Chapter 6 – Rural Development Solutions
Question - 11 : - Do you think the various measures taken by the government to improve agricultural marketing are sufficient? Discuss.
Answer - 11 : -
For improving the system of agricultural marketing, the government came up with variety of measures which are as follows:
1. Regulated markets organisation.
2. Minimum Support Price Policy
3. Development of cold storage, warehouses
4. Agriculture themed programs which were aired on radio and television
After all these initiatives, the system was successful in parts. Following are some of the obstacles that prevented a successful agricultural marketing system:
1. Farmers do not have a knowledge of market prices and market conditions that leads to sale of produce at a price lower than expected.
2. Insufficient storage spaces making farmers sell their produce at low rates
3. Lack of availability of transportation makes farmers unable to reach new markets
4. Large number of intermediaries are involved which reduces customer interaction and farmers get paid less
5. Farmers become easy targets of false weighing techniques
6. Lack of institutional credit forces farmers to borrow from moneylenders at high interest rate.
Question - 12 : - Explain the role of non-farm employment in promoting rural diversification.
Answer - 12 : -
India as a country is mainly dependent on agriculture produce and most of the population in rural areas are engaged in farming. Due to saturation in agriculture field, the demand for non-farm activities has increased extensively. Agriculture industry is plagued by the problem of disguised unemployment. The non-farm sectors are less risky as compared to agriculture and also provide proper livelihood for the rural people. Industries like agro-processing, leather, food processing, leather and tourism industry are some of the dynamic sub sectors where employment can be generated. There are other sectors which lack infrastructure and support like pottery, handloom and crafts. Therefore men and women from rural areas are seeking employment opportunities in these industries which is a sign of rural diversification.
Question - 13 : - Bring out the importance of animal husbandry, fisheries and horticulture as a source of diversification.
Answer - 13 : -
Animal Husbandry
Animal husbandry contributes to non-farm employment in a significant way. Rural families opt for rearing and sale of cattle, poultry in addition to farming. The farmers living in semi-arid and arid areas are mostly involved in livestock farming. In India approximately 70 million people are earning their income through livestock farming. The most important products obtained from livestock farming are milk, meat and eggs and also by products like skin which can be used to make leather items.
Fisheries
Fisheries form an important source of income for states in the coastal region such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Fishing is primarily based on inland water bodies like river, ponds, fisheries and marine water bodies such as sea. Funds have been allotted to this sector for improving the production. Still this segment has not contributed much towards GDP.
Horticulture
Horticulture is also one of the most important source of livelihood in rural India. This includes fruits, vegetables, aromatic plants, flowers and medicinal plants. India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables. Rise of income levels have been witnessed in families engaged in horticulture. Horticulture generates around 19% of the total labour force in India.
Question - 14 : - ‘Information technology plays a very significant role in achieving sustainable development and food security’ — comment.
Answer - 14 : -
Information technology (IT) plays a significant role in agriculture and helps in achieving sustainable development. It enables data storage associated to past and future conditions providing vital inputs for making decision and also for taking various corrective measures necessary for improvement of crop production. Weather and soil conditions can be determined with the help of information technology for improving crop productivity, and as such if there is a chance of crop failure, it can be prevented using the information obtained from IT. It is possible for farmers to connect to Kishan Call Centers for any doubt regarding agriculture, it also helps in generating employment in rural areas in form of kiosks. These kiosks serve as the source of information for improving productivity, better land usage, fertilisers, quality of seeds and other modern techniques that are required for agriculture. Hence we can say that agriculture plays significant role in achieving sustainable development.
Question - 15 : - What is organic farming and how does it promote sustainable development?
Answer - 15 : -
Organic farming is a form of farming that puts an emphasis on preserving and enhancing the ecological balance. This type of farming uses organic inputs for cultivating crops. Traditional farming techniques use fertilizers, pesticides which causes damage to ecosystem. In organic farming, toxic free are produced while maintaining the fertility of the soil and contributing towards creating ecological balance.
Question - 16 : - Identify the benefits and limitations of organic farming.
Answer - 16 : -
Benefits of Organic Farming:
1. Organic farming does not use harmful chemicals so it is not harmful for the environment.
2. Chemical fertilizers cause the soil to lose its fertility after a period, whereas organic farming preserves the soil fertility.
3. Crops that are grown organically have higher nutritional value as compared to standard grown crops.
4. It is an inexpensive mode of farming suitable for the small and marginal farmers.
5. International markets have a higher demand for organically produced crops.
Limitations of Organic Farming:
1. Organic farming has a lesser yield than yield obtained from conventional farming using fertilizers, hence less productivity.
2. As organic farming has low productivity, it is not popular amongst the farmers.
3. Marketing of products and inadequate infrastructure are some concerns that needs to be addressed.
4. Due to low yield, it is not seen as a financially viable option for small and marginal farmers.
Question - 17 : - Enlist some problems faced by farmers during the initial years of organic farming.
Answer - 17 : -
It was observed during the initial years of organic farming that the yield produced was lesser than the modern farming. Due to this reason the farmers were unable to take large scale production. As it was having low yield per hectare, it was not seen as financially viable for small and marginal farmers. The organically produced varieties are perishable having short shelf life and the choice of crops during off season are limited in case of organic farming.