Doubling the Agricultural Income by 2022 in India: Issues and Challenges - Evidence From Andhra Pradesh

The mechanism of reforms is not given enough government funding and financial assistance to the agriculture sector. This impacted the conditions of cultivation, particularly in rural living conditions. The impact of free trade brought unstable prices, difficulties in agriculture export and import and which is affected farmer’s welfare, livelihood, and other employment alternatives. The most adverse effect that has become a curse to farmers is the multiple of low price and instability in the output of cash crops. Andhra Pradesh mostly depends on rainfall agriculture. Monsoon and seasonal conditions play a crucial role in Andhra Pradesh agriculture. The proportion of area under agriculture is 37.30 percent (including fish ponds). The gross irrigated area (35.81 lakh hectares) is 48.29 percent of gross area sown (74.18 lakh hectare.) in the state. The ratio of gross irrigated area to net irrigated area is 1.32 in 2016-17, where it was 1.29 in 2015-16. (Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2016-17). An attempt is made to study in depth the evolution of cost conditions in the rainfed and irrigated land agricultural practices, regarding the sustainability of livelihood practices. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research were applied in the study through a collection of data by household survey and in-depth interviews, site visits, and field observations. For an understanding of costs and returns, calculate Cost A, Cost B and Cost C and Gross, Farm Business, Family Labour, Net, Farm Investment Incomes. The policymakers should focus on strict implement National Commission on farmer’s recommendations of increasing MSP should be at least 50 percent more than the weighted average cost of production, introduce availability of the leased technology (i.e. crop sowing and cutting machines etc.) to marginal and small farmers, reduce the inequalities between villages and towns and promote Zero Budget Natural Farming across the country.