AGRICULTURE IN INDIA

India is an agricultural country, where about 65% of the population are engaged in this sector, but its contribution to the GDP is only 17.9%. This sector remained under developed for a long time. But the Green Revolution changed India into self sufficiency & into an agricultural exporting nation. Now India ranks first in the world in the production of tea and groundnuts. It ranks second in the world in the production of rice, sugarcane, jute and oil seeds. This achievement has been acquired despite the fact that only 30% of the total agricultural land has assured water facility, the balance 70% are based on rains. If the balance of the land also gets adequate water, we will be able to be the No. 1 in the world. 

There are No. Of challenges being faced by agricultural sector, which are:-

1. Lack of Water:  Guaranteed irrigation facility is not available to 70% of agricultural land, without which growth is low. The Supreme Court of India has ordered Interconnectivity of Rivers in Feb ’12. On the completion of the work, India will be able to guarantee food to the World.
2. Soil erosion is eroding away the most fertile top layer of the soil. This could be prevented using suitable methods like afforestation, checking overgrazing and creating scientific drainage.
3. Poor Transportation: Villages are poorly connected by roads. This is resulting in delay in reaching the products to the market.
4. Capital Availability at High Rate. The main suppliers of money to farmers are the money lenders, traders and commission agents; they charge high rates of interest from the farmers and purchase their agricultural produce at very low price.
5. Poor storage facilities at village level are compelling farmers to sell their product immediately after the harvest at the prevailing low market prices. Almost 75% of our vegetables and fruits do not reach the market and perish at village level.

Steps that can be taken by government to improve agriculture

1. Connect the rivers in a phased manner as has been done by Gujarat and MP.
2. Connect the villages by road.
3. Set up chain of research centres for producing high yielding varieties of seeds.
4. Educate farmers by setting up adequate Agriculture colleges and universities.
5. Electrify villages and set up agro based industries so that cash flow to farmers is enhanced.
6. Modernise FCI & State Warehousing Corporation.
7. Ensure efficient crop insurance and Bank loan facility.
8. Provide a very high reliable weather bulletins for farmers.

GLOBAL WARMING

Global Warming is the increase of Earth's surface temperature, due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions. This happens due to burning of fossil fuels or from deforestation. This traps heat giving rise to the earth’s surface temperature.

Greenhouse Effect brings a Number of changes like:-

1. Change in rainfall pattern, drought and fire in some areas & flooding in others.
2. Natural calamities such as flood & hurricane.
3. Melting of the ice caps which results in loss of habitat near the poles. Polar bears and many other species are being considered endangered. 
4. Melting glaciers - significant melting of old glaciers is already observed.The amount of oxygen dissolved in the oceans may decline, with adverse effect on  ocean life.

Some of the suggested Steps to Reduce Global Warming are:-

1. Switching over to cleaner energy e.g. Nuclear Energy.
2. Worldwide Plantation of trees.
3. Follow the environmental policy of ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’.
4. Use of fuel-efficient vehicles to reduce emissions of harmful gases.
5. By walking and cycling for short distance & vehicle pooling for long distances.
6. Using public transport.
7. Switching over to LED bulbs which uses two-thirds less energy and emits 70 percent less heat.

America, which causes global warming the most, has walked out of its commitment of reducing it. Therefore, it is all the more important for the entire world to ensure that the Global Warming is taken care of.