[ Dr Anupam Mishra & Dr Prem Chand ]
Madhya Pradesh stands out as a remarkable success story in agricultural growth in India. Over the past decade, the state’s agricultural sector has achieved an impressive annual growth rate of 7% in real terms and high double-digit growth (16%) in nominal terms. The sub-sectors have performed even better, with a growth rate of 13% in livestock and 15% in fisheries in real terms. This growth is not only substantial but also sustainable, particularly in the context of natural resource management.
For instance, since 2010-11, the area irrigated by traditional structures such as tanks, rainwater harvesting systems, and ponds in India has increased by 2.38 million hectares. Notably, Madhya Pradesh alone accounts for 1.58 million hectares of this increase, contributing two-thirds of the national total. A study by the National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research further highlights that agricultural growth in Madhya Pradesh is the most sustainable among major states in the country.
The role of policy, coordination, and policy transfer
While irrigation expansion through the development of canal infrastructure is well documented from the data, a lesser-known yet critical factor in Madhya Pradesh’ agricultural success is the enhanced coordination, convergence, and agricultural technology transfer. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the minister of agriculture and farmers welfare, has keenly understood these dynamics.
During his tenure as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, addressing the challenges of coordination and strengthening the transfer of agricultural technology were top priorities. The Balram Talab Yojna, introduced in 2007, besides the core objectives of rainwater harvesting and providing lifesaving irrigation, has been the key driver of growth in the allied sector, particularly in the fisheries sector. To align with the schemes of the central government like PMKSY and to promote sustainable use of natural resources, necessary modifications have been made from time to time, including the compulsion of installing micro-irrigation from 2017-18 for beneficiaries of Balram Talab Yojnato ensure per drop more crop.
Why convergence is so important
Agriculture, as a subject of shared responsibility between the central and state governments under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution of India, requires a highly coordinated approach, particularly when the intension is to promote system approach like agroforestry. Indeed, the successful adoption of any improved technology unlikely without effective coordination. While the technology development, in one or another way is taken up by the Indian Councilof Agricultural Research, which operates under the purview of the central government, the ultimate responsibility of disseminating these to farmers’ fields lies on the shoulders of state extension functionaries. The Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), which administratively largely controlled by the states and funded by government of India, also play a crucial role in linking research institutes with state extension functionaries. This necessitates stronger convergence between central and state initiatives, especially in sub-sectors like agroforestry, which integrates trees or shrubs with crops or livestock, inherently intersects these domains, making coordination between the central and state governments essential.
Agroforestry sub-sector is critical in addressing challenges such as climate change and the limited availability of cultivable land, and ignoring agroforestry further perhaps would cause huge cost to agriculture and environment. Although the Agriculture Ministry has a national mandate for agroforestry research and promotion, its implementation often varies based on state-level policies and priorities. Forestry, falling under the concurrent list, further complicates the coordination process, as both the central and state governments share legislative and policymaking responsibilities. While the central government focuses on framing broad policies, international agreements, and national conservation efforts, the actual management and administration of forests rest with the state governments. This challenge has explicitly been highlighted in the National Agroforestry Policy 2014, the first policy of its kind globally.
Madhya Pradesh’ self-governed institutional mechanism
In 2013, the Madhya Pradesh government launched a special KVK-ATMA convergence scheme to improve collaboration between state extension functionaries and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) while converging various schemes related to agriculture. The goal was to saturate at least 5,000 farmers per district annually with advanced agricultural technologies. Recognising the limited capacity of KVKs, a vital link between research institutes and grassroots extension systems, the scheme focused on maximising their impact through strategic convergence. The most important part of the convergence was the self-governed institutional arrangements. At the state level, the Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI) served as the nodal coordinating body, while district collectors, as the chairpersons of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), an autonomous institution at the district level responsible for facilitating technology transfer at the district level, ensured effective implementation. Together, these efforts have positioned Madhya Pradesh as a leading example of sustainable agricultural growth, driven by innovation, integration, and robust institutional frameworks.
Lessons to be learnt from the growth story
The story of agricultural growth in Madhya Pradesh offers valuable lessons for other states to replicate the well-proved approach, particularly in coordination, convergence, and technology transfer. In fact, Chauhan himself has begun implementing these principles at the national level. In his first address to agricultural scientists, he emphasised that strengthening agricultural extension is of utmostimportance for improving the state of agriculture and farmers’ livelihoods. Recently, he appointed senior officials as nodal officers to oversee agricultural issues in assigned states, ensuring seamless coordination and effective policy implementation.
The intent is clear, but achieving meaningful reforms will require substantial efforts to ensure that technology effectively reaches farmers. The ATARI, which serve as a vital link between the central and state governments, need to be empowered with enhanced manpower and capacity-building initiatives. This is essential not only for better coordination but also for research on innovative agricultural extension models that leverage cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The traditional ‘business-as-usual’approach is insufficient in this era of rapid technological advancement. The challenges are even more pronounced in allied sectors like agroforestry, where farmers require comprehensive information on agricultural credit, insurance, and market opportunities. Unfortunately, agroforestry extension services in the country remain inadequate.
KVKs are under increasing demand, not only from the Agriculture Department but also from other sectors. Expectations from KVKs continue to grow, but their manpower has not been proportionately increased. Strengthening KVKs is essential if we genuinely want agricultural technologies to reach farmers effectively.
One of the most pressing issues is the decline in state-level extension functionaries, which has been highlighted in nearly every study on agricultural extension. Perhaps the nodal officers appointed will be pushing to states to fill vacant positions and enhance the capacity of para-extension workers, including ‘farmer friends’ and ‘kisan didis’. This focused approach could drive meaningful change in agricultural extension and support farmers more effectively.
Nevertheless, what is more important is proactive role to be played by the states, rather than looking to central government if states really feel that agriculture is their subject of jurisdiction. (Dr Anupam Mishra is Vice Chancellor, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur.
Dr Prem Chand is a senior scientist at the National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi.)
