Present paper proposes to examines the Agricultural research and education policy in India with specific reference to 11th Five Year Plan.  As Agricultural research and education became central themes in agricultural policy of the state in India since longtime and the recent interventions and expectations of 11th Five Year Plan of India provides necessity of reviewing the said policy and its historical linkages.  Of late technology fatigue became central to the official policy to push the recent western developments into Indian agriculture.  As has been done in the past (during 1960s), the Indian state is increasingly emulating the western sciences and in effect also damaging the local traditions and knowledge systems and dependent livelihoods.  Even the rain fed agriculture plan of the government subscribes to the adoption of irrigated technologies in these areas.  This calls for a serious attention for the social scientists who analyze the policies critically through an evolutionary account and the kind of detours that it has taken over time.  This kind of analysis is important because all policy builds on past goals, and by modifying or substituting for existing institutions that have outmoded functions.  Even if the policy analyst ignores the past, there remains the inevitable necessity of changing existing institutions whether it is the patent system, type of technology or any of the institutions that were created solely for a specific policy.  Understanding historical experience of development disturbs science and technology policy because while objectives can be set, without history the analyst cannot develop the alternatives for reaching those objectives.  Analysis without history not only ignores the process of change, but assumes that a good technological idea will inevitably prevail once the economic, social and institutional barriers are removed.  In this light the agricultural research and education policy of the government of India needs a thorough historical account, which helps us to understand the directions that the agricultural policy of education and research took over a period of time and the lessons to be learnt.  And particularly, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) which is think tank for the formulation of above said policy, it deserves attention to see the history of ICAR, which completed its centenary recently (2005).
 
Keeping above idea as the thrust, the paper examines into 11th Five Year Plan with reference to said aspect and critically examines past five year plans to get a measure of what it contributes to the present knowledge.   Consequently, the paper summarizes government of India’s policy on Agricultural research and education in the 11th plan and foregrounds it with the past experience and lessons for a critical evaluation.

 
Comments by Shambu

Why has public policy ignored some dimensions. For example it appears that every crisis, food scarcity in the sixties and the 'low productivity' now leading to farmers suicides seems to provide a standard response. Strengthen the agricultural research and education budget and things will be in place. We saw this with the KIA as well. The difference perhaps is that there is a greater critique of such trends. Narayanamurthy's piece in the recent EPW seems to suggest one critique which I feel is a rather limited --  Greater investments in irrigation is something that is clearly not going to stem the rot. It probably creates a good climate for Polavarams and fattening pockets.

The 11th plan on agriculture, what does it have to say and what it does not say? There are people like Dr Sanghi and others who perhaps played a role in shaping the rainfed policy subgroup though it is not clear how much has got incorporated.

 
 
Comments by Udaya Shankar

The thrust on mechanisation of agriculture coupled with the short sghted cross breeding programme resulted in the disappearance of the draught animal/agri-cart from most of the irrigated area including some of the rain-fed areas and reduced the availability of farm yard manure forcing increased use of inorganics.
 
Tractor-transport, mechanisation of agriculture and inorganic fertilisers enhanced fossil fuel has also increased the dependance of the farmers.

In most parts of India diesel pumpsets are being used to pump ground water for irrigation.

All technological interventions made agriculture energy intensive and increased the cost of  cultivation. All extension services are under the grip of agro-chemical manufacturers. At the end, the farmer does not get remunerative price.

The Voluntary sector did quite a good bit of work on conservation of energy in agriculture. The Medak Diocese (CSI)  agro-services unit developed an  efficient agri-cart few decades back. There is one in Lucknow. Many more are there. One should spend time collecting all the documents.

One can not convert the up/down hill tasks being undertaken by the farmers in the Hills in to energy units. If only we take-up dual purpose (milk and draught) cross breeding (local cows*Gir/Thar parker) programme on a massive scale, the conventional energy requirement in agriculture  can be drastically reduced.

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