Emerging Trends in Agriculture: What Can We Learn From Gujarat?
- Dr. S.O.Junare, Director, Shri Jairambhai Patel Institute of Business Management & Computer Applications, (Formerly NICM), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
Abstract:
The paper talks about the emerging trends in agriculture with emphasize on learning the same from Gujarat. It includes government policies & initiatives, major developments in India & Gujarat, irrigation facilities etc. The agriculture sector plays an energetic role in the development of India with over 60 per cent of the country’s population deriving their survival from it. 0.5% growth in agriculture adds to 2.5% growth in GDP, which shows the importance of agriculture in Indian economy. Gujarat is one of the most developed states in respect of all social and economic development parameters including Agriculture. Between the years from 2000-01 to 2011-12, the agriculture growth rate in Gujarat was around 10% to 11% This is more than double India's agricultural growth rate, and much faster than Punjab's farm growth in the green revolution heyday. Indeed, 10% agricultural growth is among the fastest rates recorded anywhere in the world. Steady globalization of trade has profound implications for future agricultural development in Gujarat. The diversity of agriculture crops, taking cash crops and high value crops with higher productivity provide potential for agricultural competitiveness to Gujarat agriculture in a globalized economy. It is expected that with the increasing globalization of markets over the years there will be demands for agricultural intensification. This will also be favoured because of greater backward and forward linkages between agriculture and food industry in the state.