10.1 Agriculture Census in India, as a part of the system of collection of agricultural statistics is conducted quinquennially, since 1970-71. The Agriculture Census provides vital information on the structural aspects of Indian Agriculture, an important sector of the Indian economy. The basic statistical unit for data collection of Agriculture Census is
‘Operational Holding’ as it is the ultimate unit for taking agriculture-related decisions.
The reference period for Agriculture Census is the Agricultural year (July- June).
10.2 Agriculture Census in India is organized following broad guidelines of decennial World Census of Agriculture evolved by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations. India is a participant of the World Agriculture Census Programme.
So far, nine Agriculture Censuses have been conducted and the current Agriculture Census (ninth in the series) with reference year 2010-11 is nearing completion.
Preparatory activities for the 10th Agriculture Census with reference year 2015-16 is also going on.
10.3 Agriculture Census is implemented in three distinct Phases. Periodic Agriculture Census is the main source of information on number, area and other basic characteristics of operational holdings such as land use, cropping paern, irrigation status, tenancy particulars, paern of input use etc. This information is tabulated by different size groups of holdings viz., Marginal (below
Farmers Welfare. The key indicators of SAS, 2013 have been released in December 2014.
Detailed results are being finalized.
Agriculture Census 2010-11
10.6 The results of all the three phases of Agriculture Census 2010-11 have been released and hosted on the website. All India Report on number and area of operational holdings in the country based on Phase-I results of Agriculture Census 2010-11 has been published. The All India Report of Agriculture Census 2010-11 (Phase-II) have been prepared and uploaded on the website.
Key results of Phase-II of the Agriculture Census 2010-11 and Input Survey 2011-12 (Phase-III of Agriculture Census 2010-11) include the following:
• As per Agriculture Census 2010-11, the Gross Cropped Area was estimated at 193.76 million hectare.
• The cropping intensity as per Agriculture Census 2010-11 works out to 1.37 against 1.32 in Agriculture Census 2005-06.
• During 2010-11, 45.7 percent of the net area sown was irrigated.
• As per Agriculture Census 2010-11, 48 percent of the total net irrigated area is accounted by small and marginal holdings, 44 percent by Semi-medium
& medium holdings and 8 percent by large holdings.
• Among the various sources, tube-wells emerged as main source of irrigation in 2010-11 followed by canals.
• As per Agriculture Census 2010-11, for 96.95 per cent of operational holdings, entire operated area was located within the village of residence as against 95.64 per cent reported during 2005-06.
• As per Input Survey 2011-12-
about 98 percent of total holdings grew one or more crops, while 2 percent kept their land fallow
about 76 percent of Grossed Cropped Area was treated with fertilizers.
about 44 percent of total Grossed Cropped Area were treated with chemical pesticides.
about 73 percent of the Operational Holdings adopted one or more pest control measure to save their crop from pests.
about 34 percent of the total Operational Holdings availed institutional agriculture credit during 2011-12.
about 39 percent of the total Operational Holdings in the country used certified seeds (blue tag) for raising crops.
about 7 percent of Operational Holdings conducted soil test
10th Agriculture Census 2015-16
10.7 Preparatory activities of the next Agriculture Census 2015-16 has been initiated. All Land Record States have been requested to update their land records for the ensuing Census Programme. The Schedules and Manual of Instructions of the Census have been prepared and distributed to all States/UTs. The field work for next Agriculture Census 2015-16 is scheduled for July 2016.
Gender Perspective in Agriculture Census
10.8 Gender based data in Agriculture Census is being collected since 1995-96 on the recommendations of Central Statistics Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, New Delhi. The scope of collection of gender based data has been restricted to number of operational holdings,
corresponding operated area by different size classes of holdings, social group (SC, ST and others), and types of holdings (individual, joint and institutional).
Sr.
No.
Size Group 2000-01* 2005-06* 2010-11
1 Marginal (Below 1.00 ha.) 11.84 12.60 13.63
2 Small (1.00-2.00 ha.) 10.27 11.10 12.15
3 Semi-Medium (2.00-4.00 ha.) 8.67 9.61 10.45
4 Medium (4.00-10.00 ha.) 6.86 7.77 8.49
5 Large (Above10.00 ha.) 5.22 6.00 6.78
All Size Groups 10.83 11.70 12.78
* Excludes Jharkhand
10.9 Percentage of female operational holdings as per results of various Agriculture Censuses is given in the following table.
10.10 Increase in percentage of female operational holders during different Agriculture Censuses indicates participation
of more and more women in operation and management of agricultural holdings in the country.
11.1 The Government has been playing an important role in developing Agriculture Marketing system in the country. The Marketing Division of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is concerned with policy and programme implementation for Agricultural Marketing Reforms and Schemes such as Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM), Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) and National Agricultural Market(NAM) through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund (ATIF).
11.2 Agriculture sector needs competitive and well- functioning markets for farmers to sell their produce. In order to remove restrictive and monopolistic practices of present marketing system, reduce the intermediaries in supply chain and enhance private sector investment in development of post- harvest marketing infrastructure to reduce wastages and to benefit farmers through access to global markets, reforms in agricultural marketing have to be an ongoing process. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare formulated a model APMC Act in consultation with the States/UTs, and circulated the same during 2003 and its rules in 2007 for adoption by the States/UTs.