The pulse of India's agrarian economy

The severe drought across India should hopefully help focus attention on the overuse of water in agriculture.

A data analysis showed that the average water footprint for five major crops—rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane and cotton—is far higher than global averages.

Time to Change

• In 1960s. the dominant role was given to water-intensive cereals
• It is time India switched its policy focus to the efficiency of water use rather than adding to the food mountain.
• One key element of this switch should be greater incentives for the cultivation of pulses as well as millets because
• They use less water for every unit of output
• It also acts as a weapon in the fight against hidden hunger.

Why in news?

• Maharashtra government has taken a few baby steps to help farmers move away from crops that use water intensively.
• It will make it more attractive for farmers to grow pulses by offering to pay a guaranteed price that is 5-10% higher than the central minimum support prices (MSPs) for pulses, as well as provide free seeds and fertilizers to farmers who grow pulses.
• This is a welcome beginning in a state that is dominated by the sugar lobby, and an experiment that other state governments should keep a keen eye on.

We need to apply this on national level

• Rising prices of these pulses are not only a big contributor to high food inflation.
• We are importing pulses to feed growing demand in India.
• To minimize the wedge between domestic prices and zero-tariff import prices, the government should also consider doing away with export duties on pulses.
• This will prompt farmers to produce more for both the domestic and foreign markets.

Conclusion

The centre and states would also do well to simultaneously focus on insuring farmers, raising yields within water constraints, enhancing food processing and storage facilities and abandoning export controls. A shift in the highly skewed cropping pattern of the country is the need of the hour.