Page 329 - Low Carbon Development in China and India
P. 329
the first time the AFB sanctioned projects in India. These two proposals
are expected to enhance adaptive capacity of the coastal community in
Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh and increase resilience of small and
marginal farmers in Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal.
The recently concluded 25th meeting of the AFB on
9–10 April, 2015, sanctioned another proposal from NABARD in India
worth USD 1,790,500 which is expected to build adaptive capacities of
small inland fisheries for climate resilience and livelihood security in
the state of Madhya Pradesh, while it rejected the other two submitted
proposals.The trend of contract farming (CF) has also been emerging
significantly in the agriculture sector of India. Private sector companies
such as Satyam, ITC Limited, and PepsiCo, Rallis, and Bharti Walmart
have been involved in contract farming with small farmers. These and
other such companies provide technical knowledge and guidance to
farming communities to ensure quality in the production of output.
Contract farming provides assured income and financial support to
the farmers and has been identified as a potential policy intervention
to promote economic development in the agriculture sector. However,
contract farming is often accused of inculcating agricultural practices
involving excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water—thereby,
causing environmental degradation. This, at the same time, also
presents the opportunity of using responsible contractual farming
models to help farmers adopt sustainable agriculture practices. These
private sector firms could also help mobilize funds for the farming
communities to help them adopt eco-friendly technologies.
There is a need to invoke technologies that promote environment
protection, energy savings, and satellite mapping for the agriculture
sector of India. Countries like China, Brazil, and various Southeast
Asian countries have been able to leverage technologies by bringing in
private sector investments into the agriculture sector. The average land
holding size in India for a majority of landholdings is less than two
acres. Therefore, it becomes essentially important to explore
economically viable solutions with the involvement of the private
sector to improve farmers’ incomes. So far, the private sector has largely
remained outside the purview of agricultural capital expenditure.
Thus, in order to augment private sector investments in the agriculture
sector to help farmers adopt clean environment-friendly practices,
there is a need to relax the existing legal and policy framework to some
extent (Mittal 2012). Literature also points towards the need to mobilize
increased government investment in the agriculture sector all-together,
which at present is scarce. Government funding is considered a crucial
294 Low Carbon Development in China and India
are expected to enhance adaptive capacity of the coastal community in
Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh and increase resilience of small and
marginal farmers in Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal.
The recently concluded 25th meeting of the AFB on
9–10 April, 2015, sanctioned another proposal from NABARD in India
worth USD 1,790,500 which is expected to build adaptive capacities of
small inland fisheries for climate resilience and livelihood security in
the state of Madhya Pradesh, while it rejected the other two submitted
proposals.The trend of contract farming (CF) has also been emerging
significantly in the agriculture sector of India. Private sector companies
such as Satyam, ITC Limited, and PepsiCo, Rallis, and Bharti Walmart
have been involved in contract farming with small farmers. These and
other such companies provide technical knowledge and guidance to
farming communities to ensure quality in the production of output.
Contract farming provides assured income and financial support to
the farmers and has been identified as a potential policy intervention
to promote economic development in the agriculture sector. However,
contract farming is often accused of inculcating agricultural practices
involving excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water—thereby,
causing environmental degradation. This, at the same time, also
presents the opportunity of using responsible contractual farming
models to help farmers adopt sustainable agriculture practices. These
private sector firms could also help mobilize funds for the farming
communities to help them adopt eco-friendly technologies.
There is a need to invoke technologies that promote environment
protection, energy savings, and satellite mapping for the agriculture
sector of India. Countries like China, Brazil, and various Southeast
Asian countries have been able to leverage technologies by bringing in
private sector investments into the agriculture sector. The average land
holding size in India for a majority of landholdings is less than two
acres. Therefore, it becomes essentially important to explore
economically viable solutions with the involvement of the private
sector to improve farmers’ incomes. So far, the private sector has largely
remained outside the purview of agricultural capital expenditure.
Thus, in order to augment private sector investments in the agriculture
sector to help farmers adopt clean environment-friendly practices,
there is a need to relax the existing legal and policy framework to some
extent (Mittal 2012). Literature also points towards the need to mobilize
increased government investment in the agriculture sector all-together,
which at present is scarce. Government funding is considered a crucial
294 Low Carbon Development in China and India
