Why should Indian farmers diversify their cropping pattern and what is the relative significance of crop diversification to boost farmers’ income in India?
Indian farmers should diversify their cropping pattern from cereals to high-value crops. This will increase incomes and reduce environmental degradation simultaneously. Because fruits, medicinal herbs, flowers, vegetables, bio-diesel crops like jatropha and jojoba need much less irrigation than rice or sugarcane. Diversification of crops offers better conditions for food security and aids farmers in growing surplus products for sale at the market. Access to national and global markets: It can help farmers’ access national and global markets with new food products and medicinal species. Thus, the cropping patterns are beneficial in improving the fertility of the soil, thereby, increasing the yield of the crops. It ensures crop protection and availability of nutrients to the crops. The cropping patterns differ from region to region. It depends on the land, topography, slope, temperature, amount and reliability of rainfall, soils and availability of water for irrigation. Monoculture dependency: India has traditionally been dependent on a few major crops like rice, wheat, and sugarcane, leading to a lack of crop diversification. For instance, rice and wheat account for more than 70% of the total food grain production in the country. Agriculture Diversification refers to either a change in cropping pattern or the farmers opting for other non-farming options like poultry farming, animal husbandry, etc. This practice allows farmers to expand the production, which helps generate a higher level of income. Agricultural diversification is a process through which farmers shift their farm enterprises from traditional to high value added modern enterprises. It enhances farm income, generates employment opportunities and manages risk in agriculture. Crop diversification provides better conditions for food security and enables farmers to grow surplus products for sale at market and thus help to obtain increased income to meet other needs related to household well-being.
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