This was reiterated by Ashok Dalwai, chief executive officer, National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), and chairman, Committee on Doubling of Farmers’ Income, at the Brainstorming Session on Agricultural Marketing and The Model Contract Farming Act, 2018 - Evolving an Integrated Agri-Marketing Architecture under the aegis of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi recently.
He pointed out that in the last four years, policy measures have been initiated and put in place that would raise and double the farmers’ incomes and help all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to come together for the transformation of the Indian agricultural economy.
Dalwai stated that the Model Contract Farming Act, 2018 had addressed almost all issues relating to the Indian agriculture sector, resulting in a win-win situation for all its partners and stakeholders, and attempted to focus on the diverse agriculture pattern of the Indian economy, so that productivity and the accompanying factors with it yield the desired results for improving the lot of farmers in general and agriculture in particular.
“The Act has enabling provisions so that the agriculture produce is marketed better and efficiently and a level playing field is ensured not only for farmers, but also for those corporates that intend to provide inputs for better agricultural practices,” stated Dalwai.
He added that a little corporate investment has been generated in the agriculture sector, as largely farmers have been investing on their own in this segment of the Indian economy, which is roughly measured at about 96-97 per cent.
“The Act creates a congenial environment for corporates to add up their investments in the farm sector with their legitimate partners, with farmers owning equal negotiating powers for better returns on their agriculture produce,” said Dalwai.
Arabinda Kumar Padhee, director, country relations and business affairs, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), also spoke on the occasion.
He emphasised that in the recent times, the government’s focus on the agriculture sector had been enhanced, and added that this will efficiently serve its objectives with the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018 in place with the adequate support from the states, since agriculture was a state subject.
Anil Khaitan, president, PHD Chamber, observed that the incomes of farmers should go up with engaging with corporates that are supposed to be their partner in the form of contract and hoped that the Act would be effective to improve Indian agriculture.
PHD Chamber’s Agribusiness Committee was represented by its chairman, V K Mishra; R S Khanna, its co-chairman, and its director, Mallika Verma.
Among others present on the occasion comprised Prasanta Kumar Swain, joint secretary, agriculture marketing division, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
