Agricultural Growth in India: Role of Technology, Incentives and Institutions.

• Author: Farooqi, Maheen Saleem
• Position: Further Reading

AGRICULTURAL GROWTH IN INDIA: ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY, INCENTIVES AND INSTITUTIONS

1. Vaidyanathan

(New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2010), 216 pages.

In this volume, A. Vaidyanathan presents a detailed analysis of trends and fluctuations in the agricultural sector in India. Over the past few decades, growth has been slow, consistently uneven and without serious policy reform. In fact, it runs the risk of deceleration. Vaidyanathan posits that this has a negative impact on rural development and will further widen existing urban-rural disparities.

He focuses on establishing a link between the role played by technology, consumption patterns and consequent demand, and institutional factors in improving agricultural growth. A review of crop patterns and yields at national, state and district levels reveals deficiencies and gaps in each of these areas, indicating a need for reform. In his discussion, Vaidyanathan specifically focuses on the areas of irrigation, biochemical technology, implementation of technological changes, agrarian structures and land reforms and rural labor market shifts. Vaidyanathan also raises the issue of the role of states versus that of the center in designing and implementing projects and strengthening the institutional framework...