Question : UPGRADATION OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

(a) the number of farmers/cultivators/ agricultural workers in the country as on date, State-wise including Odisha;

(b) the details of schemes run by the Government for the welfare of the farmers/ agricultural workers in the country;

(c) the details of assistance provided and utilised by the States for the purpose under such schemes during each of the last three years and the current year;

(d) whether the Government proposes to evolve/upgrade agricultural technology in collaboration with the research institutes to address the shortage of agricultural workers in the agriculture sector; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a): As per Census, 2011 conducted by the Registrar General of India, the total number of agricultural workers in the country, comprising cultivators and agricultural labourers is 263.1 million (118.8 million cultivators and 144.3 million agricultural labourers). State/UT-wise including Odisha, number of agricultural workers are given in Annexure-I.

(b): Under the 12th Five Year Plan, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has 5 Centrally Sponsored Missions, 5 Central Sector Schemes and 1 State Plan Scheme under implementation. Details of the schemes are given in Annexure II.

(c): Details of assistance provided and utilized by the States on schemes being implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation during last three years and current year are given in Annexure-III.

(d) & (e): A number of agricultural engineering technologies in the form of implements/equipments/ processes/products/practices concerning both pre-harvest and post-harvest have been developed, demonstrated and promoted by the research institutes and their cooperating centers. Addressing the shortage of agricultural workers in the agricultural sector by reducing drudgery and cost of cultivation, and improving overall resource use efficiency & profitability in production systems is their objective. Also, the low cost hand tools, implements, machines and technologies useful for small and marginal farmers developed over the years are demonstrated under various outreach activities like on-farm trials, Front Line Demonstrations, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Kisan Melas, etc. Small and marginal farmers would be able to use these improved farm tools and machinery on custom hiring basis to overcome the shortage of agricultural workers.