricultural productivity, particularly with reference to individual crops grown in the major states of India. Temporal and spatial variations of TFPG for major crops of India have also been examined.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Agricultural Growth Accounting and Total Factor Productivity in South Asia: A Review and Policy Implications

Productivity growth in agriculture is essential for the development of the sector. This paper has reviewed the developments in agricultural productivity related to the South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The TFP growth and its contribution in production growth have been summarised for South Asia over the past three decades. Crop-specific TFP growth figures have been updated for India by using more recent micro farm level data for three decades. A discussion and synthesis on changes in TFP and its sources of growth for the major crops, major crop systems, crops and livestock sectors for the countries of South Asia have also been presented. Methodological framework for computation of TFP and its growth has also been presented. Policies towards food-secure South Asia have been outlined under the sub-heads (i) Arresting deceleration in total factor productivity, (ii) Enhancing yield of major commodities, (iii) Accent on empowering the small farmers, (iv) Environment protection, and (v) Strengthening of national agricultural research system. This paper would provide useful information to the people interested in doing research on these issues. Some of the concerns raised in this paper on productivity would provide direction for future research in this area.Productivity Analysis,

Food Security, Research Priorities and Resource Allocation in South Asia

The study conduced on South Asian countries is focused on three issues, viz. (a) research priorities in agriculture, (b) level of research investment, and (c) focus of research investments to attain food-secured South Asia. The results of this empirical exercise have suggested that (a) cereals, horticulture, livestock and fisheries in commodity groups and rice and milk as commodities should receive greater attention in resource allocation at South Asia level with certain minor variations across the countries, (b) prioritization exercises need to explicitly target poor as otherwise their needs will continue to remain under-funded, and at least 2-3 times increase (if the AgGDP growth is assumed at 2.1%) and 3-4 times increase (if the AgGDP growth is assumed at 4%) is needed in funding support to these countries in agricultural research and education to attain food and nutritional security.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods: A Synthesis

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Demand for Fish by Species in India: Three-stage Budgeting Framework

The demand studies for the fish sector are limited by their high degree of aggregation, and the lack of empirical basis for estimating the underlying elasticity of demand. In this study, the three-stage budgeting framework with quadratic almost ideal demand system (QAIDS) model has been used for fish demand analysis by species, using consumer expenditure survey data of India. Income and price elasticities of fish demand have been evaluated at mean level for different economic groups and have been used to project the demand for fish to a medium-term time horizon, by the year 2015. The domestic demand for fish by 2015 has been projected as 6.7-7.7 million tonnes. Aquaculture would hold the key to meet the challenges of future needs. Among species, Indian major carps (IMC) would play a dominating role in meeting the fish demand. Results have shown that the estimated price and income elasticities of demand vary across species and income classes. Fish species have not been found as homogenous commodities for consumers. All the eight fish types included in the study have been found to have positive income elasticity greater than one for all the income levels. Hence, with higher income, fish demand has been projected to increase substantially with change in the species mix. The own-price elasticities by species have been found negative and near to unitary.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Demand Projections for Foodgrains in India

Demand for foodgrains has been estimated for India for the years 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2021-22, by accounting for the factors like urbanization, regional variations in consumption pattern, shifts in dietary pattern and income distribution, limit on energy requirement and changes in tastes and preferences of consumers for food varieties. Indirect demand including ‘home away demand’ has also been considered in working out these food demand projections. Policy scenario has been presented and yield targets for the years 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2021-22 have been projected to meet the demand of foodgrams in these years.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Farm-economics of genetically improved carp strains in major Asian countries and carp seed price policy model

The study has conducted the micro level analysis of hatchery operators, fishseed-rearing farmers and carp farmers with respect to their socio-economic characteristics, infrastructural development, husbandry practices and economics returns, based on the survey and on-farm trial data collected by the research partners in six Asian countries, viz. Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The genetically-improved carp strain is economically viable and socially acceptable. The attractive profits to hatchery operators and nursery and carp farmers have created conducive environment for the dissemination of improved carp strain. Price policy models for improved strains have been developed. The premium price for fingerlings and broodstock with improved strain has been assessed. The high price of genetically-improved nuclear seed and broodstock would build self-supportive research and extension systems in the country. A business plan for Jayanti rohu has been worked out, as an example for replacement of rohu by Jayanti rohu.Livestock Production/Industries,

Estimation of Demand Elasticity for Food Commodities in India

The food demand in India has been examined in the context of a structural shift in the dietary pattern of its population. The results have reinforced the hypothesis of a significant diversification in the dietary pattern of households in recent years and has found stark differences in the consumption pattern across different income quartiles. The food demand behaviour has been explained using a set of demand elasticities corresponding to major food commodities. The demand elasticities have been estimated using multi-stage budgeting with QUAIDS model and another alternative model, FCDS. The study has revealed that the estimated income elasticities vary across income classes and are lowest for cereals group and highest for horticultural and livestock products. The analysis of price and income effects based on the estimated demand system has suggested that with increase in food price inflation, the demand for staple food (rice, wheat and sugar) may not be affected adversely but, that of high-value food commodities is likely to be affected negatively. Therefore, the study has cautioned that if inflation in food prices remains unabated for an extended period, there is the possibility of reversal of the trend of diversification and that of consumers returning to cereal-dominated diet, thus accentuating under-nourishment.Food demand, Demand elasticity, QUAIDS model, FCDS model, Household food demand, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q11, Q18,

Fish Supply Projections by Production Environments and Species Types in India

The supply studies on the fisheries sector in India have been addressed at the disaggregated level by production environment and by species groups. These would be more imperative and useful for assessing the fish supply at the national level. The fish supply projections by species groups under different production environments have been obtained to a medium-term horizon, by the year 2015 under various technological scenarios. The study has concluded that the supply response to fish price changes has been stronger under aquaculture than marine environment in India. Price and technology have been reported as the important instruments to induce higher supply. The change in the relative prices of fish species would change the species-mix in the total supply. The fish production has been projected as 4.6-5.5 million tonnes of inland fish and 3.2-3.6 million tonnes of marine fish by the year 2015. More than 60 per cent of the additional fish production will be contributed by aquaculture and mainly by the Indian major carps.Agricultural and Food Policy,

An Economic Assessment along the Jatropha-based Biodiesel Value Chain In India

The Government of India had launched the National Biofuel Mission in the year 2003 as an initiative to limit the country’s dependence on crude oil imports. An integral part of this mission is the Biodiesel Blending program and Jatropha, a tree-borne biodiesel yielding crop, is the cornerstone of the program. This study has been specifically designed to carry out economic assessment of the upcoming jatropha-based biodiesel value chain in the country. The study, based on primary data collected from three major jatropha growing states, has observed that jatropha cultivation is an economically viable proposition in the long-run as indicated by favourable values of net present value, internal rate of return and benefit cost ratio. Nevertheless, initial government support till attaining break even point is crucial to sustain the interest of the farmers. The jatropha seed processing industry has been found to be viable if operated at sufficient economies of scale, which in turn is determined by the level of backward integration with the seed market and a forward integration with biodiesel distribution channels. However, the existing biodiesel value chain in India lacks this integration and is characterized by under-developed seed markets, sub-optimal processing infrastructure and ill-defined biodiesel distribution channels. The involvement of corporate players to participate in processing and distribution activities has further delayed the program to take off. The study has cautioned that unless proactive orientation of all the stakeholders is ensured, the program may fail to meet its objectives, at least in the medium-term.Agricultural and Food Policy,