R&D gets short shrift, impacts agriculture growth

R&D gets short shrift, impacts agriculture growth

India may have 6,000 agriculture scientists and 97 research institutes, but the twin factors of low allocation and low utilisation of funds for research have meant that cereal and food production has been constantly declining.

India may have 6,000 agriculture scientists and 97 research institutes, but the twin factors of low allocation and low utilisation of funds for research have meant that cereal and food production has been constantly declining.

A parliamentary panel looking into the Department of Agriculture Research and Education found that just Rs 10,325.76 crore was allocated for agricultural research during the 11th Plan against a demand of Rs 31,672 crore. But the department could not spend even this amount and utilised only Rs 9,800 crore. During 2014-15 as well, the department could not spend Rs1,260.39 crore of the total allocation of Rs 6,144.39 crore.

Growth in agriculture and allied sectors was recorded at just 1.1 per cent in 2014-15, down from 3.7 per cent in 2013-14, thereby seriously affecting the country's food security. Agricultural growth at the end of 11th Plan was also only 3.3 per cent against target of 4 per cent.

The parliamentary panel headed by Lok Sabha MP Hukum Dev Narayan Yadav identified low public investment in the R&D sector as amongst the main reasons for the low growth rate ofagriculture. Expenditure on R&D expenditure was found to be only 0.5 per cent of the agriculture GDP.

The committee has asked prime minister Narendra Modi government to increase this to 1 per cent. Emphasising the need for investing in research, the report states that additional investment of one rupee on research on 'arhar' generated additional output worth Rs 12.82.
The apathy towards the sector becomes glaring when you consider that it employs around 60 percent of the total workforce in India. Of the total cropped area of 192 million hectares, less than half is under irrigation.

According to the report, research in diverse areas related to agriculture in laboratories doesn't get transferred on time. "Even if they are transferred, their adoption by farmers is not at the optimal level. The agencies responsible for transmission are functioning in isolation," it stated.

Taking a potshot at research centres, the panel said during the 1950s and 1960s when there were fewer agencies, it was easy to transfer research and technology to farmers. "There is inconsistency and time lag n coordination between different agencies responsible for transmitting information and research. The department needs to review existing mechanism for coordination and take suitable corrective measures."

The committee also found that of 634 Krishi Vikas Kendras (KVK) in the country, 80 were without administrative buildings. Many others were without staff quarters, demonstration units and soil and water testing facilities. More amazingly, it was found that financial approval for creating necessary infrastructure to KVKs was yet to be sanctioned even after almost three years of the12th Plan.

The panel also found that 75 per cent of 18 crops have registered a decline in their productivity. It said the 97 research institutions across the country were just commodity based rather than comprehensive and super-speciality centres to optimise the use of scientific power.
Moreover, losses caused to crops by various pests like pod borer (10-90 percent), pod fly (70-80 per cent), wilt root complex (20-25 per cent), sterility mosaic (20-40 per cent) were still creating hurdles even though many other countries in the world had finished with them, the committee found.