Agriculture in the times of

In India, agriculture provides employment opportunities to more than half of the population. Agriculture in India contributes roughly seventeen percent to the country's GDP, and it is second to agricultural production after China. The year 2020 has been eye opening in various ways, from reminding people, businesses, and industries to slow down and become consciously aware of the impact of their actions and hold accountability for the same, to shedding light on what needs to be built and how to attain development in a truly sustainable manner. The Coronavirus pandemic exposed the serious lack in funding and investments in the agriculture and medical sectors. It is when the authorities were forced to battle the spreading virus, that the reality of the industries came into focus. The period of lockdown was a time when realisations dawned upon the world, some of the major ones being to focus on the agricultural sector, the 'Make in India' campaign, and going back to old Indian traditional roots.

During the covid-19 pandemic, agricultural activities related to production and marketing were considered to be essential services among many others. However, even though these activities weren't restricted in any state, the supply and movement restrictions put a lot of strain on the agricultural sector, as the operations of the retail sellers were restricted and the movement of goods was severely constrained. Apart from this, the processing units that consume agricultural commodities were shut during the pandemic, along with mandis and markets. So as it turned out, the pandemic brought major challenges in the sector of agriculture as there was shortage of labour, equipment, supply limitations, and reduced demand.

Due to the above mentioned reasons, the farmers in India faced several problems during the lockdown period. There was also a sudden drop in the demand for a majority of agricultural commodities, making it difficult for agricultural farmers and labourers to sustain.

Owing to these circumstances, the government of India has taken on certain post lockdown measures to help bring back the agricultural sector towards a decent economy. One of the important takeaways from the pandemic impact on agriculture was that there's a need for a population shift from farming to the post harvest industry. It is indeed a farsighted idea to develop the post-harvest infrastructure, but would prove to be very beneficial in sustaining and preserving nutritious food, mainly horticulture produce, for a long period of time. Most of these measures have to do with adding to existing policies and investing more funds into agricultural infrastructure. A lot of these measures reflect that the government is sensitive towards the cause, but on a deeper analysis, it also goes to show that these measures won't do enough to understand and serve the real nature of the problem. The approach adopted is of the nature, 'A rising tide will lift all boats', but it is also important to understand that not all affected farmers have boats to begin with.