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254 Economic Survey 2021-22

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

7.48 Agricultural research and education has a key role in the development of an environmentally
sustainable global food system, ensuring food and nutritional security and increasing farm
income by cost minimization and yield maximization. Recognising these objectives, the National
Agricultural Research System of India has produced significant results in terms of mechanisation
of agriculture and development of climate resilient technologies and high yielding varieties
(HYVs) of seeds, etc. For example, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) during
2020 and 2021 notified/released a total of 731 new varieties/ hybrids of field crops and 98 of
horticultural crops. To ensure nutritional security through the natural food system and facing the
climate change, the Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) has developed 35
special trait varieties including biofortified and stress tolerant varieties of field and horticulture
crops during 2021-22, taking the tally of biofortified varieties to 87. ICAR has also designed
and developed an Agri-voltaic system of 105 kW for crop production and electricity generation
from a single land use system with an average photovoltaic (PV) generation of 1,29,266 kWh
annual power output and a total revenue of about ₹ 6 lakh. Agri-voltaic system also reduces
Green House Gas (GHG) emission (598 tons of CO2 savings/year/ha).

Mechanization

7.49 Farm mechanization reduces the cost of cultivation and increases productivity through
efficient use of other inputs and natural resources. The penetration of powered machines in various
farm activities is assessed in the range of 40 to 45 per cent (NABARD, 2018). Mechanization in
farm operations for major crops in India in 2019-20 has been 70, 38, 31 and 32 percent in seed
bed preparation, sowing/planting/transplanting, weeding- interculture & plant protection and
harvesting & threshing, respectively. To promote an inclusive growth of farm mechanization in
the country, a Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) was launched in the year
2014-15. Under the scheme, assistance is given to State Governments for providing training
and demonstration of agricultural machinery and assist farmers in procurement of various
agricultural machinery and equipments as also for setting up of Custom Hiring Centre (CHC).
During 2014-15 to 2020-21, a total of 27828 CHC and during 2020-21 alone, 9432 CHC were
established under the SMAM scheme. The Government has also developed and launched Multi
lingual Mobile App called Farm Machinery Solutions (FARMS) which helps the farmers in
getting rented farm machinery and implements through CHC in their area.

7.50 Sale of tractors and power tillers may be used as an indicator of farm mechanisation (Figure
23). Indian tractor industry is the largest in the world accounting for one-third of the total global
production. The farm equipment market in India is estimated at USD 8.8 billion in 2017 and it is
expected to reach USD 12.5 billion by 2022. The tractor market is expected to grow at a CAGR
of 7 per cent by 2022.