With over 60% of the population residing in the countryside, India is proudly called the country of the villages. The major population of this developing country has employed agriculture as their primary occupation. Agriculture is undeniably the prevalent source of livelihood and holds a major role in the Indian economy. India being the second largest producer of rice and wheat which are the most consumed staples around the world makes India the global agricultural powerhouse. In India, about 60% of the land is under cultivation, employing a larger proportion of the population than the global average of 11%. Rice cultivations account for 25% of the total cultivated area beneath the green roof. However, agriculture in India is a highly essential but non-profitable business.
Efficiency-affiliated improvements in productivity were implemented to enhance production to meet the growing country’s population. Remarkable accomplishments in agriculture were witnessed in India since the onset of the green revolution. Self-sufficiency in food was the major goal to overcome the pervasive hunger and starvation in the country. This was in concern to bring economic revolution to billions of families whose livelihood largely depends on agriculture and its related activities. Conversely, the situation started worsening having an adverse impact on the sector relying on due to various factors like a slowdown in the growth rate of output, non-availability of monetary funds, resources, and more. This led to stagnation or in some cases waning in farmers’ revenue resulting in rural distress.
The hardships faced by the agriculture oriented families are enormously on a rise and are turning more and more serious creating a serious crisis. The agricultural yields reach out to the plates of those on the other side of the world serving them happiness in every meal. On the other hand, the hardworking families of the farmers that fed us are left starving struggling for even one meal in a day. The various causes like lack of proper technology, meager irrigation facilities, fragmented holding of lands, involvement of middlemen, lack of storage houses, and low financial support majorly contribute to the poor living conditions of the rural families.
Although the demands for agricultural needs are rapidly rising, the problems confronting the agricultural sectors still continue to persist horrifying their day to day life. These issues faced by the farmers are surmountable with the implementation of certain measures. By directing inventions and technologies to reinstate vivacity in farming, providing monetary support to the farmers at reasonable and repayable rates, implementing farmers to table direct trading, making available resources for farming and last but not the least measure of not wasting food would aid in uplifting the lives of the farmers.
Remember, for every grain of rice that is being wasted there is a life starving for food who was the reason for our everyday happy meal. Let us step forward to put a smile on the faces that bring happiness to our plates!