Diversification in Agriculture and allied activities, Land tenure and size of land holdings in Himachal Pradesh
Out of the total geographical area of 55.67 lakh hectares in Himachal Pradesh the gross cropped area is about 9.51 lakh hectares. With a net area sown of approximately 5.38 lakh hectares, the cropping intensity stands at 176.6%. About 81% of the total cultivated area in the state is rainfed with a gross irrigated area of 1.87 lakh hectare and net irrigated area of 1.06 lakh hectares. Consumption of fertilizers (nitrogen + phosphatic + potassic) per hectare of gross cropped area has increased from 35.9 kg/ha in 1997-98 to 50.2 kg/ha in 2012-13. Coverage of area under plant protection measures is likely to reach an all-time high of 5 lakh hectares in 2013-14 from 4.5 lakh hectares in 2006-07 with an increase in distribution of agrochemicals from 134 MT to 190 MT during the above periods.
The share of agriculture including horticulture and animal husbandry in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had declined from 26.5% in 1990-91 to 14.42% in 2012-13. In the 1990s, the sector showed an average annual growth rate of 5.7%, which is at par with national level. The economy of the state has shown a shift from agriculture sector to industries and services as the percentage contribution of agriculture and allied sectors in total State Domestic Product has declined from 58.56% in1970-71 to 37.82% in 1990-91and to 19.28% in 2013-14. Agriculture is one of the major contributors to the total domestic product and has overall impact on other sectors via input linkages, employment and trade.
The Agriculture and Allied Activities sector of the state’s economy has recorded a growth rate of 4.2% during the Eleventh Five Year Plan and a growth rate of 4.5% in this sector has been envisaged during the Twelfth Five Year Plan (GoHP, 2012). Primary sector, which includes agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying, during 2011-12, witnessed a negative growth rate of 5.2%. The
agricultural production has increased from previous year but due to decrease in fruit production this sector registered a negative growth.
Diversification of Agriculture through Micro-Irrigation and other related Infrastructure
The project on Diversification of Agriculture through Micro-Irrigation and other related Infrastructure aims at increasing the area under efficient methods of irrigation viz., drip and sprinkler irrigation. The NABARD has sanctioned this project under RIDF-XIV amounting to INR 19.809 billion which shall be implemented in 4 years starting from 2008-09. In all, 17312 sprinkler/ drip irrigation systems shall be installed during the project period. Besides this, 16020 Nos. of water sources like tanks, shallow wells, shallow tube wells, deep tube wells, small and medium lifts and pumping sets shall also be constructed on the basis of actual need. For installation of Sprinkler and drip system farmer is being provided with 80% subsidy and for creation of water resources 50% subsidy.
Promotion of organic farming
The State Department of Agriculture intends to promote organic farming in terms of area expansion and increase in organic certification (2000 ha area approximately) in all districts. The promotion of organic farming i.e. area expansion and organic certification at farmer’s field shall be done as per guidelines and terms and conditions for which services of service providers would be required. State Govt. has also approved the organic policy for the state so the major stress shall be laid on the promotion of Organic Farming during the 12th Plan period.
Precision farming and diversification of agriculture
The State Department of Agriculture has launched Pt. Deen Dayal Kisan Bagwan Samridhi Yojna with the assistance of NABARD under RIDF. The project, launched in 2009, is being implemented in all District of the State with an outlay of INR 3.53 billion. This project comprises of two parts – i) Production of cash crops through adoption of precision farming practices through polyhouse cultivation forINR1.54 billion, and ii) Project on Diversification of Agriculture through Micro-Irrigation and other related infrastructure for Rs.1.98 billion. For polyhouse and micro irrigation 80% subsidy is available, whereas, for creation of water source 50% subsidy is available.
Land tenure and size of land holdings in Himachal Pradesh
The distribution of operational holdings in Himachal Pradesh among different categories of land holdings indicates an overwhelming preponderance of small and marginal farms.
The corresponding figures for 1970-71 were 58.2 and 20.2 per cent respectively. The increase in number of small and marginal holdings may be partly due to division of land to circumvent certain provisions of land ceilings legislations. Further, number of marginal holdings has registered an increase of 56.58 per cent during this period whereas small holdings have increased by 40.60 per cent. The corresponding CGRs were 2.26 and 1.41 percent per annum. On the other hand, though, the number of holdings under ‘others’ category also increased by 2.03 percent, in overall context of reference period, these declined at CGR of 0.1 percent per annum.
The net cultivated area is decreasing and the area is being shifted to non-agricultural uses. This might cause a serious threat to sustainable agricultural development, food security and livelihood. Given the importance of land in agriculture, its conservation becomes very crucial for long-run agricultural production. In this regard development and implementation of land use policies and its integration to the policies on forest and water so as to provide coherence in management of these resources needs to be undertaken. Further there should be laws related to land use so that the incidence of degradation of agricultural land and the shifting of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses could be checked. The barren, uncultivable waste land etc. may be allotted for non-agricultural purposes like buildings, roads etc.
Fragmentation of land has resulted in productivity losses and impoverishment in the region. Land husbandry initiatives such as the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project, which includes the Himachal Pradesh Reforestation Project (HPRP), the world’s largest clean development mechanism (CDM) undertaking, have improved agricultural yields and productivity, and raised rural household incomes. The ongoing Project has converted about 9,000 ha of rainfed area into irrigated land through watershed management techniques.