BHUBANESWAR: With millions leaving agriculture to seek livelihood elsewhere, India’s quest for the food security is more precarious than ever. As the Food Security Bill is placed before Parliament, a major challenge before agriculture policy-makers is to address the shrinkage of land under cultivation. Director-General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research Dr S Ayyappan on Wednesday said efforts are on to work out a systematic land use pattern in the country.“We have asked all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to study the land use pattern in their respective areas for the past 30 years,” he said at the 99th Indian Science Congress. This, Ayyappan, also Secretary of Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), said will enable the ICAR to understand the requirement of land for various purposes.Asked if he would support an agriculture land conservation legislation, on the lines of Forest Conservation Act, he said, the issue is being hotly debated since it is a multi-ministerial issue. There were suggestions for agriculture exclusive zones (AEZ) - like SEZs - but it is being debated again.“We are not very sure because eventually it is about the market. If someone wants to invest ` 50 crore for an engineering college, he would no matter what. Land for other social activities will continue to be required,” he said. Although 2011 has been the best year for India agriculturally, the ICAR head said, food self-sufficiency does not necessarily mean food security. With inputs such as land shrinking - thanks to people leaving farming - productivity has to be enhanced. Currently, of the 140 million hectares land under cultivation, only 60 hectares is irrigated. Ayyappan said, a major challenge before the policy-makers is to make agriculture exciting so that people stick to it. It is key to food security too, he added.
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