What was the condition of the agricultural sector at the time of Independence?

Question

Accepted Answer

The condition of the agricultural sector at the time of independence can be understood with the help of the following points:

1. **Low level of productivity**: The productivity levels were very low, at about 660 kg per hectare for wheat and 665 kg per hectare for rice. The use of primitive techniques, lack of irrigation facilities and negligible use of fertilisers kept the yields low.

2. **High degree of vulnerability**: Agriculture was greatly affected by erratic rainfall. Since there were no proper irrigation facilities, a bad monsoon directly translated into crop failures and famines.

3. **Rift and turmoil between owners and tillers**: The owners charged high rent from the tillers and demanded rent even when the crops failed. This demotivated the tillers, and agricultural productivity was negatively affected. The zamindars had no roots in the villages and did nothing to improve the condition of agriculture.

4. **Uneconomic and fragmented landholdings**: The size of the landholdings was uneconomic, and the landholdings were also scattered. This further affected the productivity of land adversely.

5. **Problem of unemployment and underemployment**: The agricultural sector was plagued with the problem of unemployment and underemployment. Since the decline of handicrafts had pushed displaced artisans back to the land, the burden of population on agriculture increased, leading to low productivity per person.

6. **Use of primitive techniques of production**: The farmers used age-old primitive techniques of production, which was a cause of low productivity.

In addition, India's agricultural production received a further setback due to the partition of the country, as a sizeable portion of the highly irrigated and fertile land went to Pakistan. Thus, at the time of independence, agriculture presented a picture of stagnation, low productivity and immense distress for the farmers.