What is in news : In order to make Karnataka the first State to double farmers’ income by 2023–24, the State government has  set up a farmer-centric committee to prepare a report and implement farm policies

Details:

• Ashok Dalwai, CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority is the chairman of the comittee
• Committee would comprise farmers from the State, who would be in regular touch with Central government officials to prepare a comprehensive Karnataka-specific report on farmers’ income

ABOUT DOUBLING FARMERS INCOME

• The Union Government had constituted an inter-ministerial committee headed by Ashok Dalwai to prepare a blueprint for doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
• It noted that policy should focus on creating a favourable investment climate for increasing investment ‘in agriculture’.

Key Recommendations

• Placing agricultural marketing in the Concurrent list
• Greater private sector participation in agri-marketing and logistics.
• While GST is a step in the right direction, a lot more needs to be done at the State level.
• Farmer producer and village producer organisations (FPO/VPO) could play a critical role in integrating small and marginal farmers into the agricultural market system.
• Union Agriculture Ministry to roll out the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (APLM) Rules
• Market reforms and investment in infrastructure for cold-chain integration to reduce wastages
• The committee strongly recommends stepping up of institutional credit on a large scale.
• Key aspect of doubling farmers’ income is to focus on export. The aim should be to raise agricultural export by a minimum of three times by 2022-23.
• It suggests a permanent inter-ministerial committee, including commerce, consumer affairs and agriculture. This would monitor domestic and global prices, recommending on needed changes.