AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION &

PLANNED LABOUR UTILIZATION

THE ISSUE:
Agricultural modernization is a dynamic process in the sense that both over time and space
functions do change in the real sense. A revolution! is aimed at" #hich being slo# but steady"
#ould give rise to generation of selective activities over space" so that production and employment
is changed and finally the #hole agrarian society faces an up#ard drift. Agricultural
modernization" therefore" has several points to claim. The increased need of food and ra#
materials in the area and from outside the area is met. $and use become optimal. Agricultural
land use gives rise to other use li%e& allied activities. A change in the physical" as #ell as economic
sense" is ultimately aimed at. Human labour has limitations regarding #or%&load. A labour surplus
area" yet resourceful" can!t be left alone to the mercy of nature. 'atural gro#th is not desirable in
the sense that e(tra natural forces are available" #hich" in turn" churns up nature!s productivity.
)odernization is al#ays a slo# but steady gro#th. *ver time #e have to optimize land use" by
ma(imizing production and employment creations" sub+ect to certain constraints li%e social"
financial" legal etc.
The t#o terms" agricultural modernisation! , labour utilisation! are not in the dichotomy- rather
they possess a common characteristics of similarity. 'e#&loo% agriculture is limited through
utilizing optimally the vital resource" #hich is labour. .roduction and distribution system is aimed
to be brought to a much higher level- #here not only physical factor but also the human factor
#ould participate in a big #ay.
It may seem that use of machine #ould thro# a#ay many persons out of employment. /ut there is
too haste a conclusion". 0eep nurturing #ould sho# that modernisation! of agriculture is not an
isolated phenomenon. Some labourers may be retrenched from the +obs that they are doing no#.
/ut" if the #hole process of production is sub&divided into several stages" it #ould be ultimately
found that the versatile labour" #ho is retrenched from a particular stage 1e.g. harvesting2 #ould
be used in some other stages 1e.g. mar%eting2. So" the correct does of mechanization is never
supported in vie# of three main reasons: i2 farmer #ould not readily be able to leap from
traditional! modes to a full fledged sophisticated modern! mode- 1ii2 huge investment cost #ould
be re3uired- and 1iii2 many labourers are li%ely to be retrenched" #ho in turn" #ould continue to
remain unemployed in the absence of 3uantitative productive employment.
The urgent problem that needs solution is t#o dimensional income and employment. 4aising of
the general income is dependent on several plan%s li%e : 1i2 better utilization of resources 1ii2
minimization of cost , ma(imization of output. 5hile the employment criteria needs to be tac%led
through : 1i2 earning +ob through most of the year and 1ii2 creating +obs in allied activities li%e goat
rearing" bulloc%&maintenance" home hold gardening" cottage industries etc. regarding +ob creation
and income&generation" the thing #hich has received attention is the inclination! to#ards
traditional practices. It is easier for the farming community to devote themselves spontaneously
and continuously in activities" #hich they can adopt to easily. As a result of these" the interactions
bet#een agricultural" industrial and tertiary sectors #ould go up by leaps and bounds.
Agricultural modernization is al#ays a continuous process. The process can really start after a
certain level of development being ta%en place on a purely agricultural region. The doses of
modernization can really be meaningful and fruitful only #hen the bloc% can assimilate them.
That is to say irrigation" po#er" credit" road etc. re3uire a minimum level over #hich they can act
optimally. 6armer!s general acceptance of modernized agricultural practices ta%es place #hen he
can get nearly all the facilities #hich are called for.
Apparently the machines seem to retrench men. /ut if the #hole process of production and
distribution is considered" ne# +obs #ould be created because of mechanization. The labour
displacing and the labour&augmenting forces try to come to e3uality. So any labour #ho lose +ob
because of introductions of machine" #ould get some alternative #or%s to do" and thus the problem
of unemployment does not arise" in general. Some doses of machines are already tested by the
farmer. .o#er tiller" sprayer" pumps etc. have cherished the mind of an average farmer. He" at the
same time" is found to be less conservative. The common desire is that" if labour gets +obs" the use
of machine is #elcome.
*/7E8TI9ES :
The thesis #ants to highlight the essential ingredients of an agricultural development programme.
6or this reason" the simultaneous attainment of ma(imum production and ma(imum +ob creation
is sought. Agricultural modernisation! aims at bringing in a ne# loo% to the #hole agricultural
sector of the bloc% by means of introducing the advanced agricultural practices of after
considering the availability of physical and human inputs. The best combination of inputs is
sought in order to get the ma(imum ma(imorum! of output. $abour is not treated in isolation"
rather the t#o parts- agricultural modernisation! and labour utilisation! have a high degree of
dependence on each other.
)odernization to the fullest e(tent is not imperative in vie# of the fact that it #ill retrench many of
the agricultural #or%ers. Instead" the thesis engages itself to sho# the efficiency of part&
mechanisation. This differentiating mechanization measures #ould lead not only to increase yield
per acre" but also #ould enhance the 3uality of the inputs that #ould be used. 4etrenched
labourers due to part&mechanisation #ould be small in number- and the ne# activities that #ould
be generated #ould enable them to get absorbed in productive +obs. The e3uilibrium bet#een
supply of labour and the demand for labour is to be established not only in one stage of
agricultural operation" but also in all the stages.
THE SU49E::
6ield investigations have to be underta%en in the form of a sample survey regarding the detailed
socio&economic conditions of the farming community of the bloc%. This survey has" obviously"
been ta%en at a particular points of time 17an" 6eb" ;<==2.
4andom sampling has been adopted" regarding the sample design. The micro&level is the mouza!.
The scheduled , 3uestionnaire methods have been adopted regarding data collection from
households". The thesis has incorporated the opinions and attitudes of different officers in the
bloc% li%e 0...0." 7.T.*. 1of 8.A.0...2" A.E.*." /.0.*. 16or /.0.*. office2" 9.*." 9.8.5. and other
agricultural officers" etc. throughout the thesis due importance is confidently given on these first&
hand e(periences.
$I)ITATI*'S *6 THE THESIS :
The norms accepted and the recommendations put for#ard in formulating the development
programmes are #or%able only under the follo#ing assumptions:
1i2 The farmers! adoptability to ne# techni3ues #ould not pose serious problems. In
obeying the norms of such modernization" traditional faith" beliefs etc. #ould not act as
hindrances.
1ii2 There is no voluntary unemployed" rather the active population of the #hole of the
1average2 farmer!s family #ould spend time in productive activities.
1iii2 Inflo# and outflo# of labour and capital #ould not change the picture altogether.
1iv2 The uns%illed labour" if re3uired" can be given training for turning into s%illed
labourer.
1v2 The plan that is prepared #ould be operated only under the e(isting socio&political set
up. If this system is changed" obviously the plan #ould be operationally less efficient.
)ETH*0*$*>::
The methodology #hich is follo#ed in this thesis" may briefly be summarized as follo#s :
1i2 To study the present economy of the bloc%-
1ii2 To study the present agricultural pattern that is being follo#ed-
1iii2 To study the present employment aspect and the socio&economic conditions of labour in
agricultural sector- 1on the basis of secondary data" as #ell as the socio&economic
survey at household level in selected villages of the bloc% and to study the surplus?
deficit of labour #hich emerges from the consideration of the demographic analysis2.
1iv2 To find out the oroblems" as #ell as the gaps #hich prevail 1#ithin the e(isting
infrastructural facilities and the nature of inputs 1including agricultural implements2
that are used in the process-
1v2 To assess the potentials of essential ingredients li%e" irrigation" po#er etc.-
1vi2 To set targets for agricultural development 1on the basis of various pro+ections li%e
gross cropped area" area under irrigation" area under H:9 of seeds" estimated need of
fertilizers" pesticides" etc.2-
1vii2 To prepare a comprehensive agricultural development plan 1 including the mar%ets"
roads po#er lines" Agro&services centres" etc2-
1viii2 To estimate the future labour use and its substitutions by mechanization throughout the
year under planned agricultural development programme and thus to balance the
demand for and the supply of labour-
1i(2 To identify the areas of operations #here mechanization is possible" and thereby to
estimate the resultant surplus! of manpo#er-
1(2 To propose alternatives for optimal use of labour forces throughout the year ta%ing into
consideration the prescribed degree of mechanization and opportunities created for ne#
+obs in mechanized farming.
A' *UT$I'E *6 THE THESIS:
The first chapter deals #ith the issue 1the problem2" the study area" ob+ectives of the thesis and its
limitation , the methodology that is follo#ed.
8hapter three deals #ith the infrastructural base for agricultural development. In this respect
irrigation" po#er" mar%eting" transport , credit system as are found no# are discussed. The
successes , dra#bac%s #ithin the system are noticed minutely.
'e(t" the pattern of agricultural development is seen. In this conte(t the cropping pattern" its
intensity" yield per acre" the production and pricing" the inputs that are being used" the socio&
economic position of farmers" the en3uiry into allied activities are done. The problems" in the
present conte(t" are noticed- in order to reach at some meaningful solutions later on.
The fifth chapter of the thesis embraces the aspects of agricultural modernization and productivity.
The scope of modernization is highlighted" #hile distinguish bet#een the traditional and
modernized cultivations. $abour and land productivity are given proper #eightage.
After these" the crucial aspect of agricultural modernization" that is" the choice of techni3ue is
discussed. The traditional techni3ues are ta%en care of in order to find the inherent dra#bac%s.
The efficiency of relevant techni3ues and that of intermediate technology are highlighted. The
alternatives #ith reference to the cost of dedifferentiates are closely observed. The e(isting cost of
cultivation and the proposed patterns! cost are analysed side by side.
The seventh chapter fully deals #ith the production planning in the agricultural sector alone. The
potentials #ith reference to proposed irrigation and po#er facilities" and the strategies are
e(amined. The averages in allocation of crops" estimation of production of different crops 1on the
basis of proposed cropping pattern" the inputs that are re3uired2 are calculated. The surplus in
food production is also estimated 6armer!s choices of crops are indicated through sho#ing the
revised production cost , the anticipated profit.
8hapter eight engages #ith the planning for allied activities. A host of employment oriented allied
activities are discussed #ith their respective economics. $ivestoc%" agro&based and village
industries are discussed along #ith their potentialities. The infrastructural facilities that #ould
emerge are also set side by side. 8entrality of settlements is analysed" and the locations of different
community facilities" #hich are indispensable #ith agricultural development" are proposed.
8hapter nine effectively deals #ith the employment planning and the degree of mechanization.
The demand for and the supply of labour is seen in the conte(t of machine&use. The possible areas
of mechanization are noted. The labour&displacing and the labour&augmenting pictures are
visualized. An attempt is made to balance the t#o.
6inally" the policy prescriptions along #ith the recommendations are +ot do#n. The summary of all
policies , proposals is done. At length" the anne(ure and bibliography are attached.