Rural Development
Rural development: Key issues - credit and marketing - role of cooperatives; agricultural diversification; alternative farming - organic farming
Rural Development
Rural development means an action-plan for the economic and social upliftment of rural areas.
Objectives of rural development:
1. Increasing productivity of agricultural sector.
2. Generating alternative means of livelihood in rural sector.
3. Promoting education and health facilities in the rural areas.
KEY ISSUES IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT
1.Development of human resources
2.Land reforms
3.Development of productive resources
4.Infrastructure development
5.Special measures for poverty alleviation
RURAL CREDIT
Rural credit means credit for the farming communities.
Sources of rural credit in India.
1. Non-institutional sources are money lenders, traders and commission agents, landlord, relatives and friends.
2. Institutional sources are as follow:
(i) Co-operative credit societies.
(ii) Commercial Banks
(iii) Regional Rural Banks
(iv) NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.) (established in 1982)
(v) Self Help Groups (SHGs)
Role of Co-Operative Credit Societies:
Rural Credit cooperatives are the oldest and most extensive form of rural institutional
financing in India. The major thrust of these cooperatives in the area of agricultural credit is the prevention of exploitation of the peasants by moneylenders.
Credit cooperatives have the potential to provide affordable credit to small-scale farmers because they can reduce transaction costs and lower the risk of default
AGRICULTURE MARKETING
Agricultural marketing covers the services involved in moving an agricultural product from the farm to the consumer.
Defects of agricultural marketing
(i) Inadequate warehouses
(ii) Multiplicity of middlemen
(iii) Malpractice in unregulated markets.
(iv) Lack of Adequate finance
(v) Inadequate means of transport and communication.
Measures adopted by the government to improve marketing system.
(i) Regulation of markets.
(ii) Co-operative agricultural marketing societies.
(iii) Provision of warehousing facilities.
(iv) Subsidised transport.
(v) Dissemination of marketing information.
(vi) Buffer stocks and minimum support price (MSP)
(vii) Public Distribution System (PDS)
(viii) Alternative marketing channels
(ix) Improvement of physical Infrastructure
AGRICULTURE DIVERSIFICATION
Diversification in agriculture activities-It has the two aspects.
1. Diversification of crop production refers to a system of multiple cropping rather than mono cropping. It may also mean a shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming.
It has the three advantages:
(i) It lowers the risk of farmer on account of failure of monsoon.
(ii) It enhances the scope for commercialisation of farming.
(iii) Minimise the market risk arising due to price fluctuation.
2. Diversification of productive activities imply a shift from crop farming to non-farming areas of employment. Non-farm areas of employment include.
(i) Animal husbandry.
(ii) Fisheries.
(iii) Horticulture.
(iv) Cottage and household industry.
(v) Information technology-every village a knowledge Centre
It has following advantages:
1. Reduce the risk from agriculture sector.
2. Provide ecological balance.
3. Provide sustainable livelihood option to
people living in village.
Need of agricultural diversification for sustainable livelihoods
There are two major problems in agriculture; when ensuring sustainable livelihood is concerned. The first problem is over-dependency on cropping to earn livelihood. The second problem is overcrowding of labourer in farming, many people suffer from disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment. This does not ensure sustainable livelihoods for many. Hence, diversification in agriculture is essential.
Importance of animal husbandry, fisheries and horticulture as a source of diversification
These activities will help in ensuring alternate sources of income to the farmers. These activities are also more sustainable compared to farming which involves just two major cropping seasons in a year.
ORGANIC FARMING
Organic farming is a farming method that involves growing and nurturing crops without the use of synthetic based fertilizers and pesticides.
Advantages of organic farming:
(i) Inexpensive process.
(ii) Generates income.
(iii) Healthier and tastier food.
(iv) Solves unemployment problem.
(v) Environment friendly.
Limitation of Organic farming:
(i) Yields from organic farming is less than modern agricultural farming in initial years.
(ii) Organic produce have shorter shelf life than sprayed produce.
(iii) Choice in production of off-season crops is quite limited in organic farming.
ORGANIC FARMING & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Organic farming does not carry the risk of soil pollution or groundwater pollution. Risk of harmful chemicals reaching our body through food is also minimized if we use organic farm produce. Thus, organic farming is the way which can be sustained in the long run. It can be said that organic farming promotes sustainable development.
Rural Development
Rural development means an action-plan for the economic and social upliftment of rural areas.
Objectives of rural development:
1. Increasing productivity of agricultural sector.
2. Generating alternative means of livelihood in rural sector.
3. Promoting education and health facilities in the rural areas.
KEY ISSUES IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT
1.Development of human resources
2.Land reforms
3.Development of productive resources
4.Infrastructure development
5.Special measures for poverty alleviation
RURAL CREDIT
Rural credit means credit for the farming communities.
Sources of rural credit in India.
1. Non-institutional sources are money lenders, traders and commission agents, landlord, relatives and friends.
2. Institutional sources are as follow:
(i) Co-operative credit societies.
(ii) Commercial Banks
(iii) Regional Rural Banks
(iv) NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.) (established in 1982)
(v) Self Help Groups (SHGs)
Role of Co-Operative Credit Societies:
Rural Credit cooperatives are the oldest and most extensive form of rural institutional
financing in India. The major thrust of these cooperatives in the area of agricultural credit is the prevention of exploitation of the peasants by moneylenders.
Credit cooperatives have the potential to provide affordable credit to small-scale farmers because they can reduce transaction costs and lower the risk of default
AGRICULTURE MARKETING
Agricultural marketing covers the services involved in moving an agricultural product from the farm to the consumer.
Defects of agricultural marketing
(i) Inadequate warehouses
(ii) Multiplicity of middlemen
(iii) Malpractice in unregulated markets.
(iv) Lack of Adequate finance
(v) Inadequate means of transport and communication.
Measures adopted by the government to improve marketing system.
(i) Regulation of markets.
(ii) Co-operative agricultural marketing societies.
(iii) Provision of warehousing facilities.
(iv) Subsidised transport.
(v) Dissemination of marketing information.
(vi) Buffer stocks and minimum support price (MSP)
(vii) Public Distribution System (PDS)
(viii) Alternative marketing channels
(ix) Improvement of physical Infrastructure
AGRICULTURE DIVERSIFICATION
Diversification in agriculture activities-It has the two aspects.
1. Diversification of crop production refers to a system of multiple cropping rather than mono cropping. It may also mean a shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming.
It has the three advantages:
(i) It lowers the risk of farmer on account of failure of monsoon.
(ii) It enhances the scope for commercialisation of farming.
(iii) Minimise the market risk arising due to price fluctuation.
2. Diversification of productive activities imply a shift from crop farming to non-farming areas of employment. Non-farm areas of employment include.
(i) Animal husbandry.
(ii) Fisheries.
(iii) Horticulture.
(iv) Cottage and household industry.
(v) Information technology-every village a knowledge Centre
It has following advantages:
1. Reduce the risk from agriculture sector.
2. Provide ecological balance.
3. Provide sustainable livelihood option to
people living in village.
Need of agricultural diversification for sustainable livelihoods
There are two major problems in agriculture; when ensuring sustainable livelihood is concerned. The first problem is over-dependency on cropping to earn livelihood. The second problem is overcrowding of labourer in farming, many people suffer from disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment. This does not ensure sustainable livelihoods for many. Hence, diversification in agriculture is essential.
Importance of animal husbandry, fisheries and horticulture as a source of diversification
These activities will help in ensuring alternate sources of income to the farmers. These activities are also more sustainable compared to farming which involves just two major cropping seasons in a year.
ORGANIC FARMING
Organic farming is a farming method that involves growing and nurturing crops without the use of synthetic based fertilizers and pesticides.
Advantages of organic farming:
(i) Inexpensive process.
(ii) Generates income.
(iii) Healthier and tastier food.
(iv) Solves unemployment problem.
(v) Environment friendly.
Limitation of Organic farming:
(i) Yields from organic farming is less than modern agricultural farming in initial years.
(ii) Organic produce have shorter shelf life than sprayed produce.
(iii) Choice in production of off-season crops is quite limited in organic farming.
ORGANIC FARMING & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Organic farming does not carry the risk of soil pollution or groundwater pollution. Risk of harmful chemicals reaching our body through food is also minimized if we use organic farm produce. Thus, organic farming is the way which can be sustained in the long run. It can be said that organic farming promotes sustainable development.
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