What is an Agricultural Crisis?
● Imagine a scenario where farming becomes difficult, leading to low income for farmers
and impacting food security for everyone. That's what an agricultural crisis is.
● It's like a domino effect – farmers struggle, food production dips, and prices rise,
affecting everyone from the farm gate to our dinner plates.
Causes of the Crisis (Let's zoom in on some key culprits):
● Stagnant incomes & volatile prices: Farmers often face low and unpredictable prices
for their crops, while their input costs like fertilizers and seeds keep rising. This makes it
difficult to turn a profit.
○ Did you know, according to a recent report by Drishti IAS [invalid URL removed],
the agriculture sector's contribution to India's GDP has been steadily declining,
even though food prices keep fluctuating?
● Climate Change: This is a big one. Unpredictable weather patterns, droughts, floods,
and rising temperatures are wreaking havoc on crop yields.
Imagine a farmer depending on monsoon rains, and then the monsoon decides to take a
vacation!
● Water Scarcity: Water is the lifeblood of agriculture, and many regions are facing
severe water shortages. This reduces the amount of land available for cultivation and
puts stress on existing water resources.
● Debt Burden: Many farmers are heavily in debt, often due to factors beyond their
control, like a bad harvest or a sudden price drop. This debt burden makes it difficult for
them to invest in new technologies or improve their farming practices.
Impact of the Crisis:
● Farmer Suicides: This is a heartbreaking consequence. When faced with
insurmountable debt and despair, some farmers resort to taking their own lives.
○ We need to find ways to support farmers and make sure they feel hopeful about
the future.
● Food Security: When agricultural production suffers, it threatens our ability to produce
enough food to feed everyone. This can lead to malnutrition, hunger, and social unrest.
● Rural Exodus: As farming becomes less profitable, people are leaving rural areas in
search of better opportunities in cities. This weakens rural communities and puts
additional strain on urban infrastructure.
So, what can we do?
● Government Policies: There's a need for policies that ensure fair prices for farmers,
promote sustainable farming practices, and provide better access to credit and irrigation.
● Technological Solutions: Investing in research and development of drought-resistant
crops, precision agriculture techniques, and improved water management systems can
be game changers.
● Consumer Choices: By supporting local farmers' markets and opting for organic
produce when possible, we can create a demand for sustainable farming practices.
● Farmer Collectives: Empowering farmers through cooperatives and collectives can give
them more bargaining power in the market and access to better resources.
CURRENT AFFAIRS RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL CRISIS
● Loan Waivers: A Band-Aid or a Long-Term Solution?
○ The Situation: Debt burden is a major factor pushing farmers into crisis. In India
alone, farm debt is estimated to be around ₹18 lakh crore (US$2.3 trillion)
[source: Business Today, March 2024]. States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Punjab, and Karnataka announced farm loan waivers totaling over ₹2.5 lakh
crore (US$32 billion) to provide immediate relief [source: BYJU'S - UPSC Current
Affairs].
○ The Debate: Supporters, like the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination
Committee (AIKSCC), a farmer's rights group, point to a survey by NSSO
(National Sample Survey Organisation) which revealed that nearly 52% of farmer
households are in debt [source: The Hindu, April 2024]. They argue loan waivers
provide a lifeline for struggling farmers, allowing them to invest in seeds,
fertilizers, and irrigation for the next season's crop. Critics, like the Commission
for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), a government body, argue it's a
temporary fix that doesn't address underlying issues like low crop prices (average
increase of only 2.3% in the past 5 years [source: PRS Legislative Research])
and lack of market access for farmers, who are often forced to sell their produce
at low prices to middlemen. It can also encourage risky borrowing behavior in the
future.
○ Looking Ahead: The debate highlights the need for a multi-pronged approach.
Loan waivers can provide temporary relief, but long-term solutions involve better
crop prices, access to credit at reasonable rates (current Kisan Credit Card
interest rate is around 7% [source: RBI]), and measures to improve farm
incomes, such as investments in storage facilities and cold chains to reduce
post-harvest losses (estimated at around 20-30% [source: Government of India
data]).
● Ripple Effects of the Ukraine War:
○ The Problem: The war in Ukraine disrupted global food supplies and fertilizer
exports. Ukraine was a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, and
Russia a key supplier of fertilizers. The disruption caused global food prices to
soar by an average of 30% in the first quarter of 2024 [source: World Bank].
Fertilizer prices have also seen a sharp rise, with urea prices increasing by over
80% compared to last year [source: The Economic Times, April 2024].
○ The Impact: Higher fertilizer prices can squeeze profit margins for farmers,
especially in regions already facing challenges like water scarcity or limited
access to credit. Disruptions to food supplies can also lead to price volatility,
impacting both farmers who may not be able to capitalize on higher prices due to
lack of storage facilities, and consumers who may face food shortages or higher
prices for essential food items.
○ The Outlook: The war's long-term effects on agriculture are still unfolding.
Countries are looking for alternative fertilizer sources, with many African nations
turning to Morocco, the world's largest phosphate exporter [source: Reuters, May
2024]. Efforts are also underway to boost domestic food production to mitigate
the impact of import disruptions.
● Sustainable Solutions Gain Traction:
○ The Shift: There's a growing recognition that traditional agricultural practices like
excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not sustainable in the
long run. They can contribute to soil degradation, water pollution, and reduced
biodiversity.
○ The Focus: Government initiatives and research are increasingly focused on
promoting sustainable farming practices. This includes techniques like crop
rotation, which helps maintain soil fertility, cover cropping, which improves soil
health and reduces erosion, and integrated pest management (IPM), which relies
on natural predators and biological controls to manage pests instead of chemical
pesticides. The Indian government's flagship program, Paramparagat Krishi
Yojana, promotes organic farming and provides financial assistance to farmers
transitioning to sustainable practices [source: Government of India, Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers Welfare].
○ The Benefits: Sustainable practices can improve soil health, reduce reliance on
chemical inputs, and potentially increase yields in the long run. This can benefit
both farmers by lowering input costs and consumers by ensuring access to safe
and healthy food. A study by the Rodale Institute found that organic farms can
yield up to 30% more food per unit of land over the long term compared to
conventional farms [source: Rodale Institute white paper, 2023].
● Climate Change Throws a Curveball:
○ The Threat: Recent heatwaves in India and Europe, coupled with unpredictable
weather patterns like erratic rainfall and floods, highlight the ongoing threat of
climate change to agriculture. Droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures can
devastate crops and disrupt agricultural production cycles. A World Bank report
estimates that climate change could reduce yields of major crops like wheat,
maize, and rice by up to 30% by 2050 [source: World Bank report, "Climate
Change and Agriculture: A Call for Action," 2021]. This would have a devastating
impact on global food security and livelihoods of millions of farmers.
○ The Response: This is pushing for advancements in drought-resistant crops and
climate-resilient farming techniques. Scientists are developing new crop varieties
that can withstand higher temperatures and require less water. Conservation
agriculture practices like mulching and minimum tillage are also being promoted
to improve soil moisture retention and reduce water needs.
○ The Need for Action: Investing in climate-smart agriculture is crucial to protect
farmers' livelihoods and ensure long-term food security for all. This includes
research and development of climate-resilient crops, promoting sustainable
farming practices that adapt to changing weather patterns, and developing early
warning systems for extreme weather events.
● Farmer Protests Keep the Pressure On:
○ The Voice of Farmers: Protests by farmers demanding better prices, loan
waivers, and reforms in the agricultural sector continue to be a major news item
in countries like India and Brazil. In India, for example, farmer unions like
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) have been holding protests against recent
agricultural reforms they believe will weaken their bargaining power and benefit
large corporations [source: Al Jazeera, May 2024].
○ The Message: These protests highlight the urgency of addressing the challenges
faced by farmers. They are demanding a fair share of the profits in the
agricultural sector, better infrastructure like irrigation facilities and cold storage to
reduce post-harvest losses, and a sustainable future for their way of life.
○ The Path Forward: Addressing the concerns raised by farmers is essential. This
can involve policy changes that ensure minimum support prices (MSPs) for crops
are set at a level that covers production costs and provides a reasonable profit
margin. It can also involve investments in agricultural research and development,
improving access to markets and credit for farmers, and promoting farmer
collectives and cooperatives to strengthen their bargaining power.
