Ashok Gulati
The writer is chair professor for agriculture at ICRIER. Views are personal
Articles By Ashok Gulati
Cash incentives must be given to paddy growers to shift to corn
Paddy stubble burning in states neighbouring Delhi, especially Punjab, is being seen as one of the reasons for the smog in the national capital. Change to a less water-guzzling crop will help address stubble burning.
Market incentives, direct income support for farmers are far more effective in increasing agricultural productivity
India can learn three lessons from China — investing more in agri-R&D and innovations, improving incentives for farmers by carrying out agri-marketing reforms, and collapsing input subsidies into direct income support on per hectare basis.
Govt needs to find sustainable solution for price stabilisation of Tomatoes-onions-potatoes
Tomatoes-onions-potatoes (TOP) are the three basic vegetables that face extreme price volatility and the government often finds itself on the edge in fulfilling its dual objectives of ensuring remunerative prices for farmers and affordable prices for consumers.
From Plate to Plough: Wipe away the onion tears
The government's concern over spike in onion prices is justified. But the policy instruments it is using won't solve the problem.
From Plate to Plough: The right to choose
Government could give fertiliser subsidy directly to farmers and let them decide if they want to practise zero budget natural farming or use chemical-fertilisers.
Arun Jaitley, the farmers’ finance minister
Arun Jaitley hoped to transform agri-markets, subsidy structures. Implementing these ideas would be a fitting tribute to him.
High powered commitee for transformation of agriculture should reform restrictive tenancy laws
Transforming agriculture in the medium to long run requires fundamental reforms in land institutions as well. This is what is missing in the new committee’s terms of reference.
From Plate to Plough: In the shade of solar trees
Helping farmers produce solar energy can help realise the government’s target of doubling farmers’ incomes.
From Plate to Plough: A win-win deal
Replacing subsidies with direct cash transfers to farmers’ accounts will empower them as well as consumers.
On the water front
Farmers can be given monetary rewards for saving electricity and water. Water-guzzling crops need to shift to geographically sustainable areas.
With little allocation for agriculture, budget sends a worrying signal
One notable thing was the absence of emphasis on doubling farmers’ real incomes by 2022. Perhaps the reality that this is an uphill task has dawned on the government — it may not achieve even half the target.
From Plate to Plough: A farm question for Modi 2.0
Can India emerge as a leader in bio-farm technologies, including GMO?
From Plate to Plough: The farm-factory connect
Raising farm productivity is the first step to increasing rural demand and reviving the manufacturing sector
With victory in his pocket, what should PM Narendra Modi deliver to the nation?
Agri-marketing reforms should be the top priority in the government’s agriculture agenda. Three years have passed and one does not see any acceleration in farmers’ incomes compared to the trend line of 3.7 per cent during 2002-03 to 2015-16.
For all their talk on agriculture, BJP, Congress show they have not learnt from past failures
Elections are all about grabbing power. It is only coincidence that every party promises to serve the poor!
From Plate to Plough: Cow and cane
Farm distress, particularly the stray cattle menace and the crisis in livestock sector, and mounting sugarcane arrears could dampen the BJP’s performance in UP.
From Plate to Plough: Promises to the farmers
Whichever party comes to power at the Centre, India is making a policy shift to direct income support.
This election, the crux of the debate should be on improving people’s welfare
Both BJP’s PM Kisan and Congress’s Nyay acknowledge that small and marginal farmers and bottom 20 per cent of population have not benefited from current policies. But both schemes raise further questions.
From plate to plough: Fielding the right incentives
Income support under PM-Kisan is only one small step. It must be complemented by large-scale reforms in agri-marketing and trade policies.
From plate to plough: No achhe din for the farmer
When it comes to agriculture growth, the NDA government compares poorly with its immediate predecessor. The next government must initiate structural reforms, set realistic targets