Agricultural Planning

Agricultural planning refers to two processes: agricultural policy making and agricultural planning per se. The policy makers wield the political and financial power to set goals for the agricultural sector (such as growth, food security, regional equity), strategies to pursue them (such as giving priority to export crops, commercial farms, smallholders), and set price, input, credit and land policies designed to induce farmers, technicians and others working in the sector to take decisions that will achieve the policy objectives. The structures, processes, and relative importance of the different levels of agricultural planning differ from country to country. If agricultural planners want their projects to have an impact, they must be sure that they meet the needs of the farmers, both men and women, who are the intended beneficiaries. This is what is meant by ‘demand-driven’ or ‘client-responsive’ agricultural services. Planners and their organisations must be willing to learn from farmers and must routinely adjust their recommendations to reflect what they have learned. Planners need to make sure they are listening to everyone who has a stake in the development proposal – men and women, young and old, rich and poor. This book analyses various aspects of agricultural planning such as planning for soil conservation, crop planning, production and productivity planning. Issues such as land use pattern, irrigation, agroclimatic zonal planning etc., are also discussed in detail. The book will be highly useful to agricultural planners, policy makers, farmers, researchers, students and all who are interested in agricultural development.