Fading food in J&K

Next govt: reducing imports to half by 2020

Bilal Hussain

Though it might seem sarcastic to most that food security of Jammu and Kashmir is at serious threat however, patterns and figures present a gloomy picture of the state. Apparently there are almost negligible signs of starvation deaths and malnutrition widely here which gives a false sense of food security.

According to the World Food Summit of 1996 that defines food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Commonly, the concept of food security is defined as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences.

According to an estimate that puts the quantum of annual imports of mutton, milk and poultry to the tune of Rs 700 crore, which gives a notion about the quantum of imports particularly food items to the state. This huge dependence on the food imports makes the state most vulnerable in terms of food security.

The imports are not limited to mutton, milk and poultry items only but the state gets bulk of agricultural produce as well. The main reason for this is due to the decline in the share of agriculture and allied sectors towards GSDP that has gone down from 56.64 per cent in 1970-71 to 32.58 per cent in 2000-01 and 21.12 per cent in 2009-10 and further to only 19.36per cent at constant prices. Less contribution of agriculture towards state economy is attributed to the factors like: Low Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) in case of High Yielding Verities (HYV) of major crops is yet to surpass 15 per cent in comparison to the national level SRR of above 25 per cent . To sustain continuous growth in productivity, seed management plays a crucial role.

The agriculture sector faces challenges on many fronts. On the supply side: the yield of most crops is not improving. It needs to mention that yield of food grains is stagnant at around 16 quintals per hectare based on last four years average figure. Regarding some cases it fluctuates downwards. The cultivable area is about 8 per cent of geographical area and 34 per cent of the reporting area, net area sown constitutes only 30 per cent of the reporting area. The scope for increase in the net area sown is limited rather bleak. Farm size is continuously shrinking.

Availability of irrigation facility is restricted to 44 per cent of the net area sown and 56 per cent is still a rain fed area. A major constraint to the development of agriculture in J&K is the fact that only 50 per cent of the ultimate irrigation potential of the state has been harnessed.

J&K is also deficient in rainfall: development of irrigation potential in the state becomes necessary for reducing dependence on import of food-grains and other agricultural products.

Inadequate double cropping- due to lack of irrigation facility in some areas and climatic difficulty in others places. Only 56% of the net area is sown more than once.

Small size of land holdings: 94 per cent of the land holdings fall in the size class of less than 2 hectare. More importantly the average holding size is 0.67 hectares as compared to 1.23 hectares in India as per latest agriculture census. Inadequate research in the field of agriculture in the state and inadequate Agricultural Finance facilities further aggravates the problem.

As a part of food habit, per capita consumption of meat, poultry items and milk is higher in J&K state than all India, but the state is deficient in meat, poultry, eggs and milk production thus making state to heavily rely on imports from other states. Due to mismatch in demand and supply of mutton, the import of sheep and goat is continuously increasing. The import of sheep & goat has increased by 71 per cent when compared with such import figures of 1995-96.

The state spends annually an average Rs 700 cr on the import of mutton and poultry from other states. Given the resources constraint nature of the economy, the state cannot bear this flight of capital.

The Jammu-Srinagar Highway is the only lifeline that connects the state to the rest of India. Of late the government has taken the initiative of creating an alternate highway via Shopian-Bufliaz popularly known as Mughal road. The project is expected to be completed by 2013 under the Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan (PMRP), lets be optimistic on it.

All I could think of that the state on priority should do is to employee latest technology for of high yielding varieties to different crops like Paddy, Wheat, Maize etc. Organic Farming needs to be encouraged. Increasing seed replacement rate from the current rate level of less than 15 per cent to national average of 25 per cent. Promoting dry land farming in Kandi area. Ensuring Hassle free credit facilities to farmers and insurance for all crops. Consolidation of land holdings by way of legislation and its strict implementation. Increasing agricultural research by way of establishing of seed testing and quality control system in agriculture. Optimum utilization of existing irrigation potential and creation of additional irrigation potential will define the future course of growth of our agriculture.

The state incurs huge sum on import of meat, poultry, eggs etc annually. If the whooping sum gets pumped back into the economy, it would change the complexion of the state economy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improving the production and productivity of mutton and poultry to eliminate the gap between the supply and demand in the state.

To promote organized farming and institutions of dairy, poultry and sheep cooperatives, appropriate policy measures and development interventions for promoting livestock sector in the state are required. Extension facilities to far off and backward places, genetic improvement, introduction of hi-tech commercial broiler for enhancing white meat production and dropper breed of sheep to increase the mutton production, proper health cover can help a lot in the pursuit of this goal. Livestock is a fast growing sector and to boost it further, new initiatives in the pipe line need to be addressed with more determination.

The World Food Summit goal is to reduce, between 1990–92 and 2015, the number of undernourished people by half. Millennium Development Goal 1, target 1C, is to halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. On the similar pattern the state government in J&K should have targets for their respective electoral terms like: reducing imports to half by 2020 at least that would ensure food security for the state.