Department of Agriculture (India)
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| Department of Agriculture (India) | |
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| Name | Department of Agriculture (India) |
| Native name | मंत्रालय कृषि-विभाग (भारत) |
| Formed | 1947 |
| Jurisdiction | India |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Minister | Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (India) |
| Parent department | Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare |
Department of Agriculture (India) The Department of Agriculture (India) is a central administrative body responsible for agricultural policy, planning, and implementation across India. It coordinates with state governments such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Kerala and interfaces with national institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Reserve Bank of India, and NITI Aayog. The department works alongside international organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and International Fund for Agricultural Development.
History
The antecedents of the Department trace to colonial-era institutions like the Indigo Revolt, Ryotwari system, and the Royal Commission on Agriculture (1928), with post-independence restructurings influenced by committees such as the Swaminathan Commission and reports like the Baspé Report. Early landmarks include implementation of the Green Revolution technologies promoted by scientists such as M. S. Swaminathan and collaborations with laboratories like the Central Rice Research Institute and Indian Agricultural Research Institute. Policy shifts linked to events such as the Economic Liberalisation in India and the establishment of NITI Aayog reshaped the Department's mandates, with subsequent reforms inspired by cases like the Marathwada drought responses and disaster management after the 1999 Odisha cyclone.
Organisation and Administration
The Department is nested within the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, overseen by the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (India) and administratively led by a Secretary to the Government of India. It comprises divisions for Crop Husbandry, Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, and Food Processing, and coordinates statutory bodies including the Commissionerate of Agriculture, the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, and the National Disaster Management Authority in agri-disaster contexts. It liaises with state agricultural departments of Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal and regulatory agencies such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
Functions and Responsibilities
The Department formulates policies on irrigation projects like those under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and supports commodity systems for staples including rice, wheat, millets, and cash crops such as cotton and sugarcane. It administers price-support mechanisms aligned with the Agricultural Produce Market Committee framework, Minimum Support Price policies influenced by recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, and public procurement operations with entities like the Food Corporation of India. It enforces phytosanitary protocols in coordination with World Trade Organization commitments and manages disaster response in partnership with the National Institute of Disaster Management and state agencies following events like the Bihar floods.
Schemes and Programs
Major initiatives include flagship schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, and programs for extension and market linkages including eNAM and the National Agriculture Market. It supports farmer welfare through Kisan Credit Card finance interlinked with institutions like the State Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The Department partners with research programs at Punjab Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, and private sector collaborators including IFFCO and National Seeds Corporation.
Research, Extension and Education
The Department collaborates with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research network of institutes such as the National Dairy Research Institute and the Central Institute of Cotton Research, and supports agricultural education at universities like the Banaras Hindu University and Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University. Extension efforts leverage Krishi Vigyan Kendra centers, farmer-centric models demonstrated in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, and digital platforms connecting agronomists, seed companies, and producers. It engages with international research partnerships including CGIAR centers and bilateral projects with USAID and the European Union.
Budget and Funding
Funding emerges from allocations in the Union budget of India approved by the Parliament of India and routed through departments such as the Ministry of Finance (India), with additional support from multilateral lenders like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Expenditures cover subsidies for inputs coordinated with the Department of Fertilizers, procurement operations with the Food Corporation of India, insurance payouts under crop insurance schemes, and capital for irrigation and rural infrastructure projects often co-financed with state treasuries of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.
Challenges and Reforms
The Department faces challenges highlighted in reports by NITI Aayog and audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India including fragmented landholdings in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, groundwater depletion in Punjab and Haryana, market volatility affecting producers in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and climate risks exemplified by Cyclone Phailin impacts. Reforms pursued include digitisation drives tied to Aadhaar, market reforms debated in the Farmers' protest (2020–2021), seed policy updates reflecting rulings from the Supreme Court of India, and sustainability initiatives aligned with international commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Category:Indian government departments Category:Agriculture in India Category:Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare