Despite various schemes and efforts being undertaken by the authorities concerned, the performance of Uttarakhand in the sphere of agriculture and allied activities has been unable to meet the mark. The share of agriculture in the gross state domestic product (GSDP) has registered a sharp decline from more than 22 per cent in 2004-05 to about nine per cent in 2014-15. Uttarakhand needs to promote a separate mountain farming policy as the state has a meagre 14 per cent net sown area, more so as three-fifths of the state’s total working population is engaged in agriculture. This and other aspects were revealed in a study conducted jointly by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and research firm RNCOS, said the chamber’s secretary general DS Rawat who along with founder and CEO of RNCOS, Shushmul Maheshwari released the report in Dehradun on Thursday.
Addressing media persons after releasing the report, Rawat said that regarding issues in Uttarakhand’s agriculture sector the study highlighted that low level of land holdings is a major challenge as more than 70 per cent of the state’s farmers hold less than one hectare of land. He said that considering the state’s topography characterised by sandy soils poor in retaining water and the absence of moisture in the soil, Uttarakhand has recorded poor crop productivity to such an extent that the agriculture sector registered only about three per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2004-05 and 2014-15. In terms of year-on-year growth rate, Uttarakhand’s agriculture and allied sector has registered over five per cent growth in 2014-15 which is better than negative growth of 2.5 per cent recorded in the previous year.
“Priority must be accorded to further developing irrigation infrastructure in Uttarakhand including the canal network along with also lift canals, tube-well, pump sets and other aspects. While facilitating the promotion of local and traditional mountain crops, farmers must also be given adequate cover in terms of welfare schemes, besides which adequate technical and financial support for water conservation should also be extended by the state administration. Further, measures should also be taken to encourage improved agronomic practices for higher farm productivity, improved soil treatment, increased water holding capacity, judicious use of chemicals and enhanced soil carbon storage,” said Rawat.
In Uttarakhand, the food and agro based sector has attracted investments worth more than Rs 1,600 crore as of financial year 2015-16 increasing from about Rs 450 crore as of FY 2010-11 thereby registering a CAGR of more than 29 per cent, according to analysis by ASSOCHAM Economic Research Bureau (AERB).
The joint study recommends that the State focus on strengthening rural economy by focusing more on dairy sector, imparting technical assistance for dairy development in Uttarakhand, where milk production grew by about one per cent between 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The state should aim to make agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative and climate resilient by promoting location specific, integrated/composite farming systems, suggests the study report.