Indian agriculture has now assumed a legal responsibility, since the National Food Security Act, 2013 commits itself to a legal access to food to a majority of its population. The Right to Food can be fulfilled only with home-grown food, since international prices are very volatile. Unlike other rights, like the Right to Information, which can be redeemed with the help of files, the Right to Food can be implemented only with the help of farmers. This is why we have to redouble our efforts in helping farmers overcome the many challenges they face in producing more food and other agricultural commodities from diminishing per capita land and water resources. Also, climate change, manifested in adverse alterations in temperature, precipitation and sea level, will add to the problems of farmers and farming. What steps should we take to ensure sustainable advances in agricultural productivity and production?

In my view, we should attend to the following six areas to safeguard the stability and sustainability of agricultural production in our country. First, we should ensure that soil health is not only conserved but improved continuously. This will require concurrent attention to the physics, chemistry and micro-biology of soils. Also, we should take steps to ensure that good farm land is conserved for agriculture.

Second, irrigation water security will have to be ensured through integrated attention to harnessing rainwater, river and other forms of surface water, groundwater, treated wastewater and seawater. The conjunctive use of different sources of water and improving water use efficiency through methods like more crop per drop of water need urgent attention.

Third, technology and inputs need to be tailored to the agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions under which farmers work. Technology is the prime mover of change and a technological upgrading of agricultural practices through the introduction of biotechnology, information technology and appropriate agricultural mechanization is essential to attract and retain youth in farming. Also, technology development and dissemination should be gender-sensitive and farm implements should be specially designed for women farmers.

Fourth, farmers should receive appropriate credit and insurance support. Credit should be made available at 4 per cent or even lower rates of interest as recommended by the NCF. Insurance procedures must be made more effective and should promote group insurance on an agro-ecological basis. This will bring down the transaction cost.