UPSC Articles
Farmers’ protest against restriction on paddy cultivation
Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-III – Agriculture
In News:
- Several farmers staged a tractor march in Haryana against the state government’s decision to restrict paddy (rice) cultivation to a few areas in the State.
Key takeaways
- The Haryana government had recently launched ‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme.
- It aimed at crop diversification to move away from water-guzzling paddy.
- Under the scheme, farmers sowing alternative crops other than paddy during the kharif season will get an incentive of ₹7,000 per acre.
- Government is aiming to replace 50% of the paddy area with alternative crops, including maize, cotton, millet, and pulses.
- Farmers have started a ‘Kisan Bacho-Kheti Bachao’ campaign against the decision.
- They informed that soil and climate is not conducive in most parts for their cultivation.
- According to them, the compensation offered is Inadequate as well.
Important value additions
Crop diversification
- It refers to the addition of new crops or cropping systems to agricultural production on a particular farm.
- It takes into account the different returns from value-added crops and other marketing opportunities.
- Advantages:
- It can help in increasing the farmers’ income to a certain extent.
- Dependency of farmers on a single crop decreases.
- Increase in natural biodiversity
- strengthening the ability of the agro-ecosystem to respond to the stresses.
- Building crop resilience to diseases, pest organisms and environmental stresses.
- It reduces the risk of total crop failure.
- Enable farmers to gain access to national and international markets with new products, food and medicinal plants.
