ANANTAPUR: India can learn quite a few lessons from the US not only in science and technology but also in the farm sector too, though there is no comparison between the agriculture sectors of the two countries on any parameter. India can take a cue from the US particularly on the welfare of farmers, suggests a Fulbright Fellow.

Y.V. Malla Reddy, Director of Ecology and Human Resource Development of Accion Fraterna, the ecology wing of the well-known NGO Rural Development Trust in the district, visited the US from April 3 to June 2 for a study on agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas and managing drought-prone areas on a Fulbright Fellowship.

"Farmers are the most pampered lot in the American society as they are protected with all risks with weather (climate) insurance, yield insurance and price insurance for all crops. Risk in the farming is totally covered there," says Mr. Malla Reddy, who is also a member of AP Water Conservation Mission and AP Farmers' Commission, while sharing his experience with The Hindu .

Free inputs

About one-third of employment in the US is generated by allied activities to agriculture like agri-processing and agri-business. But, those involved in agriculture are just 1.7 per cent of the population there against 70 per cent in India. Land grand universities set up about 100 years ago offered agriculture extension service and free inputs to attract persons to the farm sector, he says about the

evolution of the sector in the US.

Allied activities

Besides, direct grant is also allocated for giving incentives to farmers as agriculture is a highly cost intensive activity there. About 60 per cent of the investment in farming goes for fuel cost and the remaining for seed, fertilizers and pesticides. As agriculture is completely mechanised, it does not involve any labour. The farmers themselves run the machines for all purposes. Even a farmer having land holding of 10,000 acres is called a medium farmer.

"We can learn from them on how to protect the farmer as their policies are pro-farmer and the risk is covered completely," opines Mr. Reddy. The Government protects agriculture from other allied activities like dairy farming and food processing, covering risk from them. They will lose subsidies if they take up allied activities. Besides, the Government suggests extent of coverage for each crop to minimise the risk further.

Minimum support price for each crop is announced well in advance, before the sowing season and each farmer will be given a choice of four to five crops to raise. This is the most appropriate practice that can be implemented in India, opines Mr. Malla Reddy. The latest practice in the US is no-till farming. Crop residue is completely left in the filed to retain the soil moisture for longer periods. Besides, contour cultivation in uneven lands is helping them face drought conditions better. Farmers there rotate crops regularly and no crop is cultivated twice in a row. He will recommend several good features of the US agriculture sector to the State Government for a study and implementation, if possible, says Mr. Malla Reddy.

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