Amidst the thorny and unending speculation over the leadership change, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is preparing to present his record 17th budget on March 6.
Subtle power struggles could have some influence on the budget as the CM would be looking to make the most of every opportunity to further cement his position. However, maintaining fiscal prudence and welfare programmes, including guarantee schemes, are likely to be the central points.
While political compulsions and urgent demand for outcomes may lead to more attention and allocation for certain schemes and departments, all-important agriculture and allied sectors need a much stronger push. Farmers require higher assistance as they continue to cope with uncertainties due to various factors, including price fluctuations, inadequate cold storage and transportation facilities, and crop loss due to heavy rains, floods, or droughts.
Last year, sugarcane farmers protested demanding a fair price to clear their dues; mango growers faced hardship as they depended on pulp extraction units in the neighbouring state, and farmers’ suicides continued. All these highlight the need for a holistic, long-term approach in the budget as well as effective implementation. Agriculture and allied sectors were among the six key focus areas in Siddaramaiah’s last budget. However, how many of those announcements were translated into reality and implemented? A status report could help bring accountability to the system.
The government needs to take a comprehensive view of the sector and come up with long-term measures to empower farmers through initiatives to boost their morale and increase their income. Such measures can also go a long way in preventing farmer suicides.
Experts in the field suggest that a committee consisting of lawmakers, officials, experts, and farmer representatives could be formed to come up with concrete measures to empower farmers and ensure implementation at the grassroots level.
The government needs to strengthen and provide sufficient funds to the Directorate of Secondary Agriculture to enhance farmers’ income through value addition services, packaging facilities, branding, marketing, and exports. Post-harvest losses, which are around 30% in vegetables and fruits and around 10% in cereals, impact farmers’ income. More food processing units, efficient transportation, and cold storage facilities are required. Thanks to market linkage in the dairy sector, Karnataka is the largest producer of milk. Can a similar system or something on those lines be brought into marketing of fruits and vegetables?
Ensuring the success of an integrated farming system will boost farmers’ income, while protecting the environment and improving soil fertility. For that to happen, the animal husbandry component needs to be incorporated by increasing the funds given to beneficiaries.
Agriculture and allied departments need to work in tandem to provide assistance to farmers. The government had earlier announced the Agriculture Development Board, headed by the CM, with the Agriculture Minister as the vice-chairman. However, the initiative aimed to ensure better coordination, avoid duplication of efforts, and efficient utilisation of available resources is yet to take off. The CM needs to revive that initiative.
Also, in the 2025-26 budget, the CM had announced the implementation of a comprehensive Rain-fed Agriculture Policy, as 64% of the state’s cultivated area is rain-fed. The policy is still in the works. Experts advocate the need for an integrated agricultural policy, including the Rain-fed Agriculture Policy and the Agriculture Start-up Policy that is under consideration.
The government should consider providing loans to unemployed agriculture graduates settled in villages or small towns to start small agri-business units, including organic units like bio-fertilisers, bio-control agents and vermicompost. It would help produce good quality organic inputs at a low cost and provide a source of income for the unemployed graduates. A single-window system of providing all advisory services related to agriculture and allied sectors at the 742 Raitha Samparka Kendras at the Gram Panchayat or Hobli levels will be helpful.
Push for micro-irrigation is another important aspect. The state has around 36 lakh hectares of irrigated land. Of that, 16 lakh hectares are covered under micro-irrigation. More emphasis needs to be given to increase the area under micro-irrigation by providing more funds to farmers from the agriculture, horticulture and sericulture departments.
Apart from increasing funding to the sector, the government also needs to rope in experts from reputed institutions, such as agriculture universities, Institution of Agricultural Technologists (IAT) and the services of others, especially retired officers who have worked with the agriculture department and allied sectors, and representatives of farmers’ unions to strengthen its efforts.
Dr A B Patil, President of IAT, says the institution is always willing to supplement and complement any effort by the government. IAT has 6,000 active life members, who are graduates in agriculture and horticulture, and it is active in over 22 districts.
Perhaps, as the CM and top officials prepare the budget, they need to review earlier measures and come up with new initiatives to provide a renewed push to the sector.