Introduction
The report focuses on the future development of agriculture in India. The lack of education, disproportionate workforce in agriculture and other non-farming industries, low productive and virtually no development strategy significantly affect and hinder general development. The problem of food produce is among the most burning due to the forecast that world population will increase to almost 10 billion people by 2060. The amount of food present today will be unable to satisfy the needs of everyone on this planet. Therefore food production must increase by 70%. In order to achieve this goal the only viable solution is seen as the wide implementation of GMO products which will be able to produce yield high enough to feed everyone in the future. Using the potential example of the Du Pont company development, it is feasible to show how the country will develop its agro-industry and solve the already pressing problems of supplying its population with food.
The aim of this report is to show the existing problems in the Indian agro-industry and propose a clear development strategy that will facilitate the sector’s growth. In order to achieve this the report needs to consider sustainable solution for the growth of food production, compare the situation of the present day and the potentially viable situation of 2060, and develop a clear timeline of events leading to the final aim.
Sustainability Situation analysis 2060
UN Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that by 2060 the planet will have about 10 billion people living on it. To feed them, the world must increase food production by more than 70%. On the way to the growth humanity has decisive and rigid time limits, depletion of water and land resources, climate change and geopolitical disasters – are the factors that could cause the planet experience global hunger. To avoid this, agriculture requires immediate modernization (Giovannucci et al., 2012: 62). New approaches and technologies already exist, but most of all the industry need people who are ready to implement them in the next 30-50 years.
Today, at the mention of agriculture imagination draws up stereotypical images of green fields, large hangars, shelters for animals, haystacks, country roads and farmers. Technological maximum of this pattern is a tractor, a combine harvester and a greenhouse. But such an attitude to the farms has been present for at least a decade. Advanced agricultural production has the potential to use all the innovations which can be achieved from robots and drones to genetic engineering and experimental physics (Ghosh and Secar, 2013: 31).
The whole world, which used to be subordinated to the changing seasons and tedious rural labor is now a poisonous mixture of genetic experiments, science, industrial nostalgia, seasonal migrations, the boom of commercial redistribution of land, extensive investment incentive tax, investment and political turmoil (Kearney, 2010: 2801). In other words, the farmland of today is changing much faster and more radical than even the most advanced city.
Business Scenario 2060
India is actively developing and increasing its production from year to year. The foodgrain yield of 2060 is by 4% higher than the yield of last year. The clearly defined strategy of development of the agro-industrial sector has proven its worth and the company, just like the whole country is focusing on the development of new and improvement of the already exiting GMO products (Kumar, 2015: 13). The amount of people working in the industry in the rural area include almost 30% making the rest of the population work in production and the corresponding services facilitating an easier process of food production. Du pont India is actively developing due to the high professionalism of its R&D department. Having earlier made an agreement with the government on the education of people occupying specific positions in the agro-industrial sphere Du pont has managed to attract attention of not only these officials but also of all the local companies who sought development. Thus having the government’s help Du pont infiltrated the Indian market deeper and expanded its presence there. Despite not owning any land, the company is working through the numerous local partners, who grow crop for it, which is then made into seeds. Du pont has managed to build several top-notch sorting facilities and uses the existing distribution channels sells its grain to all the local farmers at a price significantly higher than any competitor. Nonetheless, profound R&D, guaranteed high yields, non-stained reputation and government support are the factor that make farmers choose Du pont over all others. Besides, using the extensive experience Du pont has managed to participate in the development of the general strategy on irrigation and provide a few decisive remarks and pieces of advice on the plausible and potentially prominent options (Food Security and Agriculture, 2016).
Connect the Scenario in 2060 to today
India in 2013 adopted a law on the National Food Security. Now, 800 million people have received government subsidies for food. In addition to the main bread basket the Government has distributed rice and wheat, millet, sorghum and maize among the population. In India it is profitable to grow these kinds of cereals (foodgrain) because of their nutritional value and resistance to drought and floods. The fact that they have been included into the state program, stimulated the work of agricultural enterprises. This is another step to ensure food safety. Farmers who grow foodgrains have increased their income through the acquisition of a permanent customer in the face of the government. This support contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture. As a result of the adoption of the law, India has been able to make progress in the fight against unemployment, poverty and hunger (Ratna Reddy, 2014: 13).
Nonetheless there remain several problems that need to be solved.
Strategy
There is still no unified and clearly defined strategy that will facilitate the future development of Indian agriculture. Thus it is vital to develop and implement one this year so as to know in which direction the country is to move and what is to be given preferences to.
The use of agrochemicals
India ranks as the fourth largest agrochemicals producer after US, Japan and China. However, the actual use of agrochemical on the internal market of India is very low. In comparison to the average 3 kg per hectare on the global scale, 4.5 kg per hectare in the US and 10.8 kg per hectare in Japan, India is only using 0.58 kg. This is a problem as the limited availability of fertile land will not facilitate the needs of the ever-increasing population (Sharma Vijay and Jain, 2011: 23). By 2020, the attitude of the population will have to change through propaganda and explanation on the necessity of the necessity of agrochemicals with the figure reaching the world average.
Diversification of rural economy and education
Agriculture in India is occupying a significant share in the rural economy. Almost 65% of the population is working in the sphere of agriculture. As a result India is experiencing under-employment leading to low per capita earnings. The low education level has slowed down the implementation and establishment of non-farming facilities, thus hindering the diversification plans.
The solution in order to promote development is in the creation of alternative places of employment in rural areas. In order to do this there is a need to implement programs for skill development, thus facilitating the shift to non-farming production, which in turn will increase the level and competition of all enterprises in the predominantly rural India, including the agriculture sector (Thenmozhi and Thilagavathi, 2014: 67). The following spheres will be developed: the retail sector will grow, education will be improved and lead to an increase in competition, rural entrepreneurship will be boosted, tourism will develop, and the handicraft and artisan industries, horticulture, fisheries will all flourish. This will improve the rural microclimate and establish strong links to the urban center thus increasing the viability of business centers. This needs to be done by 2025.
Increase of productivity
It is forecasted that the population of India will increase by 2060, thus there is a dire need to increase food production. However, at the same time it is important to bear in mind that the farming lands area will not increase. Though it might seem that the production of foodgrain has been increasing, the statistics show that the per capital availability has been reducing. Thus it is important to bring into mind the need to increase productivity per hectare.
India is lacking high yield varieties. The insufficient irrigation has lead to water shortages. Virtually no local R&D facilities and capability to improve yields per hectare and low level of usage of agrochemicals are the top reasons for low productivity of crops. The introduction of foreign hybrids, GMO and their cultivation on Indian soils is of utmost importance. By 2030 the average figures have to meet those of the leading countries in this sphere – USA, Japan and China.
Monsoon dependence reduction
There is a dire need to diversify the sources of irrigation and stop to be dependent on the rainfall. The immense lack of technological resources that would facilitate the spread and implementation of irrigation equipment. Special funds need to be considered as this problem is of utmost importance influencing the solutions to the already existing problems. More so efforts need to be made to increase the groundwater levels by means of harvesting rainwater and using it for irrigation, forbidding deforestation in zones close to cultivated land, promote and develop artificial sources of irrigation (Yogider, 2010: 43).
Reasons
On the one hand, a huge population. On the other – prices fluctuations, inflation, losses due to drought or heavy rains. As a result of traditional farming methods, seed and equipment he government is unable to ensure food safety. Genetically modified products for India is the only way to ensure food security in the present and the future. In recent years, the safety and quality of these products was often placed into question. But genetic modification is nothing more than the crossbreeding of different species, which is similar to natural breeding. For thousands of years, many plants were cross-breeded with others by means of wind, insects, or through other methods of transferring DNA. At present, these methods are employed by scientists to improve the grain yield (Brouwer, 2016: 73).
In the era of genetically modified foods biotechnology opens up new possibilities for its use in agriculture. E.g. soon China will get GMO rice resistant to diseases and pests, which will significantly reduce cultivation costs and increase productivity. In India, some companies and research institutes are also working in a similar direction, in particular, carry out experiments with biotech rice in laboratories. The public should be kept informed about genetically modified foods, such as GMO eggplant. People should understand the difference between genetically modified and other vegetables. The state should ensure the education needed to promote genetic products (IBEF, 2016).
The use of biotechnology in agriculture has shown that genetically modified crops help increase productivity and ensure security and sustainable development. Many countries use such crops and have to ensure their food needs. Currently, agricultural biotechnology is in its infancy. India also has a huge potential to become a leader and main producer. For example, China, with 20% of the world's population, has only 6% of the land required for growing food and in India there is more than 16% of cultivated land, which can help to ensure food security for today and tomorrow (Chaudhry, 2015).
Timeline 2016-2060
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