Enhancing Agricultural Diversification
Why in News?
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India is actively pursuing agricultural diversification to address challenges like climate change, soil degradation, and market volatility. Diversifying crops and integrating allied sectors aim to enhance farmers’ income, ensure food and nutritional security, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Important Key Points:
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Definition and Importance:
Agricultural diversification involves shifting from traditional mono-cropping to a variety of crops and integrating allied activities like horticulture, livestock, and fisheries. This approach reduces dependency on a single crop, mitigates risks, and improves resource utilization. -
Benefits:
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Risk Mitigation: Diversified farming systems are more resilient to climate variability and market fluctuations.
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Enhanced Income: Cultivating high-value crops and engaging in allied activities can increase farmers’ earnings.
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Nutritional Security: Growing a variety of crops ensures a balanced diet and addresses malnutrition.
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Sustainable Practices: Diversification promotes soil health and reduces the need for chemical inputs.
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Government Initiatives:
Schemes like the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) support diversification efforts through financial assistance, infrastructure development, and capacity building. -
Challenges:
Despite the benefits, challenges such as lack of awareness, inadequate infrastructure, market access issues, and policy constraints hinder the widespread adoption of diversification practices.
