“When the hoe of the farmer tills the bosom of the earth; when he sows and waters, waiting for the sapling to unearth; this is when and how human civilization follows.”
Agriculture is a creative art. It is an art of producing food to try the fare mess. As said, ‘where there is tillage, civilization follows’. Human, through his creative capacity i.e. labor, produces food. Food is the bare minimum necessary for human existence. And agriculture satisfies, reduces human capability and capacity; making him unable to achieve his desired potential.
Agriculture and the creation of civilization
Hunting and gathering food was the primary aim of the earliest homo sapiens. Occupied with it the complete day, they could not devote time for any other constructive activity. The discovery of systematic agriculture led to the formation of settled life of man. Now, humans had leisure. They devoted time for leisurely activities and arose the concept of written language. Written language helped in the promotion of establishment of more rules, laws in society. Trade flourished. Indus Valley civilization, Mesopotamia Civilization, Egyptian Civilization are the earliest historical examples. They flourished being settled near major water sources such as Ganga, Euphrates, Tigris, and Nile respectively.
Slowly this civilization gave way to more refined societies like the Greek and Roman society, again secured by flourishing food security.
Agriculture and progress of civilization:
Again because of agriculture overproduction and coupled with many complementing factors, Britain marched on a path of Industrial Revolution. Scientific Revolution in 15th century changed the face of the world.
There began an era of colonization of Latin America, Asian countries including India, African nations, Caribbean islands in order to grow cash crops for export. Industrialized nations captured more and feretory for their benefit. Though colonization had serious impacts on the colonies, but at the same time it exposed the colony to new ideas of democracy, rule of law. Introduced modern means of communication and transportation. Ultimately they fought for their independence. And then established their own rule and flourished (though not all countries!)
Significance of Agriculture in the modern context:
Beaming with a population over 7 billion, the world is racing towards touching the 9 billion mark soon. And here the basic need to ensure the world progress, is the to ensure “Food Security”. Lack of accessibility and availability of the same will lead to hampering the growth potential of all. FAO of United Nations Global Hunger Index point out that in India alone nearly 200 million people go hungry every day. 60% of the hungry people reside in the South Asian region.
Such a large group of hungry people reduce the economic potential of a nation. It also leads to instability chaos and conflict in society. Crime increases because of lack of food. A human cannot do away with hunger. Hence indulges in petty crimes like stealing to larger malaises like human and drug trafficking. Women and children are the worst affected who are often thrown into prostitution.
Nearly a quarter population of the world is dependent on agriculture for livelihood. In India, the percentage is whooping 48% of population.
Unremunerative agriculture is leading to rise in farmer suicides. Rural distress is in rise consumption demand is falling. All in turn slows down the economy. Economy is sluggish reduced employment leading to further poverty. All of it creates additional food and aid to help this nation.
From all the above we can very well conclude how significant agriculture is for the progress and development of humankind. National Commission for Farmers chairman M.S Swaminathan hence very truly pointed out that ‘Everything can wait, but not agriculture’. If a person does not have two morsels of food to eat what can we expect from such a helpless person?

The gloomy scenario in Agriculture
Today the world faces a highly challenging scenario in terms of agricultural production. Rapid urbanization and industrialization has usurped lands required to feed the 7 billion population coupled with climate change, agriculture has become even more problematic. The Zimbabwean disaster is coupled with the recent cyclone that hit its eastern fertile coast destroyed all its crops. Madagascar is ravaged by two back-to-back cyclones in 2019, destroying its agricultural lands. Cyclone fane in lack home ransacked the fertile coast of Odessa.
Specifically in the Indian context, the agricultural sector has huge importance. The primary reason for the same is nearly half of the population is dependent on it for their livelihood.
Agricultural issues
– Marketing bottlenecks
– Over-reliance on monsoon
– Infrastructural bottlenecks (logistics, warehouse)
– Land Reformer an unfinished agenda
– Irrigation covers only 45% of cultivated land
– Land fragmentation
– Cob-web phenomena
– Tariff & non-tariff barriers by foreign countries
Hence in Indian scenario, agriculture is slowly becoming highly unremunerative. Large scale illiteracy among farmers nearly 38% as per Economic survey 2017-18) is hampering adoption of new technology. The RSD expenditure in Agriculture is mere 1% of the agriculture budget. Climate change can reduce agricultural production to the tune of 20-25% for rain-fed areas as per Economic survey 2017-18. Subsistence farming is another issue plaguing agriculture at the global level

Setting the house right in Agriculture:
India and China along with many developing countries have come together to bring the Doha Round of tells in WTO to a logical conduction. In order to ensure food security for all, especially the developing nations.
Food and Agricultural organization (FAO) of UN and IFPRT are working consistently to improve agricultural output globally. Its efforts are being complemented by the works of International centre for Research on Arid Crops (ICRISAT) Hyderabad to produce drought-resistant crops.
Global leaders are increasingly adopting latest technology such as artificial intelligence remote sensing to make agriculture more productive.
At the national level, government has adopted various measures to make agriculture productive and remunerative. The Economic Survey 2017-18 clearly pointed out agriculture being are of the meta problems of India. And the need is to make it climate smart and resilient.
Government Schemes
– PM KISAN Yojana
– PM SAMPADA (Food processing)
– Model Contract Farming Act
– PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana
– PM Annadata AAY Yojana (for price deficiency remuneration)
– e-NAM
– PM fasal Bima Yojana
– Model Agricultural produce and livestock Management (APLM) Bill, 2018.
Village Resource Centers, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Keshan toll-free nor are also being provided to ensure farmer’s help. At the state level Odisha’s KALIA scheme, Andhra Pradesh Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme, Madhya Pradesh Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana are also working in the same direction.
Collective effort need of the hour:
All the stakeholders have to realize the importance of agriculture for the progress of mankind and civilization. When the realization truly dawns is when an effort can and will be made. If we continue to ignore it as a not so important problem, it may turn into a catastrophe soon.