Shift of Workforce from Agriculture to Other Activities

Shifting of workforce from agriculture to other productive activities may reduce the burden of population on agriculture and can solve the problem of disguised unemployment and underemployment in our agricultural sector.

It would not only help in providing sustainable livelihood options to the rural people but would also provide supplementary gainful employment opportunities. Thus, it would raise the level of income and would overcome the problem of poverty in the rural sector.

The shift of the workforce from agriculture can take place in two directions:

1. To allied activities such as livestock, poultry, fisheries, horticulture etc
2. To Non-agricultural activities

These are discussed below:

Animal Husbandry

The branch of agriculture, which is concerned with breeding,  rearing and caring for farm animals is known as Animal husbandry. Domesticated animals, which are generally raised in an agricultural set-up to produce labour and commodities, such as cattle, goats, etc., are known as Livestock. Under livestock farming, cattle, goats and fowls(duck, goose, etc.) are widely held species.
Animal husbandry and dairy development play a prominent role in the rural economy, as it is the major source of income for many rural families. 

• India has the world’s largest livestock population. It has about 57 per cent of the world’s buffalo population and 15 per cent of the cattle population. 
• Today, the livestock sector provides alternate livelihoods to over 70 million small and marginal farmers, including landless labourers. 
• In most rural areas, livestock farming is combined with crop farming with a view to supplementing income.
• A good number of women also find employment in this sector.
• It also provides subsidiary occupation in semi-urban areas and more so for people living in hilly and tribal areas as there is lesser scope of crop farming in areas where irrigation facilities are available not a. Sheep-rearing is one of the many occupations.
• Livestock production not only enhances stability in income, but also provides food security, nutrition for the family, transport, and fuel.

Dairying

Dairying is the branch of agriculture which includes breeding, raising and utilization of dairy animals for the production of milk and various dairy products processed from it.

• It is the business of producing, storing, and distributing milk and its products. 
• Due to the successful implementation of ‘Operation Flood’, the production of milk had gone up more than eight-fold since independence. Milk production in India during the period 1950-51 to 2017-18, has increased from 17 million tons to 176.4 million tons making India the largest producer of milk in the world.
• Operation Flood or White Revolution was started by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1970 under the guidance of Dr Verghese Kurien. The main objective was to create a nationwide milk grid. The movement for a massive rise in milk production in India is known as White Revolution. 
  a) All the farmers pool their milk produce according to the different grades and the same is processed and marketed to urban centres through cooperatives under Operation Flood. Farmers get fair prices and income. 
  b) Gujarat state is held as a success story in the efficient implementation of milk cooperatives.
  c) Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan are major milk-producing states.
• The efforts of the government in the dairy sector are concentrated on building and strengthening infrastructure in the states for the production of quality milk, and procurement, processing and marketing of milk and milk products.
• Dairying is an occupation which that supports the livelihood of many women, especially the rural poor in India. 75 million women as against 15 million men are engaged in dairying in India.
• Meat, eggs, wool and other by-products are also emerging as important productive sectors for diversification.

Poultry Development

• In India, poultry accounts for the largest share of 61 per cent, followed by other livestock. 
• Poultry is one of the fastest growing sub-sectors of animal husbandry, with the annual growth rate of eggs around 6 per cent. 
• The value of output from the poultry sector is nearly 15,000 crore, and it provides direct or indirect employment to over 2 million people. 
• The poultry sector generates employment and subsidiary income and provides nutritional security, especially to the rural poor.

Fisheries

Fishery refers to the catching, processing, marketing and selling of fish and other aquatic animals.

• It is a source of cheap and nutritious food, besides being a major source of foreign exchange earnings.
• This sector is a source of livelihood for more than 14 million people who are fully or partially engaged in this sector.
• Marine Fishing Policy (2004) laid a foundation for a sustainable level of marine fish production, keeping in view ecological and bio-diversity considerations. The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has been set up in India to realise the untapped potential of the fishery sector. In the World, India is the 2nd largest producer of freshwater fish. The fishery Is a sunrise sector with varied resources and potential.
• The fishing community of India depend on both inland and marine sources of fishing, which include rivers, lakes, ponds, sea, and oceans together called ‘water bodies’. The total fish production during 2017-18 is estimated to be 12.60 million metric tons, of which nearly 65% is from the inland sector and the balance is from marine sources (oceans and seas).
• At present, Fish and fish products have emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports from India. It accounts for around 10% of the total exports and contributes about 0.91% of the country’s GDP. In India, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are major fish-producing states.
• It is important to note that a large number of the workforce engaged in fishing is poor due to widespread underemployment, illiteracy, absence of mobility to other sectors and low per capita income. 

Horticulture

The science or art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops is known as horticulture.  

• In the scheme of crop diversification, the emphasis is being given to horticulture such as fruits, vegetables, spices, medicinal, and aromatic plants, plantation crops (peanut, cashew nut etc.) and floriculture. This kind of crop diversification would help in generating employment, improving economic conditions of the farmers, enhancing exports and providing nutritional security to the people. 
• In India, there are different types and varieties of plants which are grown, which makes it a good region for the development of horticulture.
• One-third of the value of agricultural output and 6% of the Gross Domestic Product of India is contributed by the Horticulture sector. 
• India has emerged as one of the leaders in producing a variety of fruits, like mangoes, bananas, cashew nuts, etc. India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables at present.
• It has provided livelihood for many underprivileged classes and has improved the economic conditions of farmers.
• This sector is a highly remunerative option for women.  They can try their hands on flower harvesting, nursery maintenance, hybrid seed production, etc.
•  The period in which there was a tremendous rise in the production of horticultural products like fruits, vegetables, etc., is known as Golden Revolution. The period between 1991 to 2003 is known as the period of the Golden Revolution in India. It made India a world leader in the production of mangoes, bananas, coconut and species. Nirpakh Tutej is considered to be the father of the Golden Revolution in India.

Information Technology (Non-Agricultural Activities)

The branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information is known as Information Technology. 

• This sector has revolutionised many sectors of the Indian economy. It is a tool which is used to attain sustainable development and food security, as it is able to predict changes like flood chances, soil changes, drought situations etc. So, in rural areas, IT technology can act as a lifesaver by changing living standards.  
• It can help the government to predict areas of food insecurity and vulnerability through relevant and appropriate information and software tools.
• It is helpful in agricultural sectors as it provides useful information regarding weather, soil conditions, etc.
• It also creates employment opportunities in rural areas.
• Government launched Kisan Call centres to provide online information to farmers. The government is also providing IT equipment in the Department of Agriculture and cooperation Headquarters to make improved services accessible to farmers using information technology.