10. Agriculture: New Vistas of Growth
I PROPOSE to dwell on some of the important tasks ahead in the field of agriculture. Since independence, we have made concerted efforts to improve agricultural production and can claim to have achieved spectacular results. But when we assess the contribution of modern technology so far, one does not find the position very satisfactory. Leaving aside the very promising results obtained from improved seeds and practices during the last couple of years, the contribution to increased agricultural production from increased productivity has been roughly about 33 per cent only. The remaining 67 per cent has come from extension of agricultural area and change in crop patterns. This must be regarded as not a very heartening picture. because after all there is a limit to new areas to which agriculture can be extended. The greater emphasis must, therefore, be on improved agricultural productivity. This is of crucial importance to the entire developmental effort of the country. Our strategy of development has to be based on an adequate and realistic rate of growth in agriculture. In the ultimate analysis, it will be sustained increase in agricultural production alone which can force the pace of overall development in the country. The crux of our development problem today is thus that of overcoming the agricultural productivity bottleneck. And that is an area which falls directly within your sphere of concern as the upcoming agricultural experts.
There are three distinct departments of action which should receive constant attention of agricultural experts and all those connected with the administration of agricultural and extension services. The first relates to the growth of agricultural education and research, the second to the problem of taking the results of your research work to the fields and the third, and probably the most important, the problem of making the farmers switch-over to new techniques for improved productivity.
