India has recorded an increase in agriculture employment from 234.1mn workers in 2001 to 263.1mn workers in 2011, revealed the Indian population census 2011
The total number of agricultural workers in the country, comprising of cultivators and agricultural labourers, have increased from 234.1mn (127.3mn cultivators and 106.8mn agricultural labourers) in 2001 to 263.1mn (118.8mn cultivators and 144.3mn agricultural labourers) in 2011.
Mohanbhai Kundaria, Indian minister of state for agriculture, said, “In order to promote the agriculture sector in the country Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has strengthened, re-structured and prioritised research and development programmes in rice, wheat, maize, millets, fodder crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, fiber and horticultural crops through various research institutes.”
Kundaria added that ICAR has been working to promote high-quality research in agriculture that includes 16 consortia research platforms initiated during the 12th five-year plan of India, which covers all facets of the agricultural research.
In addition, a major research programme National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) has also been initiated by the Indian government to address the sustainability and climate change issues in agriculture, noted the minister.
