Fifty years of Indian agriculture/ edited by Ali Mohammad, Abdul Munir [and] Shamsul Haque Siddiqui V.2

The book consists of in two volumes. Vol. 1 relates to the aspects of Production, and Vol. 2 to that of the determinants of Production and critically evaluates the achievements and performance of Indian agriculture after Independence. The sustainability and food security aspects of agricultural development are also examined. After independence it was a challenge to the planners to develop the agriculture to achieve the self-sufficiency because of depressing picture of Indian agriculture with the beginning of the planning. During the British period over 80 per cent of the sown area was under foodgrains cultivation and yet the total output of foodgrains was insufficient for the needs of the country. A large part of the farming was of subsistence nature and 25 per cent area was under irrigation and the rest of 75 per cent had to depend on rainfall associated with drought-dry spells and high level of fluctuation was the chief characteristics of production causing food insecurity.

After 50 years of planning, the situation had taken a bit positive turn even after three-fold increase of population, i.e. unemployment period is reduced and wage rate has been changed because of the increased rate of irrigation. The 'Green Revolution' component has changed the total picture and production increased four times but could not complete the past gap between population and foodgrains production. However, the nation has achieved the minimum level of food self-sufficiency, but due to the faulty distribution and wide income gap, hunger and starvation is still continuing in small segments of population.

In these two volumes, attempts have been made to find out all possible positive and negative factors to achieve the much-cherished aim of food security in general and among poorest segments of population in particular.