indias agricultural development and biodiversity

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INDIASAGRICULTURAL

DEVELOPMENT

AND ITS EFFECT

ON BIODIVERSITY



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INDEX

1. Introduction.

2. India’s Agricultural Development.

3. Agricultural Links to Biodiversity.

4. Agriculture: It’s Impact on biodiversity.

5. Measures for Developing Agriculture In

India.

6. Conclusion.

7. Reference.



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INTRODUCTION

AGRICULTURE (also called farming or

husbandry) is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other

life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life.

Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary

human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species

created food surpluses that nurtured the development of

civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agriculturalscience. Agriculture is also observed in certain species of ant

and termite, but generally speaking refers to human activities.

Agriculture in India is a major economic sector and it creates

plenty of employment opportunities as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestication

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_surplus


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_science





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_surplus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestication


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals



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BIODIVERSITY refers to the number, variety, and

variability among plant, animal, and microorganism species,

their genetic diversity, and the ecological systems in which they

exist. Biodiversity is defined at three levels.

Genetic diversity refers to the different genes and variations

found within a species. The different varieties of wheat are

an example.

Species diversity is the variety and abundance of different

species in a region. Examples are the number and variety

of trees, and the different species of mammals and their

populations found within an area.

Ecosystem diversity is the variety of habitats, such as

grasslands or wetlands that occur within a region. An

ecosystem is a complex of plants, animals, and

microorganisms, interacting with each other as well as with

the chemical and physical factors making up theirenvironment. Ecosystems are difficult to define, since the

boundaries of ecosystems are inherently fluid — components

move in and out. Ecosystems often overlap, or are components

of larger ecosystems. This lack of clear delimitation is often a

barrier to the effective design and enforcement of ecosystem

preservation.

For too long the agricultural and environmental

communities have been at odds with each other over

biodiversity when in fact they share many concerns. Agriculture

is often cost as a homogenization agenda on the landscape

obliterating much of the biodiversity to make room for crops and



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livestock. Some agricultural practices also trigger downstream

impact on biodiversity such as water pollution with agro

chemicals. While it is true that agriculture has caused harm to

the environment, agriculture is the key to saving biodiversityand farming and livestock practices can be honed to minimize

environmental damage

Humanity has been farming for at least 10,000 years.

For most of that time, agriculture has been small-scale, labour-

intensive and relatively low-tech. The last half-century,

however, has witnessed a rapid revolution in the technology of

agricultural production, particularly in the developed world, that

has allowed the widespread adoption of industrial-scale farmingtechniques.

By contrast, the agricultural landscape in many of the poorest

countries continues to be dominated by smallholder farmers

growing crops either for their own subsistence, or for markets

over which they have limited influence. Governments,

particularly in developing countries, are no longer investing

heavily in agriculture. But they remain keen, on the one hand, to

ensure that their countries produce enough food for their

growing populations, and on the other, to exploit any

opportunities that exist in the export market.

Developing countries that try to meet these two objectives find

themselves in a dilemma. Highly productive agriculture is

undoubtedly good for a country‘s social and economic stability.And greater agricultural productivity should, in theory, enhance

food security and raise standards of living in farming

communities. But there is growing evidence, backed by a

substantial body of research that modern agricultural techniques



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– in both rich and poor countries – are helping to undermine the

natural resource base of the economies that depend upon it. This

includes contributing significantly to the loss of biodiversity.

The aim of this policy brief is to outline the challenges, andsome of the choices, that face policymakers in the developing

world who want to increase the agricultural productivity of their

country, yet also safeguard biodiversity. In this way they might

prevent the sacrifice of their populations‘ long-term interests in

favor of short-term social or economic gains.



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India’s Agricultural Development

Agriculture in India is a major economic sector and it

creates plenty of employment opportunities as well.

India agriculture has an extensive background which goes back

to 10 thousand years. At present, in terms of agricultural

production, the country holds the second position all over theworld. In 2007, agriculture and other associated industries such

as lumbering and forestry represented around 16.6% of the

Gross Domestic Product of the country. In addition, the sector

recruited about 52% of the entire manpower.

Regardless of the fact that there has been a gradual slump in its

contribution to the gross domestic product of the country, Indiaagriculture is currently the biggest industry in India. On the

whole, it has a key role in the socioeconomic growth of the

country.



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In terms of agricultural contribution, the following states in

India are the most developed states:

Punjab

Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh

Haryana

Bihar

Andhra Pradesh

Maharashtra

West Bengal

All these states play a key role in the agrarian development of

India.

Agricultural Products in India

India ranks first in producing the following agricultural outputs:

Fresh fruit

Tropical fresh fruit

Coriander

Pigeon peas

Jute

Spices

Pulses Castor oil seed

Safflower seeds

Sesame seeds

Limes



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Lemons

Dry chillies and peppers

Cow's milk

Cashew nuts Chickpeas

Ginger

Guavas

Turmeric

Mangoes

Meat

Buffalo milk

In addition, the country also ranks as the top producer of millets

such as Bajra, Jowar, and Ragi. In terms of rice production,

India holds the second position after China.

About 10% of the fruits produced in the world are produced in

India. India holds the first position in the world in producing the

following fruits:

Papaya

Mangoes

Banana

India holds the third rank in the world in the production of the

following:

Sorghum Tobacco

Coconuts

Tomatoes



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By coffee production, India holds the sixth rank in the world.

India houses the biggest number of livestock in the world and

the count is 281 million. In 2008, the country housed the second biggest number of cattle in the world and the count was 175

million livestock.

India ranks as the second biggest producer of the following:

Cabbages

Cashews

Fresh vegetables Cotton seed and lint

Garlic

Silk

Goat meat

Cardamom

Nutmeg and Mace

Wheat

Onions

Sugarcane

Rice

Dry beans

Lentil

Tea

Groundnut

Cauliflowers Green peas

Pumpkins

Potatoes

Gourds



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Squashes

Inland fish

The population of India is increasing at a faster pace than its

capacity to produce wheat and rice.

India holds the second position in production of wheat, rice,

cotton, sugarcane, and groundnuts. It is also the second biggest

harvester of vegetables and fruit, representing 8.6% and 10.9%

of the overall vegetable and fruit production in the world

correspondingly.

The country is the top producer of jute, milk, and pulses and

holds the second rank in the production of silk and it is the

biggest consumer of silk in the world. In 2005, the country

produced 77,000 million tons of silk.



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Agriculture’s Links To Biodiversity

Agriculture and biodiversity are interlinked without biodiversity,

agriculture cannot progress. Biodiversity is both wild and

managed habitats are vital resources for crop and livestock

improvement and without improved agriculture most of the

remaining habitats for wild life will be destroyed to make roomfor farms plantations and ranches. Biodiversity is thus much

more then the preservation of habitats for unique and interesting

plants and animals. People in rural and even urban areas are

intimately involved in using biodiversity to supply their needs.





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In part, biodiversity has even been created by humans. Mankind

has introduced countless new varieties and breeds of indigenous

plants and animals – the so-called ―agro biodiversity‖. Over

10,000 years, we have bred numerous plant species andregional varieties for human use.

Agriculture is widely considered the single most important

threat to biodiversity conservation and the greatest driver of

habitat destruction and change in India.

Agriculture also has a negative impact on biodiversity

conservation primarily through the expansion of the agricultural

frontier, at the expense of natural habitat. Today, the nature of

the threat of agriculture to biodiversity conservation has

changed.



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Agriculture: Its Impacts On

Biodiversity

Agriculture has the potential to disturb or destroy the balance of

an ecosystem through disruptive practices on existing farmland

or by converting uncultivated land to farmland. While extensive

farming has over time destroyed natural habitats, especially in

the Great Plains region, massive expansion of U.S. farmland is

no longer a major concern. Agricultural land use has remained

relatively stable since 1945, while cultivated area has declined.Activities associated with agricultural production may affect

biodiversity in several ways. Examples of such activities include

erosive tilling, improper grazing and animal waste disposal

practices, irrigation with its potential for salinity, the







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Increasing the number of sheep and overgrazing of

marginal grasslands and heaths - Overgrazing has

caused the destruction of many habitats especially

peatlands. Overgrazing results in the exposure of barerock and the widening of rivers, and increased

braiding of channels, making their course highly

unstable from one flood event to another.

Increased use of fertilisers, increased stocking

densities and increased nutrient inputs through

supplementary feeding - Due to these increases infertilisers, stocking densities and nutrients there has

been an increase in pollution of rivers leading to loss of

biodiversity, especially in sensitive rivers such as

Salmonid rivers

WHY BIODIVERSITY ON FARMSSHOULD BE PROTECTED?There are many environmental, economic,ethical and social

reasons why you should be concerned with protecting

biodiversity on your farm. The following are some of those

reasons.

1.Legislation:

The raft of legislation that is now in place at both a European

and a National level makes it compulsory for you to protect

and enhance biodiversity to some extent. The main pieces of

legislation that apply to agriculture are The Local



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Government (Water Pollution Act) 1977 & 1990, The Nitrates

Directive and Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of

Waters Regulation 2006. Failure to comply with legislation

that is in place may result in fines, disruption to your farmingoperations and cost of rehabilitation for damage done. It is

therefore imperative that you are aware of obligations.

2.Designations: Designation of Special Areas of Conservation, Natural

Heritage Areas and Special Protection Areas means that there

may be areas on your land that are of particular importance to biodiversity and have been afforded special protection under

European and domestic legislation. The system of farming

therefore is usually different here and prescribed to protect the

biodiversity. It is therefore important that you are fully aware

of any designations on your farmland and that your

agricultural practices in these areas are in line with those

prescribed.

3.Protect the local natural heritage: For many farmers the land that you farm today has been part

of your family‘s heritage for generations. The ecosystems that

make up your farm are part of your natural local heritage and

should be protected in order to ensure its survival.

4.Meet the expectations of consumers and local

community: More and more there is demand from consumers and local

communities for farmers to carry out their activities in a



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manner that is sustainable and protective of all aspects of the

environment. Consumers are demanding a high standard when

it comes to food and many are turning to organic produce.

Likewise local communities expect farmers ‗the custodians ofthe landscape‘ to protect and enhance the local biodiversity.



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10 measures for developing the

Agricultural sector in India:

Since the dawn of independence, several steps have been taken

to develop the agricultural sector of the country. The major

breakthrough has been achieved in food grains production.

The production of food grains which was 550 lakh tonnes in

1950 substantially moved to 1991 lakh tonnes in 1995.

However, the various measures employed from time to time can

be discussed as: The various technical measures employed todevelop agriculture are as under:

1. Multiple Cropping:

Multiple cropping aims at maximizing production per unit of

land and per unit of time by taking three or four crops in a year.

By adopting multiple cropping, there are two advantages as of

getting increased returns and economy of the farm resources.

2. Expansion of Irrigation Facilities:

Irrigation facilities have increased manifold over time. Several,

minor, medium and major irrigation projects have been launched

in the country. At the inception of First Five Year Plan, India

had only 18% of total irrigated area which at present increased

to about 33.9 percent.

Moreover, dry farming has also been introduced in those areas

where means of permanent irrigation cannot be installed. In

1994-95 the country witnessed total irrigated area of 876 lakh

hectares.





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6. Use of Mechanization:

Mechanization is another noteworthy step employed to develop

agriculture. Small farmers are assisted with cheap credit

facilities through co-operative societies, communitydevelopment blocks to purchase machinery and other modern

equipments.

7. More Use of Chemical Fertilizers:

Use of chemical fertilizers has also contributed significantly to

the growth of agricultural output. Several steps have been taken

to encourage the use of cow-dung as manure rather than as fuel.

In 1950-51, 0.13 million tonnes of chemical fertilizers was used

which in 1980-81 increased to 5.52 million tonnes and further to

12.54 million tonnes in 1990-91. In 1995-96, the use of

chemical fertilizers was recorded to the tune of 15.7 million

tonnes.

8. Development of Agricultural Land:

Efforts have been made to develop agricultural land during the

five year plans. Major success has been achieved in the leveling

of land, terracing of fields and contour building. Land surveys

are also being conducted.

9. Animal Husbandry:

Animal husbandry has assumed a much broader role in the

overall agricultural development. Presently, this sector accounts

for 25% of gross value of agricultural output. India's vast



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livestock population offers tremendous potential for meeting

domestic demand for milk, egg, meat, wool, etc.

10. Land Reforms:

In a bid to increase agricultural productivity, land reforms are of

immense use. Since the dawn of independence, Government, of

India has undertaken several land reform measures. For instance,

Abolition of zamidari system, Fixation of ceilings on Land

Holdings, Consolidation of Land Holdings, co-operative farming

etc.



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CONCLUSION

Although India missed the opportunity to open up two decades

ago, its attempts to do so now must be regarded as better latethan never .It is observed that the logic of the global economy as

well as India‘s interests dictate that India becomes proactive in

its liberalization policies. India must liberalize not because it has

no choice but because it is the best choice. India has adopted a

‗victim mentality‘ when it really needs to adopt a ‗winner

mentality‘ has become less of a concern as over time, India has

shown commitment to stay on the bandwagon of globalization.Having realized that globalization is a necessary but not a

sufficient condition for high growth production, India has

undertaken economic reforms, both internal and external.

However, it must be ensured that these reforms are synchronized

so that the pace of both reforms is set right in order to work hand

in hand to promote agricultural productivity grow.

Thus, training the farmers and educating themappropriately to change their mindset and reorienting them to

take up new activities or adopt foreign technology is of utmost

importance. In this context, it is necessary to involve non-

governmental organizations in training and mobilizing the rural

poor to face the challenge of liberalization. Also, with domestic

economic reforms, more care needs to be exercised to draw up

state-specific liberalization measures to maximize their benefits.

Lastly, in the implementation of these reforms for successful

globalization, one crucial element, not entirely within control is

the need for good governance and stability in the political and

economic environment. Political leaders who are the ultimate



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decision makers in these matters need to examine their own role

dispassionately.

It is quite apparent that at this relatively early stage,

there is little observable evidence of gains to India‘s agricultural performance after opening up. However, there could easily be

benefits that have not yet surfaced, or are yet to be identified and

perhaps too difficult or intangible to measure. Whatever the

case, it is highly likely that it is too soon to assess the full impact

of globalization and economic reforms. Furthermore, the process

of liberalization has been gradual and remains incomplete. For

example, the complete removal of quantitative restrictions afterMarch 2001 will have provided an opportunity for Indian

farmers to tap world markets and, if they are successful, results

should start to become evident soon. Export promotion via the

development of export and trading houses as well as effective

liberalizing export promotion zone schemes for agriculture are

fairly recent measures and only time will tell as to how effective

these measures are. Other possibilities such as agro-industry

parks for promoting exports are also in the pipeline.

In conclusion, India has successfully set sail on the

waters of globalization and economic reforms and even in the

wake of economic and political instability, she has to carefully

steer her course in order to reap the benefits of increased

productivity growth in the agricultural sector.

Of all the aspects of biodiversity, the conservation of

agricultural biodiversity, and the provision of space for

conserving wild biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, has

perhaps the greatest potential for practical, sustainable solutions





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