1. Centre for Good Governance International Conference on Governance in Agriculture and Allied Sectors – Issues and the Way Forward Hyderabad. December 18-19, 2014 Farm Resurgence through Infusion of Multiple Technologies G. Chandrashekhar The Hindu Business Line

2. Preamble – the supply side Agriculture – India’s largest private sector enterprise; Livelihood for 130 million farming families; Inherently risky: monsoon vagaries, policy uncertainties, volatile markets; Economic growth, but no equity; 55% agri workforce share 15% GDP pie; agrarian crisis, migration, suicides; India low on HDI, high on GHI;

3. Preamble – the demand side Rising incomes + demographic pressure + low per capita use drive food demand higher; Production growth trails demand growth in many essential food crops; tightening availability; food inflation; rising imports; global market pressures; Food and Nutrition Security under threat

4. Challenges – Old and New Fragmented landholding; rain-fed cultivation (monsoon dependence); inadequate input usage; antiquated agronomy; poor rural infrastructure; no tech infusion; market volatility; New / long-term risks: Land constraints, Water shortage, GW/CC Who will feed India?

5. If agriculture survives, India survives India needs Farm Resurgence Policy support, Investment support and Technology support Multiple technologies for farm resurgence / renaissance

6. Infuse multiple technologies * Information technology * Ag Biotechnology * Satellite technology (Remote sensing) * Nuclear agriculture technology * Nanotechnology (technology-based holistic approach to find end-to-end solutions; make tech adoption an integral part of farm growth strategy)

7. Thank You G. Chandrashekhar The Hindu Business Line Kasturi Building, J. Tata Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020. INDIA Phone: 91 22 22845902 – 22021099 email: gchandrashekhar@gmail.com chandrashekhar.g@thehindu.co.ingchandrashekhar@gmail.com