Workshop on centre-state relations in agriculture begins

Bangalore, Aug 24 (UNI) A two-day workshop on role of Centre and State Systems in Agriculture commenced at the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) here today that suggested appropriate roles for the central, state and private institutions in the agricultural system and modalities for their interface.

The workshop held by the Yes Bank in association with the National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NCAP), ISEC and the National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) was also aimed at coming out with recommendations to improve the current agricultural research, extension and education system to benefit the stakeholders, with a special emphasis on farmers.

The objective was also to sensitise the stakeholders about the model roles of the central and state systems, and evolve policy measures needed to strengthen their respective roles and foster the interface.

NAIP was a five year programme launched by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and World Bank envisioned to facilitate an accelerated and sustainable transformation of the Indian agriculture.

Part of the Initiative was an important component entitled V-PAGe (Visioning, Policy Analysis and Gender) which specifically dealt with vision of agriculture in India, role of research and development and other policy options to realise this vision. The role of various development agents and actors would also be analysed under this project, with special focus on empowerment of women.

YES BANK, in a release said it was partnering with the NCAP and ISEC in a sub-project undertaken on the 'Role of Centre and State systems in Agriculture'. This was an important component of the project as the future and success of the entire agricultural sector in India depended on how the Centre and States function with respect to each other and how they facilitate the sector across the country as also effective and efficient integration of private sector on all aspects of the Food Value Chain in order to bring about a sustainable farmer empowerment.

Though agriculture was a State subject, the Centre continued to play an important role, the main one being planning and funding. But in the attempt to improve agriculture, over the years, the various policies, Acts, amendments, subsidies and grants have resulted in severe overlapping between the State and Centre domains, thereby creating a huge inefficiency in the agricultural system, a release issued by Yes Bank said.

Though various attempts have been made by various experts to improve the system, much still needs to be done to improve the condition of the agricultural sector in terms of farmer condition, production, quality, crop diversification, R&D, extension, education of farmers and the farming community, prices and exports.

It said that the aim was to come out with out of the box solutions where success on other sector government programmes, such as infrastructure was being studied and targeted to be adapted to bring solutions for the agriculture sector.

Through this study, YES BANK, NCAP and ISEC endeavour to give a new dimension to the agricultural sector in the country and ensure a fruitful outcome for the people as well as the economy of the entire nation.

UNI